Low Carb Christmas Cookies - A HUGE Success woohoo!

'Tis the season to be baking,
         yum yum yum yum yum, yum yum yum yum!!!

To add to the fun I have already been having during this pregnancy (I havn't been a very good incubator), I was recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes. There goes my traditional holiday baking....all my recipes are out, and I've asked my relatives who usually send me some of my favorite homemade Christmas treats to please refrain from doing so this year.

Seeing as how I am a very festive person and Christmas is my favorite time of year, I had to make the best of this situation and compromise.

So I started pouring over websites, low carb recipe books, talking to local nutritionists, and asking friends for pointers, and I came up with a list of about 6 potential low carb cookie candidates. I made 4 out of the 6 - 3 were a huge success (almost as good as 'the real thing'), 1 (low carb shortbread) was a total flop and ended up in the garbage (I couldn't even stand the smell of the latter recipe). I HAD to have shortbreads, though, one of my absolute faves growing up.....I have enough will power in me to abstain from eating them (especially with my delicious low carb options), and who am I to deprive my little girl of one of my fondest memories as a child....making shortbreads with my mom....so I made the real thing.

I apologize for the lack of pics, I usually like to show my recipes step by step, but I was in a baking frenzy, and at 33 weeks gestation I was lucky to be able to get my baking done let alone stop and take photos along the way. Thank goodness I have my mom here to help me!! Mom's are the best!! Here are the recipes:

Recipe #1 : Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies (I would definately repeat this recipe)

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups Splenda
1-1/2 teaspoons dark molasses
2 large eggs
1 cup ground almonds
1 cup vanilla whey protein powder
1/4 cup oat bran
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
12 ounces sugar free chocolate bar, chopped into small pieces (I used 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips - they're actually not that bad carb wise, and 1 1/2 cups is far less than 12 ounces)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I prefer walnuts)
~3/4 cup soy flour*

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
Beat together butter, Splenda, and molasses until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, stir together ground almonds, vanilla whey protein powder, oat bran, baking soda and salt.
Stir almond flour mixture into butter mixture until blended.
Stir in nuts and chopped chocolate bars.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto preparted baking sheets (I semi form into balls and drop by hand).
Flatten with palm of hand (I don't do this).
Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.
Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet then remove to wire racks to cool (I cooled them on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes then placed them in a cookie can).

*Having alot of past experience with choc chip cookies, and after reading some of the comments on the website about this recipe, I know that if a choc chip cookie dough is too wet, the cookies will flatten out. I felt this dough was far to wet, so I added soy flour and kneaded the dough until I felt it was the right consistency and dryness.....I guage it by how much it sticks to your hand, and you should be able to somewhat form the dough into a crude ball and drop it onto the parchment without it sticking too much to your hand.

These are DELICIOUS, and  I don't even have to say "They are so worth the carbs!!"...I'm in heaven....onto the next successful attempt:


Recipe #2: Sugar Free Almond Spice Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups ground almonds
1/2 cup splenda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
Beat eggs and vanilla together in a separate bowl.
Add wet to dry ingredients. Knead with hands.
Form into 1 inch balls, then flatten with palm or thumb and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 325.
Store in airtight container or they will dry out.

This recipe has few ingredients, and is therefore simple (major positive in my book), AND it is SOOOO GOOD!! (and suagr FREE to boot)

Onto the 3rd successful recipe:

Recipe #3: Low Carb Brownies

Ingredients:

2⁄3 cup (160mL) all-purpose flour
2⁄3 cup (160mL) SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1⁄3 cup (80 mL) cocoa
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1⁄3 cup (80 mL) soft margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1⁄3 cup (80 mL) unsweetened applesauce
1⁄3 (80mL) cup chopped walnuts (optional - not optional for me!! The walnuts are so good in these)

•Combine SPLENDA® Granulated, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside.
•In a mixer bowl, beat margarine eggs and vanilla for 1 minute.
Add applesauce and beat just until blended.
•Stir in flour mixture and nuts just until blended.
•Spread evenly in greased 8-inch (20 cm) square pan.
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 15 minutes or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
•Cool on rack
•Store in covered container in refrigerator (*This is a MUST, I didn't do this and they grew mold in just 2 days, hence their absence in the pic).

These were yummy too....shame I didn't refrigerate them

Last and least :(

Recipe #4: Low Carb Shortbread Cookies 

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour (I used soy flour, which may have been factor #1 that lead to my failure with this recipe)
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup (60 mL) SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated lemon zest (I used lemon extract - potential factor #2 leading to failure)
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
2/3 cup (160 mL) unsalted butter, cool but not cold
•Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

•In a food processor, pulse flour, coconut, SPLENDA® Granulated, lemon zest and salt. Break butter into pieces and pulse until dough comes together (dough will be soft). Shape into a disc, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. (I didn't do in food processor, which may have resulted in the coconut being too coarse, another one of the aspects I didn't like about how this recipe turned out - and potential factor #3)

•On a lightly floured surface, knead dough once or twice until pliable. Roll out to just shy of 1/4-inch (7 mm) thickness and cut out into 2-inch (5 cm) cookies of desired shape.

•Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, just until bottom edges start to colour. Cool cookies on baking tray before removing.

Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days or a month frozen.

I tweaked this recipe quite a bit which may have led to my failure....perhaps I would try this recipe again, following the directions a little more closely next time.






I know many people prefer not to use artificial sweeteners, and I have used one in all of these recipes (sucralose is safe during pregnancy as it does not cross the placenta). So as a lower than white sugar carb alternative, one could refer to the glycemic index and choose a natural sugar alternative with a lower GI than white sugar. 


Well, that's all my baking for this year folks (except of course for my mandatory apricot cakes for my husband and my great uncle - refer to an earlier post)

Here's wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season......

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND ALL THE BEST IN 2011!!!!!

XOXOXOXO