When it comes to Christmas, cookies aren’t optional – they’re a must! It’s not about indulging in sweets (well, maybe a little), as much as it is about the joy in coming together as a family to build fond memories and family traditions.
And the fact is, you can absolutely enjoy the fun holiday tradition of decorating cookies without compromising good health. How? By choosing a healthy cookie recipe and topping it with wholesome decorating options!
To help, I’d like to pass on my favorite new grain-free “Sugar” Cookie Cut-Out recipe to you and your family – it’s one of more than 100 delicious baking recipes featured in my new cookbook – Everyday Grain-Free Baking!
To decorate, we like to use a variety of dried fruits – cutting them into small bits and strips – as well as crispy nuts and unsweetened shredded coconut. My Dairy-Free Sweet Vanilla Icing also makes a delicious, healthier way to decorate your favorite holiday cookies, cakes and other desserts.
My hope in sharing this recipe is that many more families will take time out from all the hustle & bustle that often comes with this season, and instead enjoy time together building joyful memories to last a lifetime! With a little prayer and purposeful planning, decorating cookies together can be a fun and focused time where beautiful conversations can take place about the true reason for the season!
This delightful recipe is just one of more than 100 irresistible grain-free, dairy-free recipes in my new cookbook – Everyday Grain-Free Baking!
From breads, biscuits and muffins to savory snacks and decadent treats, you’ll find step-by-step instructions, beautiful color photographs and helpful tips & tidbits to make all of your GF baking adventures a delicious success!
Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas and New Year, Kelly
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
, melted
- 1/3 cup pure organic maple syrup (a light grade A is best)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda.
- In a small bowl, using a stand mixer
or electric hand mixer, mix together the melted butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla, until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients, and continue to mix until thoroughly combined.
- Chill dough in refrigerator at least one hour (or up to 24-hours).
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half. Place half on a large sheet of parchment paper
. Keep other half of dough in bowl and return to the frig to stay cold.
- Follow the *note given below for how to roll out the dough. Then use your favorite cookie cutters to cut shapes into the dough.
- Gently remove cookie cut-outs and place on baking sheet
lined with parchment paper. Form scrap-dough into ball and place back in fridge to re-chill.
- Remove other half of chilled dough and repeat process of rolling and cutting out dough until all dough is used.
- To decorate the cookie cut-outs, use a variety of dried fruits – cutting them into small bits and strips – as well as crispy nuts and unsweetened shredded coconut. My Sweet Vanilla Glaze Icing also makes a delicious, healthier way to decorate your favorite holiday cookies, cakes and other desserts.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes, until cookies begin to slightly brown along edges (see baking tip note below). Allow to cool on baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Merry CHRISTmas!
Notes
* How to Roll Out the Dough: Blanched almond flour yields a sticky cookie dough. So here’s a handy technique to help you to be able to get the cookie cut-outs off of the parchment without losing their shape … Place a sheet of parchment over the dough before rolling it out. Then, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut shapes into the dough. Then, slide the parchment with the cut-out dough on it onto a baking sheet and place in the freezer for a few minutes to harden. Once hardened, remove from freezer and gently separate your almost-frozen cookie cut-outs from the dough and place them onto parchment-lined baking sheet to bake.
Baking Tip: Bake time depends on the size of your cookie cut-outs! If larger, they’ll take longer, if smaller they will bake more quickly. So be sure to carefully watch your first batch in the oven. (For reference, I use a 3” cookie cutter.)
Storage Tip: These cookies are best served within an hour or so of baking since almond flour cookies tend to soften the longer they sit at room temp. However, a simple trick to re-crisp virtually any homemade almond flour cookie is to reheat them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 195 degree oven for about 6-10 minutes. Then allow them to cool and enjoy! They also freeze great and there's no need to defrost - you can enjoy them frozen right from the frig. YUM!
P.S. If you’d like to check out my original Whole Grain “Sugar” Cookie Cut-Outs recipe on Facebook, click here. It really blesses my heart to think about how God took my small Facebook page with less than a dozen fans and has grown it into a beautiful blog ministry where I can better serve precious families just like yours!
Lovely. Sounds great. Cookies look so cute. 😀
Thanks, Minnie! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do! 🙂
Thank you!!!
My pleasure! Hope you enjoy these as much as we do! Merry CHRISTmas! 🙂 Kelly
You are WONDERFUL! Thank you for these awesome recipes!
Aww, you’re too sweet, Sabrina! My pleasure. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do 🙂 Blessings, Kelly
Just a question before I go out and buy all ingredients…
Can I use coconut oil in place of the butter in the GF recipe- so use 1/2 cup of coconut oil and omit the butter?
Hi, Sabrina. You can definitely use all coconut oil. You may want to use a little less, as the cookies may spread more with all coconut oil – I’m not 100% sure, just a guess, since I haven’t tried it with all coconut oil. Maybe use 6-7 tbsp instead of a full 1/2 cup. Hope you enjoy these! Blessings, Kelly 🙂
I just made these using 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2cup barley flour and 1 cup almond flour, and they turned out great ! I also made powdered sugar with coconut sugar and made an icing to go on top. My kids loved them and I don’t mind giving them out!
That’s awesome your recipes tweaks turned out. Thanks for sharing! So glad you and your kids enjoyed these. Lots of blessings to you for a very Merry CHRISTmas! Blessings, Kelly 🙂
Wonderful but what about the saturated fat in the coconut oil, worse than butter???? I’ve been subbing it for so many things till my high cholesterol hubs noticed this….now I do not want to use it. YOUR THOUGHTS??????
Hi, Heather. I am a HUGE fan of pure unrefined coconut oil and believe as many Real Food lifestyle followers that it is a highly beneficial and nutritious food. Of course, I encourage everyone to do their own research and gear their diet toward their own health needs, but many (even traditional western medicine) is realizing the whole all saturated fats are bad is simple not true. I included to articles you may want to read as a start to your research. I really recommend you look into it further and draw your own conclusions. Personally, coconut oil is one of the foods that changed my health for the better. You can read my story in the “about” section of this site. Wishing you good health and God’s blessings!
http://www.naturalnews.com/026547_oil_coconut.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/036156_Coconut_oil_superfood_healing.html
Blessings, Kelly
Thank you so much for such a fantastic cookie!! And they look as great in real life as on your page. My boys (3&5) actually chose these over true sugar cookies. Even got a nod from the non-healthy husband. 😉 We just made them a second time. It’s the first time a cookie hasn’t made me feel sick and headachy with more than one. These are a real keeper. Thanks!!!
Question also… I think I read somewhere on your site (maybe not) where you mention combining kamut with maybe spelt or wheat for some good reasons I also can’t remember. Forgot to bookmark. Is that you? If so, can you direct me or tell me your thoughts again? Thanks. 🙂
Hi, Lynda! So glad you all enjoyed these – even your hubby too! Awesome! I love when people can experience the fact that eating healthy can taste really good too! Yes, I do use spelt and kamut in tandem in various recipes on the site. They work really well together and both are much higher in protein and nutrients that whole wheat. Some examples of me using these two together in recipes are below, not sure which of them you saw, but perhaps it’s one of these? Thanks for taking the time to write a kind note! Blessings and Merry CHRISTmas, Kelly 🙂
• Power Muffins: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/24-hour-power-muffins/
• Soaked Pancakes: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/power-pancakes/
• Soaked Banana Bread: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/banana-nut-bread/
• Soaked Pumpkin Bread: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/639/
• Homemade Tortillas: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/04/homemade-soaked-tortillas/
Thank you so much!! Blessings and Merry Christmas to you too!
We just used this recipe for crust on mini cherry pies, crazy deliciously perfect!
You’re right on track, Lynda. I actually have a recipe for mini tarts that I’m working on that uses a slight variation of this cooke recipe. Great minds think alike. LOL! Appreciate your kind words and that you took the time to leave a note. Blessings to you! 🙂 Kelly
Too funny! Can’t wait to check out your tarts, yum:)
Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes!
My daughter is allergic to nuts, so I can’t use almond flour. Have you ever tried coconut flour in your cookie recipes? Or do you have a suggestion for another flour substitution?
Hi, Kristen. Thanks for your notes. I would recommend you check out Tropical Traditions recipe site, as they have a ton of coconut flour recipes and I’ve often converted them (as some use refine sugar) with success. I don’t presently have a coconut cookie recipe. I have not been able to get an adequate firmness and crunch factor using all coconut flour. If you’re daughter can tolerate GF oats (some with gluten issues cannot), then you may also want to look into recipes that use oat flour for cookie baking. Hope you have a super blessed Christmas! 🙂 Kelly
I’d love to try the whole grain version of this recipe. However, I don’t think I can afford to buy almond flour. What could I use instead?
Hi, Amber. I know blanched almond flour can be expensive. You can make your own using blanched whole or sliced almonds and a blender, which many say saves money. I find purchasing it via a co-op to be the more economical route or from Honeyville Farms when they have their sales.
I noted in the recipe that I haven’t tried any substitutions, so I cannot guarantee how it will change with substitutions. I do know when I tried making these in the past with all spelt, they were just to dense and heavy tasting to me. You might try oat flour, which is lighter than whole spelt or whole wheat, but again, since I haven’t actually tried it myself, it may take you a few experiments to get the right texture & flavor. Hope you have a very Merry CHRISTmas! Blessings, Kelly 🙂
My girls and I made the GF version yesterday! We were so excited to make Christmas cut out cookies again. I mainly eat grain free and lowcarb while they are gluten free. Its tough to find a recipe that fis both. These are so yummy. We like them better than the white flour version we used to make. They also passed the husband test:)
I also made a batch using Stevia and about 1/4 cup of water to make up for no syrup. Although the maple syrup ones were better, these were good to if you can’t have any sweetner.
Thanks again for the recipe Merry Christmas,
Dana
Thanks so much for your kind note, Dana! I am so glad you enjoyed these and appreciate the tip about Stevia, as I have gotten that question before, so I can point people to your comment. Thanks again! Special blessings to you and your family for a very Merry CHRISTmas too! 🙂