Toasted Milk Cookies with California Prune Jewels

Gluten-free toasted milk cookies with California Prunes, blue corn, candied ginger, pink pepper and sumac.

Rethinking the Familiar

Prunes come with some pretty persistent assumptions about what they are…and who they’re for.

But some of my favorite moments as a baker come from challenging those assumptions just enough for curiosity to take over. When California Prunes invited me to create a new recipe, I kept returning to the same question: How do you help people rediscover an ingredient they’ve already decided they understand?

An Unexpected Combination of Flavors

The more I experimented, the more the prunes surprised me. Here, they’re gently warmed with pink pepper and vanilla. Then I folded them into a toasted milk cookie with blue corn, candied ginger and sumac.

The first impression is almost savory. But then the flavors unfold into butter, fruit, warm spice and a whisper of floral brightness.

A Taste of California

That journey feels very Californian to me. The state’s orchards are filled with ingredients whose culinary traditions began elsewhere. Yet together, they’ve become part of a uniquely Californian table.

This cookie borrows from that same spirit. They bring familiar ingredients together in combinations that invite us to taste them with fresh eyes.

Try this gluten free cookie recipe next

Midnight Orchard Cookies

Dark chocolate, warm spices and a little intrigue. Created by Kyra Johnson of Kyra’s Bake Shop, these gluten-free Midnight Orchard Chocolate Dipped Cookies sandwich a sweet, spiced California Prune and orange filling between delicate cardamom cookies, then dip the whole thing in rich dark chocolate. With notes of citrus, caramel-like sweetness and warming spices, they’re an elegant, unexpected treat that gives the classic chocolate-dipped cookie a delicious new twist.

The Joy of Rediscovery

If you find yourself reaching for a second toasted milk cookie before you’ve quite figured out why, I’ll know I’ve done my job.

Toasted Milk Cookies with California Prune Jewels

Kyra Johnson

Forget everything you thought you knew about prunes—and cookies, for that matter. Created by Kyra Johnson of Kyra’s Bake Shop, these gluten-free cookies are a delicious study in unexpected flavors. Naturally sweet California Prunes are warmed with vanilla and pink pepper, then folded into a buttery toasted milk cookie with blue cornmeal, candied ginger and sumac. Each bite delivers rich, caramel-like sweetness, a little crunch and a subtle hint of spice. Finished with sparkling sugar and an optional dusting of gold, these cookies are as beautiful as they are delicious.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Chill Time 1 day d 3 hours hrs

Total Time 1 day d 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 40 cookies

Calories 192 kcal

Equipment

• Food processor
• Mixing bowls
• skillet
• Fine-mesh sieve or spice grinder
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Sharp knife
• Baking sheets

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

California Prune Jewels

• 3 cups California Prunes
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 tsp freshly cracked pink pepper

Toasted Milk Powder

• ¾ cup whole milk powder

Candied Ginger Sparks

• ⅓ cup chopped crystallized ginger
• 3 TBSP + 1 tsp blue cornmeal

Cookie Dough

• 1⅓ cups sweet white rice flour
• 1 cup potato starch
• ¾ cup millet flour
• ½ cup tapioca starch
• 2 TBSP + 2 tsp sorghum flour
• 2 TBSP + 2 tsp blue cornmeal
• 6 TBSP toasted milk powder from above
• 1-2 tsp kosher salt depending on brand
• 1 tsp sumac
• 2 tsp freshly cracked pink pepper
• ½ tsp freshly cracked white pepper
• 1⅔ cups powdered sugar
• ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter 2 sticks, cut into small cubes
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1 TBSP vanilla bean paste

Exterior Coating

• ¼ cup sparkling or sanding sugar
• Approximately 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• ½ tsp finely crushed pink pepper
• ½ tsp sumac
• Edible gold luster dust for decorating (optional)

Instructions

 

Prepare the California Prunes

• Combine the California Prunes, kosher salt, vanilla bean paste and pink pepper in a skillet. Warm over medium-low heat for 8–12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the prunes are softened, glossy and fragrant. Do not allow them to brown or dry out.
• Transfer the warm prunes to a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a second sheet of parchment. Place another baking sheet on top and weight it lightly to flatten the prunes. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, pat the prunes dry if they feel particularly moist. Divide into two equal portions. Roughly chop one half and set aside. Leave the remaining prunes whole for now.

Toast the Milk Powder

• Place the milk powder in a dry skillet over very low heat. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the skillet, for approximately 6–8 minutes, until deep golden brown. It should look slightly darker than graham cracker crumbs and smell rich and toasted.
• Let cool completely. Sift the toasted milk powder or pulse briefly in a spice grinder to return it to a fine powder.
• Measure 6 tablespoons for the cookie dough and 4 tablespoons for coating the prunes.
• Toss the roughly chopped prunes with the 4 tablespoons of toasted milk powder. Set aside.
• Kyra’s Tip: Toasted milk powder is one of those ingredients I almost always keep in my pantry. It adds wonderful depth and a rich, buttery flavor to baked goods, so I often make a double or quadruple batch. If you make a larger batch, expect the milk powder to take longer to toast. Stored airtight in a cool, dark place, it will keep for about a month.

Prepare the Candied Ginger and Remaining Prunes

• Place the crystallized ginger and blue cornmeal in a food processor. Pulse about 15 times, until the ginger is finely chopped into small, spark-like pieces, approximately ⅛ inch.
• Add the reserved whole prunes and pulse another 8–10 times. Stop while the prunes are still irregularly chopped; you want distinct little pieces rather than a paste.
• Set aside.

Make the Cookie Dough

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sweet white rice flour, potato starch, millet flour, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, blue cornmeal, toasted milk powder, kosher salt, sumac, pink pepper, white pepper, powdered sugar and brown sugar. Pulse several times to combine.
• Add the cold, diced butter and pulse 15–25 times, until the mixture resembles coarse sand with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla bean paste. Add to the food processor and pulse just until the dough begins to come together. Do not overmix.
• Transfer the dough to a large bowl. Add both prepared prune mixtures—the toasted-milk-coated chopped prunes and the prune-candied ginger mixture. Fold gently by hand until evenly distributed.

Shape and Chill

• Divide the dough into three equal portions.
• Place each portion on a sheet of parchment paper and shape into a log approximately 1½ inches in diameter, using the parchment to help compact and evenly round the dough.
• Wrap the logs tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Slice and Coat

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, combine the sparkling sugar, flaky sea salt, pink pepper and sumac.
• Slice the chilled dough into ⅜-inch-thick rounds. Gently press one side of each cookie into the sparkling sugar mixture, then place sugar-side up on the prepared baking sheets.
• The cookies will spread only slightly, so they can be placed relatively close together.

Bake and Finish

• Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are just set but still slightly soft.
• Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets before transferring them.
• For a California Gold Nugget-inspired finish, lightly dry-brush the tops of the cooled cookies with edible gold luster dust, if desired.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cookiesCalories: 192kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 129mgPotassium: 208mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 289IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 0.5mg

Keyword gluten free cookies, Toasted Milk Cookies

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Meet Kyra Johnson

Kyra Johnson is the founder and creative director of Kyra’s Bake Shop, an award-winning dedicated gluten-free bakery in Lake Oswego, Oregon known for pastries and desserts that redefine expectations around gluten-free baking. A multiple-time winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars—and the most successful competitor in the show’s history—Kyra became nationally recognized for competing and winning with gluten-free cupcakes against traditional bakeries. Her work blends indulgence, nostalgia, beauty, and craftsmanship, with a focus on creating emotionally resonant food experiences that feel celebratory rather than restrictive. 

You can find Kyra’s work in national media, culinary collaborations, podcasts, and speaking engagements, with a focus on hospitality, sensory experience, and memorable food moments.