Egg-Free

I tried to stay away from chocolate for awhile…it was a short while!  Now it’s time for Valentine’s Day recipes and it just wouldn’t be right to not include chocolate!  The good news is that these are made with cocoa powder and Swerve Sweetener (my favorite natural sweetener than contains no sugar!) and dark chocolate chips, so they are fairly low in sugar.

I debated over using cherries or strawberries in this recipe.  I think both are a part of many Valentine’s celebrations with chocolate covered cherries found in most assorted chocolate boxes and chocolate dipped strawberries a favorite of many this time of year.  I chose strawberries since fresh organic berries are available right now and cherries are only found frozen this time of year.  I highly suggest fresh fruit for the lower moisture content.  Frozen fruit lets off more moisture and will make these extra gooey.  These cookies are already gooey and that’s why they are named brownie cookies.  These can also be made with no fruit, but I would add an extra tablespoon of coconut milk to create more moisture.  Either way, these are delicious!!!

You will see in the instructions that you melt the butter/oil and add in the cacao/cocoa powder.  I learned that cocoa powder gives a better chocolate flavor to baked goods instead of using unsweetened chocolate.  But…to bring out the flavor of the powder, it must be added to a warm liquid to bring out the flavor molecules.  These turned out very chocolatey and maybe this is why, I only tried it this way.  I certainly don’t need to make another batch to test this theory, two batches were enough to consume this week!!!

Swerve is on sale until the end of the month, you receive 40 single serve packs with your order!  Use Coupon Code KATE10 for an additional 10% off!!

These may also work in an 8×8 greased pan to create brownies.  The cooking time will be longer and the inside may not get cooked through.  I have not tried this, but I’d be just fine eating these with a spoon if need be!!!

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I think I am more excited about my sugar free frosting than I am about these cookies!!  I always have loved frosting…forget the cookie or cake, I just want to scrape the frosting off!  I’m also pretty excited about coloring the frosting red and green…well pink and green…with natural ingredients like spinach and beet juice.  Don’t worry, you will never know they are in there and you can certainly leave the frosting white.

I made two different recipes so that I could give an egg free option as well.  I personally prefer the one with egg in it and butter.  Butter really does make everything better and when it comes from grass-fed cows, it’s so good for you too!  The recipe with butter and an egg is your traditional sugar cookie recipe and makes a crispy on the outside and soft on the inside cookie.  The recipe that uses shortening tends to make the cookies soft all around.  To decorate the wreaths, I used chopped pistachios and craisins.  It’s hard to find sprinkles that aren’t just straight sugar and fake colorings.  Whole Foods does sell naturally colored sprinkles, but they are just colored sugar if you just cant be without sprinkle!

Recipe: Christmas Sugar Cookies

Makes about 18 cookies depending on size

Ingredients

Option 1:

• 2 cups Honeyville Almond Flour
• 1 cup granulated sweetener (I used Swerve for no sugar option)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup grass-fed butter
  , softened (coconut oil should work here)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt (omit if using salted butter)

Egg-Free Option:

• 2 1/2 cups Honeyville Almond Flour
• 1/3 cup palm shortening
• 1/4 cup honey*
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sweetener, powdered** (I used Swerve Confectioners)
• 3 tbsp grass-fed butter (it may work to use additional coconut cream instead.  You may need to add more flavoring to hide coconut taste)
• 3 tbsp coconut cream (the cream that rises to the top of full fat coconut milk when nit it refrigerated)
• 3 tbsp full fat coconut milk (room-temp can that you have shaken)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (or vanilla)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 small beet root (optional)
• 6 or more spinach leaves (optional)

Instructions

Option 1

1. Cream together the butter and sugar
2. Add the egg and vanilla and continue mixing
3. In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, soda and salt
4. Fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture and combine, should be thick dough

Egg-Free Option:

1. Cream together the shortening, honey and vanilla
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, soda and salt
3. Combine the two bowls and mix until dough forms

For both variations:

1. Place dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours
2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and rub it on the rolling pin
3. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out to desired cookie thickness and press with cookie cutters
4. Place cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet
5. Bake at 350 for 5-7 minutes, until they are slightly brown on the edges
6. Let cool completely before frosting

Frosting:

1. Place the butter and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Cook until butter is softened, not melted
2. Stir the sugar and butter together and add to a blender with the coconut cream, coconut milk and flavoring
3. Blend until smooth.  If frosting is too runny, put it in the refrigerator to thicken
4. Add spinach leaves to make green or add beet juice*** to make red or simply leave white

Quick notes

*If you choose to use Xylitol honey, add a tablespoon of granulated sweetener as well

**You can powder any sweetener by putting it in a blender or coffee grinder

***To make beet juice, place a small peeled beet root in a saucepan with about 2 tablespoons of water and heat until the water turns red. Pour into the frosting until desired colored

I think these cookies and almost all almond flour baked goods, taste best out of the refrigerator or freezer!

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