Happy New Year 2024! Gluten Free Olie-Bollen

We were fortunate to have our family together on the first day of 2024 – a long walk (with some snow) and a traditional New Year’s ham dinner. Charles also made some New Year Cookies or Olie-Bollen – delicious fritters with raisins, currants, or apples. I shared some with our neighbours and started the new year off right by connecting with others and performing a couple of “Random Acts of Kindness” thanks to the delicious Olie-Bollen Charles made. Ollie-Bollen are a traditional Dutch doughnut. When I dropped them at my neighbours, it reminded them of the husband’s father making them on New Year’s Eve. This food is known by many nationalities, just by a different name. We are all connected and food is one of the best connectors I know.

2 cups of warm milk (500 mL)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 mL), softened
1 teaspoon of granulated sugar (5 mL)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) rapid rise yeast
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon (15 mL) oil
1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla
2 1/4 cups (360 g) brown rice flour
3/4 cup (95 g) tapioca starch
1/2 cup (85 g) potato starch
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (30 mL) dry milk powder, vanilla pudding mix, or almond meal
2 teaspoons (10 mL) xanthum gum
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
2 cups raisins, re-hydrated (soak raisins) in hot water for 5 minutes before draining, currants or shredded apple
Oil for frying (vegetable oil)

Add the butter to the warm milk, and stir until the butter is melted. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and the yeast, stir, and let proof for 5 minutes, until it is frothy.
While the yeast is proofing, whisk together all the dry ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer.
Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla to the yeast mixture, Whisk to combine.
With the mixer on low speed, pour in the milk/egg mixture. MIx on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add in the drained raisins (or currants or apple) and stir until they are evenly distributed.
Place the bowl in a draft-free warm place, and let raise until double in size (about 30 minutes).|
In an electric frying pan, or a think bottomed pot, heat oil to 350 degrees F. USE A THERMOMETER TO MAKE SURE!
Carefully drop about 1/2 tablespoon of dough into the hot oil.
Fry until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towel lined cookie sheet. You can eat them as is, or sprinkle them with icing sugar.
Let the cookies sit for 10-15 minutes before eating because the texture improves. They can be reheated in an air fryer or 300 degree F oven for 10 minutes.

Written by Pam