Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. In individuals sensitive to gluten, it causes the T-cells to produce antibodies and destroy the villi that line the small intestine. Gluten is also what holds your cookies together. Gluten-free cooking can be a challenge, trying to find the right combination of ingredients to produce a cookie that not only tastes good, but holds together and maintains the shape and texture of regular cookies.
Baking Gluten-free and Sugar-free
Many flour alternatives exist to replace gluten flours. One of the most popular replacement in sweet baked goods is finely ground almonds, also called almond meal or flour. To help hold the baked goods together, xanthum gum or guar gum may be used. Once mixed, let your batter sit for about 15 or 20 minutes to allow the gums to thicken the batter before baking. There are several sugar-free alternatives that retain their sweetness when baked, such as sucralose, marketed under the name Splenda; stevia, marketed under the names of Truvia and PureVia; and erythritol and xylitol, which are sugar alcohols.
Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe is adapted from the website Cookie Madness and yields about 40 cookies. Beat together one large egg, 1 cup sucralose, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, ½ tsp. baking powder and ½ tsp. vanilla extract. Add 1 cup natural, sugar-free peanut butter and an optional 1/3 cup chopped peanuts. Using a teaspoon, drop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Let the cookies sit for 10 minutes to allow cookies to firm up.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
This chocolate chip cookie recipe is adapted from the website Healthy Indulgences. Mix together ½ cup melted butter, 2 large eggs and 1 tbsp. vanilla extract. Add ¾ cup erythritol that has been powdered in a food processor, ¼ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. stevia extract, 1 tsp. molasses, 3 cups almond flour and 1 tsp. baking powder. Let the dough sit for 15 minutes. While you wait, follow the recipe included here to make homemade chocolate chunks. Add 1 cup of the chunks and ½ cup chopped walnuts. Shape the dough into small balls and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten each dough ball, as the cookies will not spread. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 or 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool before removing them from the baking sheet.
Sugar-free Chocolate Chunks
Chop up a 3.5 oz. bar of 72 percent to 85 percent cacao chocolate. Place the chocolate and 2 tsp. butter, margarine or shortening in a double-boiler to melt. Add 3 tbsp of erythritol that has been powdered in a food processor, 1/8 tsp. stevia and 2 tbsp. of powdered non-fat milk. Stir until smooth. Pour into a parchment-lined pan and quick set for 10 minutes in the freezer. Break it into chunks and use them in your chocolate chip cookies.
References
- Celiac Sprue Association: Celiac Disease Defined
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source: Carbohydrates
- Gluten Free Choice: Gluten Free Baking
- Cookie Madness: Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
- Healthy Indulgences: Taking a Study Break with Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Healthy Indulgences: Sugar-Free "Milk" Chocolate Egg Shells (or Chocolate Chunks)
Member Comments