Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies: Peanut Free & All Ingredients Processed in Peanut Free Facilities

Chocolate Chip Cookies are one of my favorite cookies to make. When I was a little girl, I used to love baking these cookies with my Mom and still make them as often as I can. I have been told many times that my chocolate chips cookies are delicious, and have been asked, ‘what do you do to make these cookies taste so great, what is your secret?’. Well, I use superior ingredients that contain no preservatives, corn syrup or ‘bad’ ingredients, and I add more vanilla extract than most. My chocolate chip cookies are gooey, sweet, but not too sweet, and very comforting. When I eat these cookies I am transported back to childhood and the wonderful time I would have making these with my Mom, and sneaking bites of cookie dough and chocolate chips when she was not looking.

All the ingredients in my recipe are peanut free and are processed in peanut free facilities so there is no risk of cross contamination. Next to each ingredient in my recipe is the brand that I use. Happy Baking 😊

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes approximately 24 cookies.

Cookie Ingredients:

2 ¼ Cups Unbleached Organic All-Purpose Flour-King Arthur Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda- Bob’s Red Mill

½ Teaspoon Fine Crystals Sea Salt

1 Cup (2 Sticks) Organic Unsalted Butter- Straus Family Creamery

¾ Cup Organic Cane Sugar- Wholesome

¾ Cup Organic Brown Sugar- Wholesome

2 Eggs- I buy my eggs at my farmers mark so I can make sure that the chickens are fed allergen free feed, are free range etc.

2 Teaspoons Organic Vanilla Extract- Spicely

1 Bag of Chocolate Chips-Enjoy Life, or any on my No Peanut Foods lists.

Directions for Dough:

1. In a stand mixer combine the eggs and vanilla extract (make sure the eggs are at room temperature).

2. Add the butter (make sure the butter is room temperature or it will not mix in thoroughly), mix until all combined, about 1 minute.

2.Add both sugars and mix until fluffy, and all combined, about 1 minute.

3. In a separate bowl mix all the remaining dry ingredients.

4. Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet, stopping the mixer to scrape down the edges of the bowl a couple times, mix until combined.

5. Add the bag of chocolate chips and mix only once, so that the chips do not break down. You can also mix the chocolate chips in by hand with a spatula.

Directions for Baking:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Spoon, or ice cream scoop, the dough onto a greased/buttered cookie sheet making sure to leave some space between each cookie because these do spread out while they are baking.

3. Bake the cookies at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes.

I hope you enjoy my recipe!

As with most baked goods these cookies will be tasty for around 3-4 days when stored in a air tight container.

On my lists of foods and products that are both peanut free, and processed in peanut free facilities you'll see all the brands I choose to support because they offer transparency with their facilities and ingredients. There are several brands of baking chocolate that I like to use and I honestly usually buy whichever is on sale at my local market. You can view my lists by clicking here, or on the No Peanut Foods site.

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Homemade Cardamom Cookies: Peanut Free & All Ingredients Processed in Peanut Free Facilities!

I love baking and I like to make something a little extra special during the holidays. When fall rolls around and it is time for Thanksgiving I always think of warming spices like those you would find in pumpkin pie, and mulled cider. My delicate cardamom cookies are perfect during this time of the year. These are a cross between a true cookie and an English tea biscuit and they are light, buttery and fragrant. The cardamom gives the cookie a slightly spicy flavor, bright notes of lemon and a lovely aroma. The cookies are easy to make and the only part that is time consuming is waiting for the dough to chill so you can then roll it out and cut it into shapes. They are the perfect complement to a holiday meal, or an afternoon tea. If cardamom is not your favorite spice you can leave it out all together. All the ingredients in my recipe are peanut free and are processed in peanut free facilities so there is no risk of cross contamination. Next to each ingredient is the brand that I use.

Happy Baking 😊

Cardamom Cookies

Makes approximately 35 3in. round cookies.

Cookie Ingredients:

2 cups Unbleached Organic All-Purpose Flour-King Arthur Flour

1 Teaspoon Organic Ground Cardamom- Spicely

½ Teaspoon Baking Powder- Bob’s Red Mill

¼ Teaspoon Fine Crystals Sea Salt

16 Tablespoons Organic Unsalted Butter- Straus Family Creamery

1 Cup Organic Powdered Confectioners Sugar- Wholesome

1 ½ Tablespoons Organic Plain Whole Milk Yogurt- Straus Family Creamery

¼ Teaspoon Organic Vanilla Extract- Spicely

Icing Ingredients:

½ Cup Organic Powdered Confectioners Sugar- Wholesome

¼ Teaspoon Organic Vanilla Extract- Spicely

3 Teaspoons of Water

Directions for Dough:

1. In a stand mixer combine the butter (make sure it is at room temperature) and sugar until smooth, then add the yogurt and vanilla. Mix until it is all combined.

2. In a separate bowl mix all the remaining ingredients.

3. Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet, stopping the mixer to scrape down the edges of the bowl a couple times, mix until combined.

4. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and wrap the dough in plastic wrap.

5. Refrigerate for around 3 hours, or for up to two days.

Directions for Baking:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. When you are ready to roll out the dough flour your cutting board and rolling pin.

3. Roll out the dough, working in small batches, to 1/4in. height.

4. Cut the cookies into circles using the back of a glass, or a cookie cutter, or cut into your favorite shape.

5. Place each cookie on a greased/buttered baking sheet.

6. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. These cookies go from baked to over done quickly so watch them and take them out sooner if you need too. Once you see the edges begin to brown, even slightly, it is time to take them out.

7. Let the cookies cool for at least 20 minutes.

8. Mix the icing: In a cup combine the powdered sugar, vanilla and water, if the mixture is too thick add a little more water, if it is too thin add more powdered sugar. Use a spoon and mix until the mixture is smooth, and there are no lumps from the sugar.

9. Using a spoon drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.

I hope you enjoy my recipe!

On my lists of foods and products that are both peanut free, and processed in peanut free facilities you'll see all the brands I choose to support because they offer transparency with their facilities and ingredients. You can view my lists by clicking here, or on the No Peanut Foods site.

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Burt's Bees Will Not Tell You What is in Their Products!

I have been writing about my struggle to find bath/body/oral care products that are made in a peanut free facility. This is super important if you have a peanut allergy so that you can be sure that what you are using is truly free of peanuts, and offers no risk of cross contamination, or cross contact, from something with peanuts manufactured in the same facility. I have been reaching out to every brand that I found in my own bathroom cabinet and have emailed or called each brand and asked the same question to find out if any of their products processed in a facility with peanuts? Here is the email that I send to companies:

Hi, This might be a odd question, I am wondering if any of your products are processed/made in a facility with peanuts? Is there any potential for cross contamination of peanuts? I love many of your face products but, I have a peanut allergy and I cannot use any products where peanuts are present in the facility. I am only asking about peanuts, I am not allergic to any other nuts. I did not see any peanuts listed anywhere on your products, but I thought it best to check. I just read that a face lotion they my sister uses is made in a facility with peanuts & therefore not safe for me to use; it would’ve never occurred to me to check face/body type products until I saw that. Please let me know. I hope I can continue to use your products. Thank you very much! Elizabeth Noble

Here is the response I received when I emailed Burt's Bees:

Nehemie (11/06/2019 05:03 AM)

Hello Elizabeth,

Thank you for reaching out to us at Burt's Bees.

We cannot provide a list of products that are safe for use with your allergy because our products may have been manufactured on a shared line with products containing nuts, or raw materials used in our products may have been processed in a facility that also processes nut-based ingredients.

Therefore, we are unable to state that any Burt's Bees products are nut-free. Several of our products are known to contain ingredients derived from nuts, such as nut butters (cocoa, kokum, shea, etc). Again, because of manufacturing these products adjacent to one another, we cannot recommend these products. Food allergies are a very complex: they can be very limited (single nut) or broad (range of tree nuts) depending on the individual; and they differ by topical application vs ingestion.

Please make sure that you carefully review the ingredient list of any product prior to use, particularly because the listed ingredients for a product may change. If you have a known allergy to nuts, you should always consult with your physician if you have questions regarding whether it is safe for you to use a particular product. Thank you for your inquiry.

Sincerely,

Burt's Bees Consumer Services

I was so very upset to read such a rude, condescending and extremely unhelpful response. But, I kept stupidly thinking, 'maybe they didn't understand my question?' So I decided to send a follow up email and request again that they answer my question, I wanted them to let me know if peanuts were present in either their products or their facility, not nuts in general. I also was not sure how consulting my doctor would help ascertain if Burt's Bees products are produced in a facility with peanuts? I was very upset when I wrote my request for further clarification and here is what I wrote back to Nehemie:

Hi Nehemie,

I’m confused by your answer. I was only inquiring about peanuts in your products and facility, not about tree nuts or any other allergen!!

Does Burt’s Bees use PEANUTS or have PEANUTS in the processing facility? I understand why the products are not nut free; I use your products and can read the ingredients.

My question is only about PEANUTS.

I will throw out all my products as a precautionary measure if I don’t hear back from you, but this seems like a question you should be able to answer.

Thank you

The following day I received this response:

Nehemie (11/07/2019 05:07 AM)

Hello Elizabeth,

Thank you for your response.

As we stated before, we cannot provide a list of products that are safe for use with your allergy because our products may have been manufactured on a shared line with products containing nuts, or raw materials used in our products may have been processed in a facility that also processes nut-based ingredients. Therefore, we are unable to state that any Burt's Bees products are nut-free.

If you have a known allergy to (any) nuts, you should always consult with your physician if you have questions regarding whether it is safe for you to use a particular product. Thank you for your inquiry.

Sincerely,

Burt's Bees Consumer Services

I have not written Burt's Bees back to thank Nehemie for her unhelpful and rude answer to my request for further clarification. Burt's Bees still did not answer if there are peanuts in their processing facility and they have made me feel like I should have never asked the question in the first place. After all I have a 'known allergy and I have consulted my physician'! I will never again purchase their products and I am on a journey to urge everyone I can to do the same. This is not how you treat a customer.

I have reached out to countless other bath/body/oral care brands and many have, like Burt's Bees, have basically declined to answer my question, or spoke to me about nuts in general instead of looking into whether peanuts specifically are in their facility. But, none of those brands, through emails, or phone conversations, even come close to how rude and condescending Burt's Bees has been to me, and none have made me feel as hurt by their words and inability to answer a simple yes/no question as Burt's Bees has.

To view my list of brands that offer transparency with their ingredients and their processing facility visit my lists on the No Peanut Foods website.

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