Tag Archives: low carb cookies

Desserts, Recipes

Celebrate Easter with Spring Bird’s Nest Cookies

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With Easter coming up this weekend, I wanted to get this nice spring cookie recipe out to everyone. This is a simple, colorful cookie that’s easy to make–mix, bake, and decorate. I used a sugar-free liquid drink mix to color the coconut. Unsweetened coconut is dried and doesn’t have much coconut flavor when it’s reconstituted. I used a strawberry-flavored drink, so it added a touch of strawberry flavor. If you use food coloring, you might want to add a little flavor extract, like even coconut, to the mix.

I used Russell Stover’s sugar-free Jelly Beans but several other companies make them. Check at your grocery, drug stores, or Wal-Mart for them.

Spring Bird’s Nest Cookies

Recipe by Rene

1/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Sugar Substitute
1/2 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 egg white
3/4 cup Low Carb Baking Mix
1/4 cup Vanilla Whey Protein Powder or Almond Flour

1/4 cup Unsweetened Shredded or shaved Coconut
Few drops of food coloring or Sugar Free Liquid Drink Mix
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
36 Sugar Free Jelly Beans

A couple of hours before making the cookies, put the coconut into a small bowl, add about 1/4 cup of water and the food color or drink mix. The mix will add a little flavor to the coconut shreds. If you don’t use it, you might want to add a little coconut extract as the shreds don’t have a lot of flavor. Stir the coconut around and let sit to rehydrate and dye the coconut.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (F.) Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, cream the butter, sugar substitute , vanilla extract and egg white together with a mixer, or vigorously by hand,  in a medium-sized bowl . Do not over-cream. You just want it to mix together into a smooth paste.

Add the flour and protein powder (if you’re using it) and mix to combine it into a shape-able dough. Make sure all the flour is mixed in.

Separate the dough into quarters and form three ball from each quarter. Place on the parchment paper about 1-1/2-inches apart and use the back of a spoon to press into a flattened round about 1-1/2 inch in diameter. Don’t press them too thinly.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned but the top is not. Let them cool for about 10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Spread the coconut on a piece of waxed paper on a plate to allow it to dry a little while the cookies are cooling.

Make the sugar icing by combining the powdered sugar substitute and cream. Stir to mix it together until it forms a thick, but spreadable icing. If it is too thick, add a little water.

Using a spoon, put about a half teaspoon of icing on a cookie and spread it around the middle of the top, then put about 1/2 teaspoon of colored coconut on it to make a nest. Dip the edges of three of the jelly beans into the icing and place them on the nest. The icing will help them stick to it. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. Let the icing dry and enjoy.

Makes 12 cookies.

Nutrition Information per cookie (whey powder):
Calories: 106.4 Fat: 9.1 g Net Carbs: 1.2 g Protein: 3.9 g

Nutrition Information per cookie (almond flour):
Calories: 110.5 Fat: 10.3 g Net Carbs: 1.3 g Protein: 2.3 g

Note:  The carb counts may vary a little depending on the flours and other ingredients you use, but they should be very close.

Close up of this colorful and yummy-tasting cookie.

Full Flavor Non-Low Carb Version

If you want to make non-low carb version using flour, sugar and regular shredded coconut, you just need to dye the coconut as it is already moist. So for that version, put the coconut in a bowl and add a couple of drops of food coloring and stir around, adding more drops of color to adjust the shade to one you prefer.

1/4 cup Butter
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 egg white
1 cup Flour
1/4 cup Shredded Coconut
Few drops of Food Coloring
1/4 teaspoon Fruit Extract, such as Coconut, Pineapple, or Strawberry
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
36 Jelly Beans

Follow the instructions above using the regular ingredients in place of the low carb and unsweetened ones.

Nutrition Information per cookie (regular flour, sugar & coconut):
Calories: 184.5 Fat: 9.6 g Net Carbs: 22.0 g Protein: 1.3 g

Desserts, Recipes

More Madeleine Cookie Options

I admit it.  Once I get hooked on something new, I have to experiment more with it and that’s exactly what I have been doing with the Madeleine cookie recipe.  The basic one that I just posted is really very good and the savory one has many possibilities, and I’ll probably be doing some more of those at a later date.  But for now, with pumpkin harvest upon us, I felt I simply had to try it with pumpkin and it is wonderfully delicious.  The other option that also must be tried is the chocolate Madeleine.  So, I am thrilled to share these two recipes with you.  My friend has created a Madeleine Cookie Monster, but the beauty is that they are all low carb.  Yummmm…

Pumpkin Madeleine Cookies

This recipe is figured to make 36 cakes rather than 24, mostly because my pan has 18 wells in it and I didn’t want to have to cook the second batch with just 6 wells used.  If you do find yourself in the situation of cooking with empty wells in the pan, put a tablespoon of water in the well, so that it isn’t empty.    Apart from that, 3 dozen cookies are always good to have around when they are so tasty.

4 large Eggs
1/4 cup liquid Egg Whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar substitute
1/4 cup granulated brown sugar substitute
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Low Carb Flour (CarbQuick, LC Foods or others)
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie spice
1/2 teaspoon Clove, ground
3/4 cup Pumpkin puree
1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
3 tablespoons Water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F.) Melt butter in a small saucepan or microwave in a bowl. Set the butter aside.

In a medium bowl, break the eggs and add the sugar and vanilla. Whisk together until foamy, then add the pumpkin and seasonings and whisk them in. Add the flours and baking powder and stir together with a spoon until well mixed. Let rest a few minutes, then add the water. The coconut flour will absorb liquid, so if it seems too stiff, add a little more water.

Use a silicon Madeleine cake pan or spray a metal pan with baking spray to make it easier to release the cakes.

Fill the wells to 2/3 full, about 1 level tablespoon of batter per well and smooth batter into the mold. Bake at 425 degrees for 4 minutes, then lower the temperature to 385 degrees and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn out of the pans.  Makes 36 cookies.

Nutrition Info per cookie:
Calories: 43.2 Fat: 3.6 g Net Carbs: 0.8 g Protein: 1.5 g

Pumpkin Marshmallow Cookies

Low Carb Pumpkin Marshmallow Madeleine Cookie

Another simple way to dress up a Madeleine cookie is to take two pumpkin Madeleine cookies and spread a layer of sugar free Marshmallow Creme* on top of one, then top with the other.  Both of the cookies have the shell side out with the smoother side in.

You can also put whipped cream between them.

Or take 1 oz of Cream Cheese, add a teaspoon of whipping cream, 1 teaspoon of sugar substitute (more or less to taste) and a 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and mix well to make a cream cheese filling to make two filled cookies.

* I buy Walden Farms Sugar Free Marshmallow Creme , which is 0 calories and 0 carbs.  Sometimes grocery stores carry it or you can order it online.

Chocolate Madeleine Cookies

Orange Syrup or orange extract adds just a light citrus taste to these chocolate cookies.

3 Eggs
1 Egg White
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar Substitute
1/2 cup CarbQuick or other low carb flour
2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
2 tablespoons Cocoa
1 tablespoon Orange Syrup
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F.) Melt butter in a small saucepan or microwave in a bowl. Set the butter aside.

In a medium bowl, break the eggs and add the sugar. Whisk together until foamy. Add the flours and baking powder, chocolate powder and mix together. Let rest a few minutes. If the batter is a little too thick, add a tablespoon of water. The coconut flour will absorb liquid.

Use a silicon Madeleine cake pan, if possible.

Fill the wells to 2/3 full, about 1 tablespoon and smooth batter into the mold. Bake at 425 degrees for 4 minutes, then lower the temperature to 385 degrees and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn out of the pans.

Makes 24 cakes.

Nutrition Info per cookie:
Calories: 53 Fat: 4.9 g Net Carbs: 0.5 g Protein: 1.5 g

Chocolate Madeleine Cookies with Cherry Yogurt Dessert

 

Chocolate Madeleine cookies topped with cherry yogurt, Cool Whip and tiny sugar free chocolate chips.

For  quick, yet elegant-looking dessert, take two Madeleine cookies and arrange them on a plate, add 1 oz of low carb Cherry Yogurt on top or partially on top and top with a tablespoon of Cool Whip or whipped cream and a couple of sugar-free chocolate chips.

Tip:  If you don’t have Madeleine pans, you can bake these in mini-cupcake molds and they won’t taste much different.  They just won’t have the distinctive shape.  Be sure to spray the molds with cooking spray to make it easier to release the cookie and allow it to cool completely.

Appetizers, Breads, Desserts, Recipes

Versatility with French Madeleine Cakes

My friend Françoise , who is French, sent me her recipe for Madeleine Cakes a few weeks ago and I finally got around to adapting them to a low carb version. Magnifique! These are so delicious and rich-tasting, even with using low carb flour. They are wonderful right out of the oven, but equally good when warmed up for about 10 seconds per two in the microwave. I’ve also made a “cookie sandwich” with them and they work very well, except they try to slip off the filling.

But the recipe is more versatile than that. They can also be made in a savory version, so I’ve included that option below. Françoise’s original recipe called for Paris Ham, which is kind of like deli ham, and green olives. My adaptation still uses ham, but I’ve added bacon bits and bell peppers in lieu of the olives. I hope I haven’t committed sacrilege with the classic French recipe!

To make a “true” Madeleine cookie, you need to have the Madeleine pan, either a metal one or a silicone one.  You can find these in many stores that carry baking supplies and online at Amazon and other suppliers.  They have the shell shape and ridges that give the Madeleines their distinct look.  Françoise says that the temperatures are essential to getting the correct rise for the cookie.  I did lower the second temperature just a little for the low carb flours.

Classic Low Carb Madeleine Cookies

3 Eggs
1 Egg White
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar Substitite
1/2 cup CarbQuick or low carb flour
2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
2 tablespoons Vanilla Whey Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F.) Melt butter in a small saucepan or microwave in a bowl. Set the butter aside.

Grate the lemon zest and get about 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, break the eggs and add the sugar. Whisk together until foamy. Add the flours, whey powder and baking powder and mix together. Let rest a few minutes. If the batter is a little too thick, add a tablespoon of water. The coconut flour will absorb liquid.  Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and mix into the batter.

Use a silicon Madeleine cake pan to make it easier to release the cakes.

Fill the wells to 2/3 full, about 1 tablespoon, and smooth batter into the mold. Bake at 425 degrees for 4 minutes, then lower the temperature to 385 degrees and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn out of the pans.

Makes 24 cookie cakes

Nutrition Info per cookie:
Calories: 47.4  Fat: 3.9 g  Net Carbs 0.6 g  Protein: 1.9 g

Lemon Sandwich Cookies

And this is just something else you can do with the Madeleine cakes and low carb lemon curd. (Or any low carb jam, for that matter.)

8 Madeleine cakes
4 tablespoons Lemon Curd
4 tablespoons Cool Whip or Whipped Cream (optional)

Take two Madeleine cakes per serving. Place one on a serving plate, top down and spoon 1 tablespoon of lemon curd over the top, spreading smoothly. Top with the other Madeleine cake, shell design up and press into the lemon curd gently. Top with 1 tablespoon of Cool Whip or whipped cream.

Repeat with other cakes and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Ham and Peppers Madeleines

These are yummy as a snack or make great appetizers for a party. Try them with a little Ranch dressing or other low carb dressing as a dipping sauce. I added a ricotta cheese to my version to help the texture a little and add a bit more flavor.

3 large Eggs, fresh
3 tablespoons Liquid Egg White or 1 Egg White
2 tablespoons Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup Ham, diced
1/4 cup Sweet Peppers, diced
2 tablespoons Bacon Bits,
1 teaspoon Parsley
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup Carbquick or other low carb flour
2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
1 tablespoon Water
1 teaspoon Baking Powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F.)

Dice ham and sweet peppers and set aside. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or a bowl in the microwave,

In a medium bowl, break the eggs and egg whites and beat with a whisk until they are creamy-looking, Add the ricotta cheese and whisk it in. Add the flours, salt, water and baking powder and stir in in well. The coconut flour will make the batter thicken, so add the water after its all mixed to thin the batter a little. Pour the butter around the edge of the bowl and gently mix into the batter. Stir in the ham, bacon, parsley and peppers.

In prepared Madeleine pans, spoon the batter into each of the wells to about 2/3 full. It is about 1 tablespoon of the batter.

Bake in 425 degree oven for 4 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 385 degrees and bake another 7 to 10 minutes until the cake is golden brown. Remove and let cool a few minutes, then turn them out on a pan and enjoy!

Makes 24 cakes.

Nutrition Info per cake
Calories: 60 Fat: 5.3 g Net Carbs: 0.5 g Protein: 2.2 g

Desserts, Recipes

March Means Mint Cookies…

… and St. Patrick’s Day, St. David’s Day and my birthday… but that’s another story. But hey, I do share my birthday with the Girl Scouts and when you speak of Girl Scouts…

For many years I was a devotee of the Girl Scout Mint Cookies, something that I haven’t had in over 4 years now and I do kind of miss now and then. This mint chocolate cookie isn’t like those GS cookies, but they are pretty darn good, if I do say so. The mint isn’t super strong and you can add more if you’d like yours a little stronger. The cookie dough is also easy to pat flat to make the crust for a Shamrock Mint Pie or any other pie that might want a chocolate crust. You can leave out the mint if you’re using it for a pie that doesn’t call out for a mint crust.

Mint Chocolate Cookies

1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoons Water
1/2 cup Sugar-free Chocolate Chips
2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
1 Egg
1 Egg White
1 1/3 cups Low Carb Baking Mix (like CarbQuick or Bob’s Red Mill)
2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
2 tablespoon Vanilla Whey Powder (optional)
1 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract

In a saucepan, cut the butter into small pieces, add sugar and water and cook and stir over medium heat until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips and cocoa powder until melted. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes

Meanwhile, mix the baking mix, coconut flour, whey powder and salt together. Whey is optional but adds a nice texture as well as a bit more flavor to the cookie. If you don’t use increase the coconut flour by one tablespoon.

To the chocolate mixture, add the peppermint extract, egg white and egg and beat with a spoon until smooth. Add the flour in batches, mixing it in. When all the flour is mixed in, cover the pan and put into the refrigerator for about an hour to get firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with baking spray or use a silicone mat and spray it. Roll cookie dough into walnut-sized balls and place on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Or you can press out to about 1/4 inch thick and use a cookie cutter to make shaped cookies.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies should look a bit dry but won’t be very brown. Under baked is better than over baked with these cookies.
If desired, you can press a sugar free mint chocolate candy into the cookie before it cools or you press a pecan into the cookie before you bake it to add a bit of nut to it.

To use this for a pie crust. Use about 1/2 of the dough for each crust. Spray the pie tins with cooking spray, then spread the dough evenly in the bottom using your fingers. Set in the refrigerator to firm up for about 1 hour, then bake in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes until the crust looks done. Let cool before filling with your non-cook pie filling. Great for icebox or freezer pies and cheesecakes.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies (varies with shaped cookies) or 2 pie crusts

Nutrition Info:
Per cookie (assuming 24):
Calories: 72.5 Fat: 5.4 g Net Carbs: 1.5 g Protein: 2 g

Per Pie Crust (assuming 2 per recipe):
Calories: 870 Fat: 65.3 g Net Carbs: 17.3 g Protein: 24 g

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 3/8/2014

Desserts, Recipes

Refreshing Cranberry Orange Cookies

As soon as I saw this recipe from MORDAVIA on AllRecipes.com, I knew I had to adapt it for low carb. It combines the berry of the winter holiday, cranberry, with the refreshing taste of orange. It’s a wonderful combination and this cookie is absolutely delicious, one of my favorites already. To keep the carbs down, I used orange extract in it instead of orange juice, but if you want to use orange juice, feel free. I’d still add a little extract to really get the orange flavor in it. I also used sugar free orange syrup in the icing, but you can use either the extract or orange juice in it if you don’t have orange syrup.

Cranberry Orange Cookies

 

1/2 cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar Substitute
1/4 cup Brown Sugar Substitute
1 Egg
1 Egg white
1 teaspoon grated Orange Zest
1 tablespoon Orange Extract or Orange Juice
1 cup CarbQuick
2 tablespoons Coconut Flour
2 tablespoons Vanilla Whey Powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup chopped Cranberries
1/4 cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts (optional)

Icing (Optional, but recommended)
1 teaspoon grated Orange Rind (optional)
1 tablespoon Orange Sugar Free Syrup or Orange Juice
1/2 cup Confectioners’ Sugar Substitute*

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F . Line baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray or just spray the pan directly.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and egg white until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1 tablespoon orange extract. Combine the flour, coconut flour, protein powder (if you are using it), baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts, if you are using them, until they are evenly distributed.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Icing:
In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons sugar free orange syrup and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set.

* To make your own low carb confectioner’s sugar, put crystal sugar substitute, such as Ideal or Splenda, into a food processor and pulse until it turns to a powdered sugar. Measure out after processing the sugar.

Makes 18 cookies.

Nutrition Info per cookie:
Calories: 79.2 Fat: 7.4 g Net Carbs: 1 g Protein: 1.7 g

POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 12/16/2013