This is my third try to make a cookie with fresh cranberries that looks appetizing. Even with this recipe, the cranberries tend to add a touch of blue to the cookie. When I precooked the cranberries, it turned the whole cookie blue. In an attempt to disguise them, I added 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, which turned the dough a peculiar mocha-blue brown, but they were very good. This batch uses fresh cranberries chopped in the food processor.

Makes a soft, not too sweet cookie filled with tart fresh cranberries and pecans. This version doesn’t use any ingredients that you can’t readily find at your grocery store. The flours are probably in the health food section. To be honest, I haven’t tried this yet with almond flour and coconut flour, but this combo has worked for other cookies just fine. The batch I just made (and photographed) is from the second option, which is the lower carb version.

As with all cookies made with almond flour, they tend to be delicate so be sure to let them cool before moving them as they will crumble easily.

1/2 cup Coconut Flour
1/2 cup Almond flour
1/2 cup Cranberries
1/2 cup Pecans, chopped
1 large Egg
1/4 cup Butter, unsalted
1/4 cup Shortening, butter flavored
1 tablespoon Heavy Whipping Cream
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
12 packets Splenda or other sugar substitute (2/3 cup equivalent)
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone mat sprayed lightly with baking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together flours and baking soda. Set aside. Pour raw cranberries into a food processor and chop.

In a deep bowl, add shortening, butter, Splenda (or other sugar substitute), and egg. Cream together with a mixer. Add vanilla, cream and mix in. Then add 1 tablespoon of water and add the flour gradually in about three batches, mixing in well with the mixer. If the mixture is too thick to mix easily, add a little more water. Coconut flour tends to absorb liquid. When all the flour is mixed in well, add nuts and cranberries and stir in to evenly distribute through the batter.

Using two spoons, drop a heaping teaspoon of dough on the baking sheet and repeat, making about four cookies across each row. (I got 6 rows on my baking sheet.) You should get about 24 cookies from the cookie dough. Let sit a few minutes before putting them in the oven to bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 24 cookies. Nutrition Info per cookie:
Calories: 80.8 Net Carbs: 1.4 g Protein: 1.3 g

Version #2 – Lower low carb

For those of us who have a variety of flours, this version uses CarbQuick instead of almond flour and adds vanilla whey protein powder, which improves the texture of the cookies and adds a bit more flavor. Since it uses a sugar alcohol crystal (Ideal or other brand) and liquid sucralose, it is lower in carbohydrates.

1/2 cup Carbquick
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 cup Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla
1 Egg, fresh
1/4 cup Butter, unsalted
1/4 cup Shortening
1 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream,
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup Ideal sugar substitute (Sugar alcohol)
12 drops (1 drop = 1 teaspoon) liquid Sucralose
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Cranberries
1/2 cup Pecans, chopped

Follow the baking instruction above. It will make the same amount of cookies.

Nutrition Info per cookies:
Calories: 71.9 Net Carbs: .8 g Protein: 1.5 g
POSTED BY RENE AVERETT AT 12/24/2012 5:58 PM