Grain-free Cutout Cookies

When Stella turned 2 I started to look for cutout cookie recipes as she was of the age to partake in one of my favorite traditions, decorating cookies. Yes, this comes from the “channel savory” focus on proteins and fats while keeping carbs in balance dietitian who advocates for normalizing keto with a real food approach. Two years ago I figured as this would be a once a year indulgence I would just use a store bought gluten-free flour blend. It was a poor choice, the Gluten-Free flour was made of: Garbanzo Bean Flour, Potato Starch, Tapioca Flour, White Sorghum Flour, Fava Bean Flour in the blend which made for something that was yes less gut irritating but too high in refined carbs and too processed to be considered a whole food indulgence. Also the texture and taste was not ideal.

I remembered an almond flour cutout cookie I made from Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain book and started searching for best paleo almond flour cutout cookies and came across Paleo Running Momma’s version which I made last Christmas and topped with fun real food icing of matcha, elderberry, and turmeric. You all loved the idea of the cookies, so I decided to riff on it to work it enough to get the macros more fitting (lowering the carbs and keeping the fat higher as more of a butter cookie) and make it a Naturally Nourished version that can even work to support a real food keto approach on a metabolically flexible carb up day.

Now the base itself is super clean and real food based using only raw unfiltered honey as the sweetener, but I went more classic with the icing. As this is an indulgence, I find the ability to use a classic powdered sugar icing the best for both taste, texture, and flexibility in coloring. In this recipe I am boosting a classic icing with food-as-medicine for colorants incorporating Elderberry Syrup, Matcha, and Turmeric! They add a nice savory elevated flavor profile, you can use a range of 1/4-1 tsp of each of the ingredients based on desired flavor impact.

Ingredients for cookies:

1/2 cup grass-fed butter, unsalted, softened (at room temperature at least 1 hour)

1/2 cup raw unfiltered honey

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

2 eggs, room temperature

3 1/3 cups blanched almond flour

3/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Need: Mixer or hand mixer and mixing bowl, unbleached parchment paper, rolling pin

In a mixer with whisk attachment, cream together softened butter and honey at medium speed. Once creamed and well incorporated add in extracts and both eggs at low speed. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt, sifting if needed to ensure the nut flours aren’t chunky or caking. Slowly shake in dry mixture to the mixer running on low to incorporate all the dry ingredients into the wet making a soft dough. Don’t over mix. Once combined scrape sides of mixer using a spatula. Take a piece of parchment paper and place dough ball in the center. Roll dough into a large dense log store in airtight container in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Once dough is firm and ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut into thirds and using parchment paper on top and below take rolling pin to thin dough out to 1/4 inch. Use a cookie cutter or jar edge to cut out shapes and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat this process for each third of the dough until all the cookies are formed balling up the scraps and re-rolling to form more shapes.

Bake in the oven for 9-11 minutes, checking at 9 minute mark for light browning at the edges. Allow cookies to sit on hot pan for 5-6 minutes after removing from oven to complete form. Then transfer to a wire rack or plate in preparation for frosting.

Ingredients for icing:

1 cup organic powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

6-7 Tbsp heavy cream

1/2 tsp elderberry syrup

1/4-1/2 tsp matcha

1/4-1/2 tsp turmeric

 

Using a mixer or hand mixer, combine on low speed the powdered sugar with the vanilla and heavy cream starting with 3-4 Tbsp adding slowly as needed and stopping at 6 Tbsp continuing to mix until a moderately thick icing that will drip from a spoon. Then separate the icing into 3 bowls adding either elderberry syrup, matcha, or turmeric to each to color. On the matcha and turmeric they will impart a more savory flavor, you may choose to start at the lower amount and color to taste. I personally find the flavor they add to be complex and a part of why I love these cookies.

Use this as an icing to drizzle on cookies as an artsy way to decorate with less sugar impact or choose to spread a spoonful out to the edges thinly frost the entire surface.

Makes 32 cookies, icing is enough for 35 cookies (may have left over a couple tsp)

Nutrition facts per 1 cookie no icing: Calories: 123, Fat 9g, Carbs 8g, Fiber 2g, Protein 3g

Nutrition facts per 1 cookie with icing: Calories: 147, Fat 10g, Carbs 12g, Fiber 2g, Protein 3g

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