I love the dense richness and satisfaction of almond flour cookies even though I don't have to stay on a grain free sugar free diet anymore. This recipe was designed for intestine and autoimmune problems that are upset by specific fibers and sugars. It's also very low glycemic, meaning it won't raise blood sugar and is helpful for diabetes. Almond flour is rich and flavorful, but doesn't have a strong almond flavor like marzipan.
Grain Free Gingerbread Cookies
4 cups almond flour
1/4 cup butter (or ghee) 1 egg 1 teaspoon water 1/3 cup honey 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon pinch of salt 1 teaspoon baking soda
1. Blend ingredients in a bowl. Mix until the dough is dry and not sticky to work with. Add more almond flour if it gets too sticky. 2. Press into 2 flat rounds and place dough in freezer for 1/2 hour. 3. Roll the dough out and cut with cookie cutters or slice like Graham crackers. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until the middle puffs up and the sides are slightly browned.
* Mix 'n' Match recipes for fun flavors or special needs
Rich dark gingerbread cookies
Use half honey and half blackstrap molasses for the sweetener.
Lemon zest cookies
Omit the spices and add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon lemon extract flavoring, 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds.
Vegan cookies
Use 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons of water instead of the butter and egg.
Savory crackers
Reduce sweetener to only 1 teaspoon honey, add an extra tablespoon of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning mix or any other combination of savory herbs.
Frosting ideas
Mash white flesh sweet potatoes with a bit of honey, salt, lemon and butter and squeeze it through a pastry bag for a fun, healthy hippy frosting. My daughter will never forgive me for using this frosting for her preschool birthday cupcakes. Oh well, the preschool teachers loved it.
Here's an interesting frosting recipe using lard, honey, cinnamon and gelatin. AIP buttercream frosting.
Nutrition factors
Almonds are high in copper which can create imbalance if consumed daily. Copper and zinc work together so if one of these minerals gets high the other may become deficient. I recommend most people take extra zinc for immune health and your zinc needs may be increased if you enjoy these cookies enough to eat them daily.
Best wishes for a Warm, Healthy and Happy Holiday season. Sincerely, Anna