In honor of Independence Day, and to kick off the introduction of their new line of cookware and bakeware (available at Wal-Mart), BHG is hosting a State Cookie Contest.  One blogger created a cookie for each state.  Virginia was already well-represented, so I am representing South Dakota.  (Some of you may have guessed that this is why I was buying chocolate chips a couple days ago.)

Why South Dakota?  My dad’s family was from South Dakota, back before it was South Dakota.  (It was “Dakota Territory.”)  His great-great-great-grandfather grew up in Minnehaha.

When I set out to create a cookie to represent South Dakota, I thought it ought to bear significance both in appearance and in content.  That is, not only should the shape/design represent South Dakota (the “Black Hills” part that is probably obvious), but the ingredients should reflect significant economic products of the state.  I opted to exclude beef and other meats right out of the gate.  (You’re welcome.)  I also omitted wheat and rye because I’m gluten-intolerant and, therefore, couldn’t taste-test them!

The resulting cookie does highlight a grain grown in South Dakota – oats – along with sunflower seeds and flax.  It contains a very high percentage of whole foods.  (There is some brown sugar, and the chocolate chips aren’t exactly whole foods.)  It is also gluten-free.

“Black Hills” of SD

"Black Hills" of SD

Rachel Ramey

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine Gluten-Free

Ingredients

  

• 3-1/2 c. rolled oats*
• 1/3 c. cocoa
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter softened (1 stick)
• 1/2 c. honey
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 lg. eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. sunflower kernels unsalted
• 2 Tbsp. flax seeds

Instructions

 

• Run the oats through a blender to turn them into flour. (Coarse is perfectly okay.) Whisk together with cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. In a larger bowl, cream butter, honey, and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Add dry ingredients, about a third at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in chocolate chips, sunflower kernels, and flax.
• Form into balls about 1 inch in diameter and place about an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees F for 13 minutes. Let rest on cookie sheet until cool enough to transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

*These are just the kind of oats you would buy for making non-instant oatmeal. If you are strictly gluten-free, be sure to look for certified gluten-free oats.

The blogger whose cookie gets the most votes will win a $100 gift card and a complete set of BHG bakeware – along with another set of bakeware to give away to her readers.  So if you are so inclined, pop on over and vote for me.  If not, that’s okay, too.  But you should make the cookies, anyway. 😉

Disclosure: BHG provided me with the cookie sheet pictured above in order to facilitate my participation.  (And as a bit of review. By the way, this thing is so nonstick that after three batches of cookies it still looked clean.  You’d have thought I’d just pulled it out of the cupboard.)  You can buy your own at Wal-Mart.  Or vote for me and hope I win and then you can enter to win one here. 🙂

Also check out:

• Minnesota at Grinning Cheek to Cheek
• Mississippi at Frugal Novice
• West Virginia at All Things Mamma
• Arkansas at Flip Flop Mama
• Massachusetts at The Caffeine Coquette
• New Jersey at From Val’s Kitchen
• Nebraska at Seeryus Mama

This post is being shared at Allergy-Free Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday.