What makes Liz so Lovely? In my opinion, it is the way she truly understands the big soft cookie. She knows that it should not be cakey, fluffy, nor crispy, but rather generously oversized, dense (but not hearty), and almost cookie dough-esque in nature.  And now, I am happy to announce that Liz has carried this mastery of the ultra-indulgent monster cookie over to the gluten-free world (and just in time for Valentine's Day I might add!). Are they absolutely identical to their wheat-y cousins? Of course not … but in this wheat-eaters opinion, that’s half the deliciousness of it! Liz Lovely’s new gluten-free line comes in three varieties, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Fudge, and Ginger Molasses … as pictured below …

Oops!  Sorry about that, we tore open the chocolate chip cookie package before I took this picture … but I managed to snap a quick photo of the chocolate chip ones before they were completely devoured (note: objects in photo are much larger than they appear) …

Chocolate Chip Cookies – As I took my first bite, a wave of concern hit that these may actually be too sweet.  I immediately noticed the brown sugar flavor and braced myself for a sugar overload … but, to my pleasant surprise, these cookies were perfect. Of course they were sweet, with that brown sugar taste and feel that quintessentially makes them a chocolate chip cookie, but all of the flavors were in harmoniously in balance. Everything simply fell into place, down to just the right amount of medium-sized semi-sweet chocolate chips scattered throughout. My husband agreed, shouting “These are good!”

I am not gluten-free myself, but I do experiment with various flours in my own recipes, and thus recognized the mild rice flour texture in these cookies.  Though slightly different from fluffy all-purpose flour, it fits in beautifully, creating a cookie sensation that one need not be gluten-free to enjoy (case in point – my husband).  Honestly, if you offered me a “regular” chocolate chip cookie or this gluten-free one from Liz Lovely, it would be gluten-free all the way. 

Now I have merely addressed the fact that these amazing cookies just happen to be gluten-free, but they have accomplished another major feat … these jumbo cookies are egg-free and vegan too!  The very definition of a gluten-free cookie makes me think of little crumbs everywhere … take out the eggs, and I expected a cookie explosion.  Yet these were shipped to me (yes, postal carriers were handling these babies), I photographed them, gave them the once over, broke them in half for sharing, and there were literally no crumbles whatsoever. In fact, I think the chocolate chip cookies I made the other night (with wheat flour) were more crumbly!

Chocolate Fudge Cookies – With just the slightest tear into the package, the scent of freshly-baked brownies filled the air. While I am by no means a chocoholic, I do love the fudgy taste of dense brownies, and these cookies delivered just that.  Rich, thick, soft, doughy, and coated in a generous dousing of sugar crystals … pure heaven.  I kid you not, I completely forgot I was taste-testing a gluten-free cookie! 

These cookies were certainly chocolaty, but not overly so. Rather than shooting for a bold bittersweet punch, Liz kept it tame and rich, enhancing the flavor with occasional bursts of semi-sweet chocolate chips throughout (perhaps my favorite part). I would venture to say that this cookie is a good kid-friendly option, yet sophisticated enough for those more mature dark chocolate-loving taste buds. 

While I expected this flavor to come in third on my list of Liz Lovely gluten-free recommendations, it could very well have been my favorite. My husband concurred; these just barely edged out the competition to take first place in his book.

Molasses Ginger Cookies – I love molasses cookies, and the three to four daily cups of ginger tea that I consume will attest to my love of this potent spice. Needless to say, I enjoyed this cookie immensely, but not quite as much as I expected. The sweet ginger spiciness in this cookie was a huge hit with my taste buds, but at a few points I actually found it to be just a bit too much.  I was yearning for just a little more of that rich molasses and sweet brown sugar balance.

The texture was nice and cohesive, soft and forgiving, yet it leaned away from doughy, with a lighter feel that just barely ventured into the cakey zone (of course we are on the Liz Lovely scale here, where truly cakey cookies don’t actually exist).  My husband commented that they tasted more like spicy gingerbread than molasses cookies, and I think he may have hit the nail on the head.

While I loved every delicious bite, and could easily devour another package, of the three gluten-free flavors, this is the only one where I must admit that I like Liz Lovely’s wheat-based version better.  That said … the massive size and delicious ginger spice of this decadent cookie will likely be a hit with any gluten-free foodie, and could certainly fool even the most devoted all-purpose flour cookie fans.

Worth Noting:

• All Liz Lovely cookies are certified vegan (that means dairy-free and egg-free) and are made with organic ingredients (including flour, sugar, and chocolate where applicable). Not to mention, the ingredients are straight forward … that means real food!
• These are definitely gift-worthy!  Hint, hint.
• Liz Lovely goodies can be bought online or in stores, and they make a ton of wonderful sweets, all in small batches, and it shows. Everything is vegan, but they offer both wheat-based and gluten-free cookies, along with chocolate-covered treats.

* I am not sure if the chocolate chips they use have soy lecithin; if this is a concern, contact Liz Lovely directly.

This is a third party review by Alisa Fleming, author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide & Cookbook.  For more information and to purchase these cookies, see the Liz Lovely Website.