GLUTEN FREE: Among Friends Hand-Crafted Baking Mixes
 Phil ‘Em Up combines chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Photo courtesy Among Friends Baking Mixes. |
Our gluten-free products editor, Georgi Page, tastes lots of gluten-free baking mixes. We’re as happy as she is when she finds something she likes. One of the hardest things about being gluten-free has been the difficulty of not being able to have a cookie when I want (need?!) one. Without even realizing I was using it as a crutch, I resorted to making homemade granola, and snacking on that. It was only when I got a chance to try Among Friends “Phil ‘Em Up” Chocolate Cranberry Cookie mix, made with Oatmeal flour, that I realized just how big the hole in my cookie-loving heart had been. Among Friends Hand-crafted Baking Mixes come in regular and Gluten-free varieties. All have healthier, better-for-you ingredients. |
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The gluten-free line-up includes Phil ‘Em Up, the oat-y chocolate cranberry mix I baked; Shane’s Sweet-n-Spicy Molasses Cookies; CJ’s’ Double Chocolate Cookies and a Trish the Dish Crisp Mix. |
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The names accurately capture the homey taste and flavor of the end result: toasty, tasty, hearty cookies that are relatively low in fat. The oat cookies I sampled have a very sturdy texture provided by the oat flour, so they’ve got plenty of fiber, without the grittiness of rice flour. They also have a faint salty, coconut-y aftertaste that I loved. Some gluten-free products have a mysterious aftertaste that is faintly bean-like, or raisin-y, but that is not a problem here. The chocolate chunks are rich but not so plentiful as to be a distraction, and the cranberries retained a chewy tartness. The cookies made me forget I am gluten-free. And, I got 14g of whole grain in my serving of two cookies. Among Friends’ mixes are made with premium GMO-free ingredients, and the price point of $5.99 reflects it. You’re also getting Callebaut chocolate chips, which are top-of-the-line. |
 Nice enough to give as gifts to your GF friends. Photo courtesy Among Friends Baking Mixes. |
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They are a breeze to make. The only advance planning needed was setting out a half stick of butter to soften. Then, you’ll be popping cookies into the oven 5 minutes after opening the adorable packaging (with “stretch of the day” tips on the bottom of the bag). For more information about Among Friends Baking Mixes, check the website. Here’s a store locator. You can purchase the cookies at Whole Foods Markets, Meijers and Sprouts (coming soon) and online at Amazon.com and AmongFriendsBakingMixes.com. |
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