Sunday, August 5, 2012

Chocolate Chip cookies - flourless, grain free, dairy free, gluten free, sugar free

I was so excited today, I was planning on listing pancakes. However, I was really really really craving chocolate chip cookies. 
I wanted to make some but I have a hard time making them healthy.
I've been doing some research on baking pavlova cakes and pie crusts. I thought it would be a delicious alternative to grains using a meringue pie crust. 

I am planning on going crazy with making macaroons for Christmas this year. I will make them in every color! Why macaroons? 
They look great, colorful and decorative. But mostly, because then I only have to make one big batch and I can divide them per household that we go visit. No more making 10 different kinds of cookies because of all the different dietary needs and different tastes.

While I was browsing, I thought, how delicious would it be to make a cookie that was macaroon based instead of from grains. A meringue cookie, without being a shatter hard meringue. A meringue cookie without being gummy and chewy and funny looking..  A meringue cookie tasting like a cookie, looking like a cookie, and being small enough to shove one in my mouth every time I walk by type of cookie.
They are chewy, melt in your mouth tender, and simple ingredient wise compared to my other recipes. 
Honestly, I will probably never make any other kind of cookie again. They were sooooo good, and I don't feel guilty after eating them.
These are meringue cookies, or macaroons without the filling. You could fill them though, if you wanted. I could hardly stand waiting for them to cook though so I don't think I would fill them. 
They may look like ordinary cookies in the picture, but they are different. You could put them out on the table and just wait for someone to sneak one. They wouldn't even notice they didn't use flour or grains.
You can make them as difficult (by piping them out fancy) or easy (spoon) as you like. They will taste the same. 
They didn't spread, or rise. They didn't change shape or move, so put them in the same shape you want them to come out.

Chocolate Chip Macaroons - 
primal, grain free, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free

A macaroon (/mækəˈrn/mak-ə-ROON) is a type of light, baked confection, described as either small cakes or meringue-like cookies depending on their consistency.

In a stand mixer bowl, beat until stiff peaks form:

3 organic egg whites
1/4 t sea salt
pinch cream of tartar or lemon juice

In a separate bowl mix together:
powdered sweetener to equal 5 tbs sugar (sucralose, or stevia)
1/4 C almond flour
1 t vanilla powder**
dash cinnamon

Once egg whites are stiff, sprinkle in 1/3 of dry mix over top of the whites and fold in gently. About 3 folds. Continue until all mix is combined.

Add: 1/4 C semi sweet or unsweetened chocolate chips

Fold twice. On a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, drop delicately by the tablespoon. Swirl top and flatten to size of desired cookie (You can also pipe the cookies for more elegance).
Cookies don't rise or spread so little space is necessary.

Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes, or until slightly golden and crisp on the outside.

The cookies should be chewy and soft in the middle but slightly crispy on the outside. I probably waited 3 minutes before trying one and it was great warm. I will have to try one cold and notice the texture change. 

For best results keep cookies cold to stop meringue from turning gummy.

* If you don;t have vanilla powder, you can use vanilla extract but adding it to the egg whites while mixing. Too much vanilla with break down the whites.

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