I moved to Baltimore after I was diagnosed with celiac disease, otherwise I’m sure I would have experienced a “Berger Cookie.” These treats are famously Baltimore, and elicit oohs and ahs when mentioned in the company of anyone who has ever had one.

With Baltimore in Super Bowl XLVII, I thought I would take this opportunity to invent a gluten-free, dairy-free Berger Cookie, and even make it purple to cheer on the home team!

Dip the bottoms of each cookie or dip half of it, if you prefer. I’ve done both to show you how, but don’t let that limit you. It’s chocolate, after all! More can be better, so I’m told!

Berger Cookies

Berger Cookies without food coloring

Cookies:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbs. confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or non-dairy alternative (Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
• 1 egg (or egg substitute of choice)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups Jules Gluten Free™ All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp. GF baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using Earth Balance)
• 1/3 cup milk, dairy or non-dairy (So Delicious® Coconut Milk)
• food coloring, optional (McCormick® Neon purple 15-20 drops + blue 10 drops)

Chocolate:

• 2 cups chocolate chips (Enjoy Life® allergen-free chocolate chips)
• 1 1/2 Tbs. brown rice syrup (or may use corn syrup)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup liquid soy or coconut creamer (So Delicious® Coconut Creamer)
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Cream sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until integrated. Whisk together dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then add, alternating with milk. Add food coloring during this process, if using. Beat until smooth.

Cover dough and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Dough will still be sticky.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Berger Cookies with McCormick Neon food colors

Fill a piping bag with dough and cut out a 1 inch corner to pipe dough onto prepared pans for cookies. OR Spoon tablespoons of dough onto prepared cookie sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Using wet hands or a rubber spatula, smooth the tops of the cookies and flatten slightly.

Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are slightly browned but the tops are not browning. Remove to completely cool on wire racks.

To prepare the chocolate, use a double boiler (or fill a saucepan with just enough water to barely touch the bottom of a slightly smaller saucepan set inside the larger one), and heat water to medium-high heat. Stir to combine chocolate chips, brown rice syrup, vanilla and creamer. Continue to stir periodically until completely melted. Whisk in confectioner’s sugar until integrated. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once the chocolate has cooled, dip the bottom or half of each cookie in the chocolate and lay aside on wire racks for the chocolate to set. It will likely drip a bit while setting, so place wire racks on a counter or other surface that is easily cleaned.

Once the chocolate has set, dip the cookies again, if you prefer a thicker coating of chocolate. If the chocolate in the pan starts to become too thick, simply reheat over low heat on the stovetop until easily stirred.

Store cookies in an airtight container once chocolate is set.