Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts

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.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Cookie Adventure!


This is what happens when you are all alone with your dog for 4 hours on a Saturday morning. LOL cookies!
I knew I was going to make cookies. But I actually had time to do some experimenting. I made my classic Chocolate Chip Cookies and then thought about my beloved husband. He LOVES Oatmeal Cinnamon raisin cookies. I will say that back in the day even my brother preferred raisin to the chocolate.
So I thought how delicious would it be to make Cinnamon Raisin cookies. 


I put them out on a plate and when he came home he tried one. I waited for him to tell me if he liked them and he does! I switched from blanched almond flour to using natural un-roasted ground almonds as a substitute to save on costs. They taste exactly the same. You can use the regular blanched almond flour instead if that suits you best.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Dairy Free

Mix Dry ingredients together:
1/4 C Coconut flour
3 T Tapioca Flour/Arrowroot /Potato Starch/Corn Starch
1 1/2 C Ground Almonds*
1/2 t sea salt
3/4 t aluminum free baking soda
1 C sucralose/Palm sugar
1/2 C Gluten Free Vanilla Sunrise Cereal
1/2 C quick oats/oat bran
1/2 C Sultana raisins
1 1/4 t cinnamon

Mix wet ingredients together:
1/4 C raw agave nectar/palm syrup
1/2 Grapeseed oil/Coconut oil/Melted butter
2 eggs
2 t Real Vanilla extract

Mix wet into dry as mixer is turning. Scrape into a glass bowl and cover and refrigerate for 15 min. Place into piles of 2T or smaller. Bake on parchment paper pan at 350 degrees for 16 minutes.
Let cool completely before eating in order to set the middle. I always find these cookies firm up and taste so much better the next day.


Then I was thinking about my dad and how he liked Double Chocolate Chip cookies. I have actually never been a fan of these. Probably because all of the ones I have ever had were hard as a rock. I don't like hard cookies. I don't want them to crumble or fall apart but be soft and chewy in the middle as I eat them.
These weren't too bad. My biggest critique liked them. I think I would slightly adjust the ingredients so I am going to write the modified recipe on here just for you. Let me know what you think.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies - Gluten Free, Grain Free, Sugar Free, Dairy Free

Mix Dry ingredients together:
 1/4 C organic unsweetened Dark Cocoa Powder
2 T Coconut flour
3 T Tapioca Flour/Arrowroot /Potato Starch/Corn Starch
1 C Ground Almonds*
1/2 t sea salt
3/4 c aluminum free baking soda
1 1/3 C sucralose/Palm sugar
2 Squares unsweetened bakers chocolate or 1/4 C
1/2 C unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 C Gluten Free Vanilla Sunrise Cereal

Mix wet ingredients together:
1/4 C plus 2 T Grapeseed oil/Coconut oil/Melted butter
1/4 C Strong Coffee
2 eggs
2 t Real Vanilla extract

Mix wet into dry as mixer is turning. Scrape into a glass bowl and cover and refrigerate for 15 min. Place into piles of 2T or smaller. Bake on parchment paper pan at 350 degrees for 16 minutes.
Let cool completely before eating in order to set the middle. I always find these cookies firm up and taste so much better the next day.


 Then I was thinking about my Mom. She loves Gingersnaps. They were probably my least favorite cookies growing up as they were rock hard and I never cared for the taste. But I actually really enjoyed my gingerbread recipe that I made at Christmas. It was delicious and soft in the middle. The longer it sat the better it tasted.
I used my gingerbread man recipe to make these cookies but I of course adjusted and changed everything that I didn't like.
They have the same firm crust, and get harder as they cool. I used Palm Sugar for the dusting and they came out delicious. Moist and soft in the middle.

Ginger Snaps - Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Sugar Free

In a mixing bowl combine:
2 T flax meal
1/4 t gluten free xanthum gum
1/4 t sea salt
1/2 C plus 2 T palm sugar
2 t ground Cinnamon
1/4 t allspice
1 t ground ginger
pinch nutmeg
2/3 C blanched almond flour
1/3 C coconut flour
1 1/2 T aluminum free baking soda

Mix wet ingredients:
1/2 C Pumpkin Puree (recommended)  or unsweetened apple sauce
 1/2 T apple cider vinegar
2 t Real vanilla extract
1/4 C grapeseed oil/melted butter
2 T molasses

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry as the mixer is turning. Once well blended scrape into a glass mixing bowl and refrigerate for 15 min.


Take out and roll the batter into 1-2 inch balls. (think donut hole size). Roll the balls in palm sugar and work quickly. The faster the batter heats up the quicker the palm sugar begins to melt. Do not substitute a chemical sweetener such as Sucralose for the palm sugar as sweeteners melt upon any moisture.


Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.




Place the cookies on the counter and press down to flatten slightly with a ramikan. They will not grow any bigger than they already are except upwards so they only need as much space as they need. 


Bake them for 30 min at 350 degrees. They will feel soft to the touch but have a crust. Let them cool completely and you will feel them firm and hard like a gingersnap after room temperature. The inside will be so tender and chewy its delicious. These cookies don't quite have the same taste as a traditional snap because they don't have heavy Molasses base. Molasses has sugar in it, the bad sugar. If I had Yacon syrup that would be a great substitute if not, keep the molasses to 2 T. If you are feeling they are not as tasty let them sit for a few days.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love Chocolate Chip cookies. They are my absolute favorite. Just enough sweetness for the days I crave sugar and just crunchy enough to go with my cold glass of milk.

My favorite cookie recipes have rice flour and a blend of starches to resemble wheat flour cookies. They are delicious but high in Carbs and not worth the extra trouble. 

I made this recipe using a combination of my favorite recipes. I find them very delicious hot out of the oven, but they seem to taste even BETTER after sitting out over night. They tend to hold together better too after sitting out. 

I always take the last few table spoons of dough that are not worth baking 2 or 3 cookies worth and toss it in the freezer. Its delicious crumbled over sugar free frozen yogurt.

Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookies - Gluten free, Grain Free, Sugar Free

1/4 C Coconut Flour
3 1/2 T Tapioca or Arrowroot
1 C Almond flour
1/2 t organic sea salt
3/4 t gluten free/aluminum free baking soda
 1 C palm sugar or splenda
1/4 C raw agave nectar/date syrup/palm syrup (adds moisture)
1/2 C organic grapeseed oil or liquid coconut oil
2 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 dark chocolate bar 73%
1/2 C organic grated coconut medium
1/2 C grain free, gluten free vanilla granola (for crunch)

Mix all together well in a mixer. Refrigerate for 30 min until firm. Place chilled firm dough by the heaping spoonful on a baking sheet covered with unbleached parchment paper. Flatten with a metal spatula. Cook at 375 degrees for 14-17 min until golden brown. 

**UPDATE
Due to issues with the cookies staying firm while cooking I have reduced the liquid content to only what is necessary. If you would rather have soft chewy cookies add 1-2 T coconut or dairy milk to batter, for crunchy keep it as is.