Hodgson Mill Cookie Mix Review

I noticed in the store the other day that Hodgson Mill now makes gluten free products. I loved their whole wheat before finding out that I have Celiac. Cookies are not the easiest thing for me to make since going gluten free, so I really like using mixes. This cookie mix sells for $2.89 which is less then the Betty Crocker cookie mixes, and we love the Betty Crocker ones, but I had to give this new mix a try.

This mix doesn't require a lot of ingredients, just some butter, shortening, an egg and some vanilla. However, I had to wonder why it needed butter and shortening. I live at high altitude and I know that too much fat will make my cookies flatten and become chewy, not what I wanted so I skipped the shortening and they came out perfect. If you are not at high altitude like I am, you will want to keep the shortening.

I like that they included 5 recipe options right on the box, that way I don't have to pull up their web site each time I want to make a different kind of cookie with the same mix. We just did basic sugar cookies, but we added some green food coloring for fun in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

The instructions say to flatten out these cookies after they are dropped onto the sheet and they do need to be flatten or they will stay little balls. However, I wish they had phrased this part of their instructions differently. They said to use a "glass dipped in flour or sugar." If someone who bought this mix to make for a gluten free friend, who isn't gluten free themselves, may not realize that the flour must be gluten free flour. They could have at least plugged their own all purpose gluten free flour here instead of just saying flour. Also they say that the cookie size will be 3 inches. Mine did not come out to be 3 inches, that is a big cookie if you ask me. I think mine where a good 1 1/2 inches and those were plenty big and they didn't run into each other on the cookie sheet either.

This mix does contain cornstarch, and I'm not sure what their xanthan gum is made from so it too may not be corn free. Over all these cookies baked up well and have a nice taste. They are soft and just a bit flaky, but not crumbly. The taste was balanced and their was no after taste. So far a good buy in our book. We will have to try some of the other alterations soon.