Gluten Free, Flour-free and Very Simple
These days it is sometime difficult to find a natural and delicious snack or dessert that most everyone can eat and enjoy. With the plethora of special diets, it is increasingly more challenging to make something for everyone. With the double nut chocolate chip cookie recipe here, you can also have vegan, sugar-free, and carb-controlled cookies from the same gluten-free base. Life is more simple and just as delicious. Keep this recipe for holiday cookie baking and try making up the dry mix in several multiple zip lock bag batches to have handy for super easy and fast preparation during extra busy times. The dry ingredients together with a pretty bag and recipe label make great homemade gifts, too.
Makes (1-1/2 dozen) -18 – 3” (7.6 cm)cookies.
Ingredients for making Easy Double Nut Chocolate Chip Gluten-Free Cookies:
- 2 cups Almond Meal (475 mL)*
- ¼ cup Pecan Pieces (60 mL)
- ¼ cup Pure Cane Sugar (60 mL)
- 1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (80 mL)
- 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder (7.5 mL)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (5 mL)
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt (2.5 mL)
- 1-Large Egg
- ¼ cup (60 mL) Butter, softened
Directions for Making Easy Double Nut Chocolate Chip Gluten-Free Cookies:
- Preheat Oven to 350° (F) – 177° (©).
- Coat a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
- In medium-sized bowl, combine sugar and butter.
- Add egg and vanilla to the sugar and butter and stir.
- In small bowl, combine almond meal, baking powder and sea salt. Stir.
- Add almond meal blend to egg and butter mixture, stir to blend well.
- Stir in pecan pieces and chocolate chips.
- Drop by cookie dropper or tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet 2” (5 cm)apart.
- Press down to flatten to 2” (5 cm)wide.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, for softer cookies. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until light golden brown, for crispy cookies.
These cookies are all natural and gluten free. They can be kept in the refrigerator for two weeks and/or frozen for up to two months.
*Almond meal can be purchased in the health section of your supermarket, online at low carb and health food distributors or you can make your own by grinding blanched almonds in your food processor or coffee grinder.
For Sugar-free/ Carbohydrate-Controlled Version:
Replace pure cane sugar with all natural sugar replacement with fiber, and semi-sweet chocolate chips with sugar-free chocolate chips. These types of sugar replacement products can be found online at low carbohydrate and diabetic food distributors.
For Vegan Option:
Replace the egg with 1-1/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) soy lethicin and 2 (30 mL) tablespoons water. Replace the butter with Smart Balance® Buttery Spread.
To make Bar Style Cookies:
Coat a 9”(23 cm) x 13” (32.5 cm) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon dough evenly into pan. With plastic wrap sprayed on one side with non-stick cooking spray, carefully press the cookie dough out to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes at 350° (F) - 177° (C). Cool and cut into 16 pieces. Enjoy.
Nuts are Heart Healthy
The FDA, in 2003, approved a Heart Health Label Claim for several varieties of nuts, including the almonds and pecans in this easy recipe. Enjoy nuts as part of your diet.
The following claim can appear on nut labels:
"Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 oz (42 grams) per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease."
These Cookies are Kid Friendly
These healthy whole-food cookies make a perfect snack for kids. Its nice to be able to give kids cookies that are reduced sugar and also have good nutritional ingredients. They are sure to become a healthy staple in your house. After all, what kid does not love chocolate-chip cookies?
Sources:
- International Nut & Dried Fruit Foundation
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brenda K. Oswalt - Brenda Oswalt is a French trained cook, writer, businesswoman/inventor who holds several medical patents.
