The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking (22 page)

Position 2 oven racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Mist 2 baking sheets with spray oil, or line them with parchment paper or silicone mats and then mist the surfaces with spray oil.

In a medium bowl, combine the hazelnut flour, almond flour, Splenda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and xanthan gum and whisk until well mixed. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, butter, vanilla, and liquid stevia together until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a thick, sticky batter (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).

Drop the dough onto the prepared pans, using about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie and spacing them about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 9 minutes, then rotate the pans and switch racks and bake for about 9 more minutes, until the cookies are golden brown and firm to the touch.

Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

These easy cookies are a lot of fun to make with kids. Helpers can make their own thumbprints and then fill them with their favorite sugar-free jam.

Position 2 oven racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly mist 2 baking sheets with spray oil, or line them with parchment paper or silicone mats and then lightly mist the surfaces with spray oil.

In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well mixed. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, and vanilla together. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a stiff, playdough-like dough (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).

To form each cookie, scoop out 1 heaping tablespoon of dough and, using oiled hands, roll it into a ball, then press it gently between your palms to flatten it slightly. Place the cookies on the prepared pans, spacing them 3 inches apart. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie to make an indentation. Spoon ½ teaspoon of the jelly into each indentation.

Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pans and switch racks and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch.

Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the jam to cool.

These cookies have enough cocoa to satisfy even the most serious chocolate craving. Dutch-process cocoa powder yields darker cookies than standard cocoa powder, but either way, these cookies will be excellent. Serving them with a glass of cold milk is highly recommended! Or, for a highly indulgent treat, serve them warm, right out of the oven, with sugar-free ice cream, garnished with a bit of
Sugar-Free Whipped Cream
or nondairy topping—or whatever embellishments you desire—to create an instant chocolate cookie sundae. A final possibility is dusting the cookies with powdered erythritol for a sweet, snowy topping. For instructions on doing so, see the variation for
Lemon Drops
.

Position 2 oven racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Mist 2 baking sheets with spray oil, or line them with parchment paper or silicone mats and then mist the surfaces with spray oil.

In a medium bowl, combine the pecan flour, almond flour, Splenda, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well mixed. Stir in the pecans. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, vanilla, and liquid stevia together until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for about 2 minutes to make a thick, sticky batter (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).

Drop the dough onto the prepared pans, using about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie and spacing them about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pans and switch racks and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cookies are firm to the touch and crispy.

Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Yes, three ways of using peanuts in one recipe! These delicious cookies are perfect as an after-school treat or dessert for peanut butter fans. You can use either crunchy or smooth peanut butter, but note that the amount of milk in the batter varies depending on which type you use. Serve these cookies warm or cold, with a tall glass of cold milk. For a super-indulgent treat, use this recipe to make the
Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
.

Position 2 oven racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, then mist the surface with spray oil.

In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, peanut flour, coconut flour, Splenda, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well mixed. Stir in the chopped peanuts. In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the egg, peanut butter, milk, syrup, vanilla, and liquid stevia and stir vigorously with a large spoon or mix with the paddle attachment at medium-low speed until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and stir vigorously or mix at medium speed until all of the ingredients are evenly combined. The batter will be a thick, sticky dough (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).

Drop the dough onto the prepared pans, using about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie; alternatively, lightly grease your hands and roll the portions of dough into balls. Space the cookies about 3 inches apart. Use the back of the tines of a fork and lightly press to form a cross-hatch design and slightly flatten the cookies. Dip the fork in cold water as needed to prevent sticking.

Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate the pans and switch racks and bake for about 6 more minutes, until the cookies are firm to the touch. For crunchier cookies, bake for about 2 more minutes.

Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

For those of us who shouldn’t eat candy for health reasons (and isn’t that most of us?), these cookies help fulfill the craving for chocolate-covered peanut butter cups. To take them over the top, drizzle
Chocolate Glaze
over the baked and cooled cookies. We call for baking the cookies in muffin cups, but you could also use a 12-compartment mini loaf pan. For sugar-free chocolate syrup, Denene uses the Publix store brand because it has the fewest carbs. Hershey’s and Smucker’s also make sugar-free chocolate syrup, but the carbs are slightly higher. Look over the options at your market and get the one with the lowest total amount of carbs.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Mist 12 muffin cups with spray oil. Have the cookie dough ready.

To make the filling, whisk the syrup, vanilla, liquid stevia, and gelatin together in a medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Let the mixture sit for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the gelatin to expand and bloom. Whisk the mixture periodically as you fill the cookies to keep the gelatin evenly distributed.

Put 1 heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough into each prepared muffin cup. Oil your fingers and press the dough into the walls of the cup to form a ¼-inch-thick crust, just like a mini pie shell. Use only as much dough as needed to make a thin crust; the remaining dough will be used in a subsequent step.

Spoon the chocolate mixture into the muffin cups, dividing it evenly among them.

Mist a work surface with spray oil and transfer the remaining cookie dough to the oiled spot. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Oil your hands and roll each portion into a ball. Set the balls on the oiled work surface and press them with the palm of your hand until large enough to cover the cookie crusts. Set the disks atop the chocolate and crimp the edges of the top and bottom cookie crusts together to completely encase the chocolate centers.