These top off a great Chinese meal with just a touch of sweetness and almond flavor. At only 1/2 carb each, they make a great ending to the meal or a nice snack in the afternoon. I’ve adapted them to low carb using my favorite low carb flour, Carbquick, but they will also work well with almond flour and any other low carb flour. If you’re not using a baking mix flour, add 1/2 teaspoon baking powder to the dough. Do not use coconut flour with this unless you’re experienced with using it. This recipe calls for lard, but you can also use butter.

Chinese Almond Cookies

1 1/2 cups sifted Carbquick, almond flour or other low carb flour
1/2 cup white sugar substitute
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lard or butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
24 whole almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a cookie sheet by spraying lightly with baking spray.

Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together into a bowl. Use two knives or a pastry cutter to mix in the lard until mixture resembles cornmeal. (You can also use your fingers to do this.) Make a well and add the egg and almond extract. Mix together, then mix in the flour until it is combined well. The dough will be stiff.

Roll into 1 inch balls and set each ball about 2″ apart on a cookie sheet. Flatten cookie a little and press an almond into the center of each cookie.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the edges of the cookies are a golden brown.

Makes 24 cookies.

Atkins Phases 2 to 4

Nutrition Info per cookie:
Calories: 64 Fat: 6.1 g Net Carbs: .5 g Protein: 1.5 g

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 1/24/2014