Quaker Gluten-Free Oats, Oatmeal & My Peanut Butter Chocolate Icebox Cookies

The following is a sponsored post but, as always, the opinions expressed are mine and mine alone. I will always speak the foodie truth!

Remember back in May when I shared that Quaker’s Crispy Minis were gluten-free? Quaker has taken their pledge to help those with gluten intolerance to a whole new level!

The Products

This summer they have expanded their product line to include a new line of gluten-free oatmeal products. Yes, oats are naturally gluten-free but they can come into contact with other grains. As a result, their new gluten-free quick oats and gluten-free Maple & Brown Sugar Flavour Instant Oatmeal go through a super intense milling program that ensures the products are gluten-free. 

The oats are screened at their Cedar Rapids, Iowa, mill. They go through both a mechanical and optical sorting system to seek out potential gluten-containing grains based on length, density and colour. The oats are then sampled through a validated inspection system and the equipment used is dedicated to these products only. 

Lucky me! Quaker also sent me some more Crispy Minis!

All additional ingredients are pre-screened to be gluten-free. Finished samples are tested to ensure they meet Health Canada’s standards for gluten-free. Now that is food safety dedication. Seriously!

Product Testing – The Oatmeal

But how do they taste? I started with their gluten-free version of Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal. I have eaten this oatmeal since I was a little kid. I love it. I have to admit though, when I opened up the package, it looked different! 

Unlike Reg, I make mine straight from the kettle, no microwave for me! He is also more a fan of the apple and cinnamon oatmeal. 

The ingredients say: “gluten-free rolled oats, brown sugar, natural flavour, salt.” I noticed that the brown sugar was quite gritty and wondered if it was somehow combined with the maple/natural flavour in some way?

You can tell that this is a healthier version of the oatmeal. It is more robust, chewy and earthy. Is that a bad thing? No but it does not get as creamy as the original. I personally like the original better but if I was gluten-intolerant, this is a very good substitution.

Product Testing – The Oats

There really should not be any taste or texture difference with the oats because they are naturally gluten-free but I wanted to play with my food so I made a recipe for gluten-free peanut butter chocolate icebox cookies. No oven here! Way too hot.

The great thing is these take no time to make at all and are so good. If you do not have any chocolate peanut butter spread feel free to just use peanut butter.

The Recipe

You will need 1 cup sugar, 3 tbsp cocoa powder, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup milk, 1 1/2 cup Quaker’s gluten-free quick oats, 1/3 cup chocolate peanut butter spread (or peanut butter), 1 tsp vanilla extract. Optional? Add some toasted peanuts for additional peanut-y goodness.

Combine sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Let boil one minute and then remove from heat. 

Stir in the oats…

… the vanilla extract…

… and the peanuts, if using. 

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop out 1 tbsp of the batter onto the sheets and put in the fridge to let set.

Foodie Conclusion

First, damn, those cookies are amazing! Reg said I hit it out of the park with this recipe and I am so glad I did. The perfect chocolate summer treat that even those with gluten issues can enjoy.

Second, damn, I am impressed with Quaker. They went to a ton of effort and trouble to make sure the quality control of their product would be top notch and to ensure the safety of those who are gluten intolerant. I know there are going to be a lot of people out there who will sleep better knowing that they can eat the oatmeal and bake with the oats… safely. 

Third, damn, I want another cookie!

[yumprint-recipe id=’67’]