Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies for a Healthy Christmas Treat (+ a GIVEAWAY!)

At the request of a reader, I wanted to share with you my sugar-free, gluten-free Healthy Sugar Cookies. That sounds like an oxymoron, right? Stay with me here. These cookies smell and taste just as good as the cut out cookies I've made every year since I was little using grandma's recipe. The aroma of sweet cookie dough (i.e. buttery vanilla-y goodness!) filled the kitchen as I gingerly rolled out the dough.

I used my grandmother's antique cookie cutters to cut the familiar shapes that remind me of so many past Christmases. The dough I worked with was sugar-free, but the steps for making the cookies, and the accompanying feelings of nostalgia were the same.

I posted variations with and without sugar since I know some of my gluten-free readers don't eat low carb. If you make these with a sugar containing sweetener (e.g. honey, white sugar, etc) they will be crispy, depending on what you used. Made with honey or palm sugar the cookies will become soft again unless you dry them out in the oven at 175 degrees or so for a couple of hours. Since I made these cookies sugar-free using erythritol, xylitol, and stevia, the batch I made were soft at room temperature. Cakes and pies are so much easier to de-carb than cookies because they don't rely on sugar for their structure or texture as much. There is, however, a solution to this textural issue. To achieve that delightfully crispy sugar cookie texture, store your "sugar" cookies in the freezer. Seriously! Straight from the freezer the texture of these cookies is perfect. They're not icy - just delectably crispy. Freezer storage is a minor trade to make for getting to enjoy sugar cookies that are not only flavorful, but nourishing.

I used a blend of xylitol and erythritol in these cookies since the texture of cookies is much better with a mixture of the two sweeteners than with erythritol alone. If you use palm sugar or honey, I recommend adding stevia extract powder to supplement the sweetness.

PSA: Be sure to keep these treats away from your pets! Google xylitol and dogs for more info.

Healthy Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/4 cup gluten-free flour (I used millet flour)

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Sweetener options:

-2 Tablespoons xylitol +2 Tablespoons erythritol + 1/8+1/16 teaspoon pure stevia extract powder

OR

-1/3 cup palm sugar or honey

1/2 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Whisk together dry ingredients excluding the erythritol and xylitol. Cream xylitol, erythritol, and butter together until fluffy and smooth. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients until dough comes together, then shape the dough into two balls. Wrap dough balls in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour. The dough won’t hold together as well if it isn’t chilled long enough. Roll out dough between two sheets of wax paper or parchment paper, peeling off the top sheet and flipping the dough over on to the other sheet as you roll it out. Flipping the dough and peeling off the top sheet every time you roll the dough with your rolling pin a few strokes ensures that the sheet of dough won’t stick to the paper. Once dough it rolled to 1/8“ thickness, cut it into shapes with cookie cutters and bake them on an insulted cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Bake cookies at 325 degrees for 13-15 minutes, or until the edges barely brown. Let cookies cook on sheet one minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool down completely.  To ensure that moisture doesn’t form underneath the rack, prop it up on top of a couple of drinking glasses! I read about this trick and have used it ever since to avoid soggy cookie bottoms. Store cookies in the freezer between sheets of wax paper. Keep cookies frozen and eat straight from the freezer for the best taste and texture.

-------------------------------------------
In the spirit of the season, I'm bringing you another GIVEAWAY, sponsored by Iherb.com. Iherb.com is my source for 5 lb bags of erythritol, xylitol, coconut flour, coconut oil, cocoa powder, and NuNaturals pure stevia extract powder. I order from them every couple of months, and my shipment of baking supplies always arrives in great condition within a couple of days of placing the order. They usually slip a few free samples in their packages, too. :)  I'm so glad to have found out about them back in 2008 when I started the blog and all of this experimentation with funky ingredients! In the interest of full disclosure, I do acquire rewards dollars when anyone uses the iherb.com coupon code posted in the banner at the left sidebar. This revenue really helps offset ingredient costs for me, along with your donations, so thanks to everyone who has used the code!

The winner of this giveaway will win a $50 shopping spree at iherb.com, shipping and handling included! This contest is open to U.S. and international residents. A winner will be picked on December 31st. If the winner lives outside the U.S. (includes Canada), he or she would be responsible for any customs fees, duties, and taxes. Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to enter. If you create a Facebook post or Tweet about the giveaway with a link to this blog post, you'll receive an extra entry in the contest.