Tag Archives: pistachios

Desserts, Recipes

Simple Almond Shortbread Cookies

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Almond Shortbread Cookies

It’s hot outside and you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking. But you’re craving a tasty, low carb shortbread cookie with your iced coffee. This recipe, which came from King Arthur Baking, is only slightly adapted by me. Made with almond flour, sugar, and butter, it is simple to make and super low carb with less than a net carb per cookie.

You can add different flavor extracts to suit your mood. I used almond extract in this batch, but you can use vanilla, lemon, strawberry, or orange extract.

See Tips below the recipe for some other ideas with this basic recipe.

Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies

1 cup Almond Flour
3 tablespoons Butter, softened
1/4 cup Sugar-free Confectioners’ Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract or Vanilla Extract

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients until the dough pulls together and you can shape it. Use a teaspoon or cookie scoop to make 1 inch balls of dough (about the size of a walnut). Roll them in your hand to shape them if necessary.

Place the balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Use the back of the spoon or your clean fingertips to press the dough into a
1/4-inch flattened round.

Put the pan in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes to an hour. This will keep the dough from spreading too quickly when baking.

Preheat the oven to 350°F about ten minutes before baking. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until they start to turn light golden brown on top.

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

You can store your cookies in a plastic baggie or a sealable plastic container for several days.

Nutrition information

TIPS AND VARIATIONS:

Thumbprint Cookies: Prepare your dough as above, press the dough down and use your thumb to press an indentation into the center of cookie. Put 1/4 teaspoon of your favorite sugar-free jam in the hole. Too much jam will melt and leak while cooking. Cool in ‘fridge then cook as above.

Chocolate Pistachio Shortbread Cookies: Make as above, but substitute 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder for 2 tablespoons of the almond flour and add 1/8 teaspoon espresso powder. Mix together then stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios. Shape the dough into a 6″ log and chill it for an hour. Slice into 1/2″ thick rounds with a sharp knife and arrange on the parchment-covered baking pan leaving 2-inches between cookies. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool as above. Adds 2.3 grams net carbs to the basic recipe. If you use only the cocoa powder to make a chocolate shortbread, it only adds 0.2 net carbs to the base count.

Cranberry-Orange Shortbread Cookies: Add 1/2 teaspoon orange zest (grated orange rind) and substitute orange extract while making the cookies. Once the dough is combined, add 1/4 cup sugar-reduced dried cranberries to the dough. Shape the dough into a 6″ log, chill, slice into 1/2 inch thick rounds, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool as stated in the recipe. Adds 2 net carbs to the base recipe.

Chai Tea Shortbread Cookies: Add 1 oz. Sugar-free Chai Tea Syrup and 2 tablespoons extra Almond Flour to the mixture. Shape as stated and bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned. 0.1 net carb added for the additional almond flour.

Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons sugar-free maple syrup, and 1/3 cup diced pecans to the dough. Shape the dough into a 6″ log, chill, slice, and bake; or bake as directed above. Add 0.2 net carbs for the additional ingredients.

Note: I will add more photos as I make some of the variations.

Breads, Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

Try beets in your scones

Photo: Beet scones

I like finding unusual ingredients for baking. Beets are not the first thing to come to mind when you’re making cakes, cookies, or scones, but they work surprisingly well, bringing a slight earthy flavor and moisture to the baked goods. In this case, you have the added bonus of color since nothing escapes the dying prowess of the red beet. Being a natural dye, it’s safe to use in food as well as clothing.

In the case of these scones, it added a nice pink color that makes it perfect for a Valentine’s Day tea. In fact, you could easily shape those triangles into hearts. I didn’t think of it while I was making them, but it’s quite easy to cut the dough apart and press the outside curve in the middle to a V-shape to transform them. The pistachios add an interesting nut flavor to the mix and as a topping. These are not sweet, so if you want a sweeter scone, add more sugar substitute. Otherwise, just slather on butter or clotted cream and jam.

For the record, I used Carbquik for the low carb flour mix and Dixie Carb Counter’s All Purpose Flour for the additional 2 to 4 tablespoons. You can substitute coconut flour for the oat flour and gluten flour, but only use 3 tablespoons to replace both. Add water if the dough is too stiff or won’t absorb all the flour. For the beet puree, I used drained canned beets, not pickled, and put them through a food processor until they were pureed, then measured out 1/2 cup.

Photo One Scone

Beet Scones with Pistachios

1/2 cup Low Carb Flour Mix
1/4 cup Oat Flour
2 tablespoons Almond Flour
2 tablespoons Gluten Flour
2 to 4 tablespoons Low Carb Flour (DCC All-purpose Flour)
1/2 tablespoon Baking Powder
1/8 teaspoon ground Cardamom
1 Egg
1/8 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Beet Puree
2 tablespoons melted Butter
2 tablespoons Sugar-free Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Pistachios, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Sugar Substitute
1/2 teaspoon Melted Butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, oat flour, almond flour, gluten flour, baking powder, ground cardamom and salt. Whisk to combine.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and pour into a medium mixing bowl. Add the beet puree, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and stir. Add the egg and whisk to combine.

Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir to combine. If the dough is too dry or does not all combine, add a tablespoon of water and mix. You may need to use your hands to get flour mixed in well. Add water as needed to incorporate all of the water. If the mix is too moist, add all purpose flour, one tablespoon at a time. Mix well until everything is combined and you have s sticky ball of dough. Don’t over knead the dough. The consistency should be like biscuit dough.

Measure3 tablespoons of the chopped pistachios and fold into the dough. Mix with your hands to distribute the nuts evenly.

Transfer dough to bread board or clean countertop dusted with two tablespoons of low carb all purpose flour and and shape into a ball. Flatten it into a 1-inch thick disk. Brush the top with melted butter.

Mix the remaining chopped pistachios with sugar substitute. Sprinkle the disk with this mixture and use your fingers to lightly press into the dough.

Use a knife to cut the circle into 6 wedges. Transfer scones to the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least one inch between each. Shape into a heart if you wish.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pan half way through. Allow scones to cool slightly before serving. Serve warm.

Makes 6 scones.

Photo: Nutrition info

For a delicious – I kid you not!- chocolate cake recipe using beets, click on the picture below.

Photo Chocolate beet cake