Really great basic cookies
 

I got this recipe from Mosey, here on the forums, and modified it a little. I'm pretty sure he got it from one of the various Specific Carbohydrate Diet websites and modified it.

Cream:
3/4 c butter (room temperature)
2 large eggs
1/2 c splenda (some people may prefer them sweeter, I thought this was plenty, the original recipe called for 1 c sweetener)

Add:
1 c unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Then:
2 c ground almonds (I like Robs Red Mill almond meal)
(extras*)

make sure batter is not too wet, if it is, stiffen it up with more dry ingredients. It should be almost as firm as a regular drop cookie dough, but a little sticky.

Use a spoon to drop onto an ungreased baking sheet, but use your fingers to pat into a 'cookie' shape. It won't spread as it bakes. What you put in the oven is the shape it will be when it comes out.

Bake 350 for 16 minutes or until done. Keep an eye on your first batch, I live at high altitude, so sea level cookies may bake faster.

If I figured it correctly, the basic recipe comes out to 1.5 carbs per cookie if you make 32.

I think this recipe could be used to make shaped cookies by patting the dough into molds.

*It is the perfect basic dough for adding other things too. I've already made a batch with dried cherries and macadamia nuts and a batch of gingerbread (using spice measurements out of another cookbook). If you're willing to afford the carbs, I can see that it will make fantastic chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin, or pretty much what ever your favorite cookie was pre-LC. On the other hand, they taste just fine plain.

Wow what a great looking recipe!! This definitely gives me a reason to finally go out and get that almond flour.

think the baking soda is really nessecary? is it a levener or something?

Yes, the baking soda is necessary, its a levener.

Is it something you can't have?

No, more the fact it's been so long since I've used it in cooking that the only box I have around has been sitting in fridge soaking up the oders (sp). I was just hoping to decrease the carb amount slightly while saving myself a trip to the store :p

Sounds good, thank you. Baking cookies always help me get into the Holiday spirit. Now I can bake my cookies and eat them too.

Ah. Well, buy 2 boxes. You probably need to replace the one in the fridge anyway! ;)

It really is necessary, I've tried cookies without them in the past, and it wasn't pretty.

You can substitute with baking powder. It gives a different texture, more crumbly, but I'm guessing you don't have that either.

Well I didn't get almond flour, but I ground up some whole almonds into a fairly coarse meal with my dinky food processor and I made these just now. I guess mine are more "rustic."

YUMMY!!! I made a half recipe, and added a drop or 2 of almond extract. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks for the great recipe. :D

ETA: for people NOT at high altitude, I baked these for 14 min and they came out perfect

Liking the looks of this. Will have to get some almond flour!

Mmmm...anything made with almond meal and butter sounds good to me! And Bat Spit you're right...it seems like a good versatile recipe!

Hold the presses.

Apparently I made a mistake. See, I have 2 identical little bags from Robs Red Mill in my pantry. And I seem to have grabbed the wrong one, which turns out to have been one of those fantastic accidental leaps.

The baking soda is in fact NOT necessary. Because what I accidently put in was a tsp of Xanthan. Which DRAMATICALLY improves the texture, with no change in taste at all.

Yesterday was baking day again, and I made a batch of oatmeal raisin, substituting 1/3 c of oat bran for some of the almond flour (unnecessary, I won't do it that way again) and 1/2 c raisins. I used the Xanthan.

Then I was making a batch of chocolate chip, and I suddenly realized that the bag I was using was Xanthan and not baking soda. I had no idea if my first batches last week were xanthan or baking soda, so in the chocolate chip I used the soda.

Verdict? Baking soda makes them crisper and much more crumbly. Xanthan makes them much more chewy and dense.

So, now you have 2 possible variations, depending on what kind of cookies you like.

Now I'm going to experiment with amounts of Xanthan, to see how much is really necessary.

My cookies came out crisp using the baking soda, but I stored them in a ziploc baggie out on the counter and they softened WAY up and got very chewy. So I guess there are 2 ways to make them chewy. :)

How would you store them to keep them crisp?

In Seattle? Try on a plate loosely covered with tin foil. Or in a plastic container not sealed too tightly.

Today is baking day again after work. I'm going to experiment some more with baking soda vs. xanthan.

Mine fell apart :(

I am going to play some. I wonder why mine spread and got thin but fell apart?
Any ideas? They tasted super though...

I wonder if I added a bit of carbquick if that wuld help?? I could ditch the baking soda too. I ordered some and it should be here in a few days...

I had a bit of dough left so I played some and added more egg and a touch of protien powder and these seem to be staying round..

Ok my played with recipe seems to be a keeper
 

I just don't know how to repeat it,lol.

I am guessing that add to the original recipe 1 extra egg and 1/4 cup protien powder.

I made choc chip cookies and added sugar free choc chips (hershey brand).

WHen my carbquick comes I will add that too.. :thup: