Low-Carb, Gluten-Free & Delicious Cookies DO Exist!

Happy Sunday! I hope you’ve had a great week and are enjoying a relaxing weekend.

I don’t know about you, but every year towards the end of the year, I gain weight. Like the turn of the weather, so does my daily eating take a not-as-healthy turn. Here on the east coast, the weather hasn’t actually turned much yet except for the few under-40 degree days we’ve had here and there, but that hasn’t stopped anyone from cooking and baking like there’s snow on the ground! There are cookies, desserts, snacks and richer foods at home and everywhere you turn…

So this year, I decided that I was going to enjoy but limit myself to a few days of indulgent eating, but eat much healthier on all the other non-indulgent days. In late November, I began a low-carb diet. And thus far, I feel great, I’ve lost a few inches without really doing any intense exercise and my clothes fit better.

As happy as I am about the results so far, I’m still only human, and I definitely have a sweet tooth. I experience FOMO with all of the treats taunting me everywhere! After doing some research, I found a few great recipes for low-carb cookies. And after a couple tweaks, I have found a great way to satisfy my sweet tooth and reward myself a bit for my self-control.

By using almond flour/meal, cream cheese, a sugar alternative called Erythritol, low-carb protein powder, and unsweetened carob chips or sugar-free chocolate chips, you can have what I’m called GF2LC3: Guilt-Free + Gluten-Free + Low-Carb Choco (or Carob)-Chip Cookies. The name is still a work in progress… but they are chewy, nutty, healthy and delicious. REALLY!

You can either make these cookies same day or make the batter and refrigerate for a few hours before baking.

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp peanut butter or almond butter (I prefer smooth versions)
1 cup Swerve sweetener or other sugar-alternative made with Erythritol (read more about it here)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup almond flour or almond meal
1 Tbsp low carb whey or hemp protein powder
1 cup sugar free chocolate chips or unsweetened carob chips (unsweetened carob chips are the healthiest alternative to chocolate! that is, if you LIKE the flavor or carob…)
2/3 cup walnuts or hazelnuts (optional)

First, soften the cream cheese and butter at room temperature. Add cream cheese, butter and peanut butter to a large standing mixer bowl with paddle attachment, or in a large bowl and use a hand mixer with the beater attachments. Mix all three ingredients until well blended and integrated.

Next, add the Swerve sweetener and vanilla, and mix well.

Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, mixing well after adding each to ensure the eggs are evenly combined.

Add the salt, baking powder, almond flour and protein powder to the creamy ingredients, and mix until smooth. Finally, mix in your chocolate chips or carob chips and walnuts or hazelnuts.

The batter may seem a bit too runny for cookies, but at this point you can place bowl in the freezer to cool and harden a bit while you pre-heat your oven to 350°, or refrigerate and bake them a few hours later. Once your oven has pre-heated (or after the batter has been resting in the fridge for a while), remove your batter and mix again before scooping onto your cookie sheet. If you find the batter still too liquidy, add a pinch of almond flour/meal and mix until the batter’s consistency holds shape and doesn’t slide off the spoon if you turn it upside down. (In other words, your batter should be closer to typical cookie dough than not.)

Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper, and place your batter at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the sides have started to brown. Remove the cookie sheet and cool the cookies a bit before eating.

And VOILÀ! Makes about two dozen 3-inch chewy delicious cookies with all the treat and none of the guilt.

Do you have any low-carb cookie or dessert recipes you love to indulge in? Please don’t be shy and share them in your comments!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

♥ – G2GS