Testimony of the Day
“OK…I realize this might be a little premature but here goes…I laughed yesterday! That is one thing that I noticed and really missed…I never laughed! So sad! I don’t even have all my supplements yet…still waiting on one. Sleep is better…about to try two patches of melatonin you suggested.
I’m pleased with the changes I’m seeing! Thank you! Kaye”
To get started on your path to health and healing, click HERE. I’d be honored to help you too!
Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar is a sweetener that has become very popular in the past few years. Man, I get a million questions about this sweetener. This sugar is derived from the coconut palm tree and is hyped as being more nutritious and lower on the glycemic index than sugar. Coconut sugar is made in a two-step process:
1. A cut is made on the flower of the coconut palm, and the liquid sap is collected into containers.
2. The sap is placed under heat until most of the water in it has evaporated.
Coconut sugar does maintain some of the nutrients found in the coconut palm. It is difficult to find exact data on this, but according to the Philippine Department of Agriculture, coconut sugar contains several nutrients.[39] Most notable of these are the minerals iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium, along with some polyphenols and antioxidants that may also provide some health benefits. The reason it is lower on the glycemic index is because it also contains a fiber called inulin, which may slow glucose absorption.[40]
Even though coconut sugar does contain some nutrients, you’d have to eat a ridiculous amount of it to really get any benefits from these nutrients. You would get a lot more from non-sweet foods. Coconut sugar has the same amount of empty calories as table sugar.
One of the big contributors to the aging process and development and perpetuation of degenerative diseases is Advanced Glycation End Product (AGEs) glycation. Glycation is where a chemical reaction occurs between proteins and either sugars, lipid peroxidation products (free radicals from oxidative damage), or the breakdown products of sugar. So sugar plays a big role in glycation as does oxidative damage (think PUFA oils and sugar inflammation). Glycation is the forming of sort of a crust around our cells. Many different studies have shown that this crust contributes to a wide range of diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, asthma, stroke, cataracts, glaucoma, PCOS, autoimmune disease and much more. So what role does fructose play here? Studies have shown that fructose enables glycation reactions ten times more rapidly than glucose!
So again, you may be thinking, “OK Maria, if I want to sweeten something a little, I will use coconut sugar since it seems less harmless than honey.” No! Let me surprise you with a tidbit: even though I see claims all over the web that coconut sugar is commendably fructose-free, 70 to 80% of it is made of sucrose, which is half fructose (and half glucose)![41] This essentially means that coconut sugar supplies the same amount of fructose as regular sugar, gram for gram.
Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver; glucose on the other hand can be metabolized by every cell in the body. Fructose raises triglycerides (blood fats) like no other food. Fructose bypasses the enzyme phosphofructokinase, which is the rate-limiting enzyme for glucose metabolism. Fructose is shunted past the sugar-regulating pathways and into the fat-formation pathway. The liver converts this fructose to fat, which, unfortunately, remains in the liver = FATTY LIVER DISEASE. Consuming fructose is essentially consuming fat! This is why I see so many children with fatty liver disease…they aren’t drinking alcohol, they are drinking sodas, juices and consuming too much fructose!
As long as you understand just how detrimental fructose is not only to your waist line, but also to the overall health of your cells and liver, you see that coconut sugar should be avoided.
The liver governs how efficiently we lose weight as well as governs our moods. It can become congested from not only the 
fructose and sugar you eat, but all of the make-up and soaps you use on your skin! I had one client who had her liver enzymes go back to normal once she ditched all of the lotions and make-up products she was using! It is important to look at what you are putting on your skin too! It all gets absorbed by the liver.
Instead of store bought lip balm, how about making this “healthified” lip balm for your Valentine?
Read more about fructose and liver health in my new book Keto-Adapted.
Click HERE to get a limited edition of the Hard Cover.
Click HERE to get a soft cover.
Thank you all for your love and support!
“HEALTHIFIED” CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE
1 cup coconut oil or butter
1 cup Swerve Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Swerve
1 egg
1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 ChocoPerfection Bars (chopped) (OR HOMEMADE “HEALTHIFIED” CHOCOLATE)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, sweetener and egg. Cream for a few minutes until very fluffy. In a separate bowl mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth. Add in chocolate. Roll 2 TBS of dough into a ball in your hands (for uniform shape) onto a cookie sheet, then press down to they are about ¾ of an inch thick. Place cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool completely on the baking sheet before removing and enjoy! I keep mine in the freezer (for portion control!:) Makes 24 cookies.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cookie)
Traditional Cookie = 180 calories, 9g fat, 1.5g protein, 25.5g carbs, 0.8g fiber
“Healthified” Cookie = 154 calories, 14g fat, 3g protein, 5g carbs, 2g fiber
Here is a video of the process.
VARIATION: Smoosh my “healthified” ice cream in between!
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This is an ebook format that works on any computer or mobile device. It is a beautiful pdf that has all the full color pages and layouts as the printed books with click-able table of contents and searching capabilities. This is extremely useful when trying to find a recipe. These books are much higher quality than the ebook platforms (kindle, apple). Plus, most of the profits don’t go to Amazon or apple!
Click HERE or select “My Books” above to get your copy now!
Thank you so much for your love and support!
Another Great Testimony
“I did get my new lab results today and all my levels look great, even my thyroid level is back in the normal range! The last 2 years have shown my thyroid being just below normal readings! Now I have to have an Echo and monitor to make sure things look healthy. So happy that I can continue eating healthy without worry. Thank you for all your research, information, inspiring posts and delicious recipes! – Andrea”
These look so yummy Maria! I can’t wait to try them!
They look beautiful. Can you use the Just Like Brown Sugar alone or do you need the Truvia too?
M
Yes. That will work but the erythritol creates a crispier outside;)
Happy baking!
i was just in whole foods and saw that they carry a produce called “whey low” its a sugar sub like truvia and just like sugar etc. they have a brown sugar sub. wondering if you have heard about this and what your thoughts are? thanks, kapu
I have to try these. I’ve managed some pretty great low carb cookies, but these look amazing!
Yes, I have researched that. It is an ok option but it will increase insulin a bit. It is better than sugar but doesn’t work well if you are trying to lose weight.
Hope that helps!
Thanks Carolyn! I LOVE your blog;)
Those look so yummy! 🙂 Can’t wait to try them!
i just made these cookies. they look nothing like yours but fill my need for a choc cookie. they look very grainy.
Mine are grainy too. Wondering if it’s the different brands of blanched almond flower? Just saw a product comparison on someones site about this. They taste great though!
Kapu, did ou roll into a tight ball and then smooch down so they are 3/4 inch and flat?
Bummer, I hope it works next time!;)
Wowzer! Best cookies ever. I made them yesterday, and will already need to make another batch tomorrow. These are absolutely delicious.
Thanks Molly! I LOVE them too;)))
I have now made these cookies twice and they are FANTASTIC! I honestly like them better than regular chocolate chip cookies, the consistency is amazing and they are also really filling. I have had to make them twice because my boyfriend can’t keep his hands off of them. Thanks so much for your wonderful recipes, Maria!
Thank you so much Susan! I LOVE these cookies too. I have gotten a few comments that they didn’t turn out so I am very happy to hear that I’m not crazy:) I keep re-making them to make sure they are good:)
Happy Eating!
I don’t have just like sugar/brown sugar… but I have erythritol and stevia. Do you need all 3 for this recipe, or is there a way to substitue the just like brown sugar?
Hi Ryan- the Just Like Sugar gives the cookie a great chewy inside. You can use erythritol instead. It will still taste great!;)
Happy Baking!
Do you have to use the stevia here?
Nope Stacy, you don’t have to. It just added a perfect sweetness.
Happy baking!
GREAT!! Looking forward to making these.
I have the ‘table top” bottle of Just Like Sugar and not the kind that comes in the bag. Can they be used interchangeably? I have wondered what the difference was between the two but the website doesn’t really explain well. Thanks in advance for any info you can give.
Deb D
Hi Deb! I have used all 3 types of Just Like Sugar and they all turn out great!
I’m not sure the difference either, the bag doesn’t show anything…
Happy Eating!
I made these with Pecans both ground with the almonds and added in with Carob chips and I think I’m addicted! And my grandmother asked for “a whole box o’ these” for Christmas…her mouth was still full chewing : P
THanks again!!!
Thanks! I’m addicted too!!!
Maria, do you think this recipe would translate well into a cookie ‘bar’, kind of like Congo Squares (something from my childhood!)? I was thinking of just pressing the dough into a greased cake pan… what do you think?
Oh! I think it would make a great bar cookie!;)
Ok, I’m going for it! Thank you. 🙂
Ok, I’m here to report that I made these into cookie ‘bars’ and they came out fantastic! I did need to completely cool them over night, but the firmed up and now make a perfect cookie bar. 🙂
Thanks soooo much for writing! I’m happy the bar cookie turned out!
I use this recipe for the crust of my French Silk pie;)
Oh… GREAT IDEA! A CRUST!!!
Maria,
Can i use Almond Flour as a substitute for any wheat flours in any baking recipe? Would it be a one for one substitute? I really want to eliminate wheat from our diets but need to find a good substitute. I don’t want to do a lot of experimenting b/c of the cost of these higher quality ingredients. Any thoughts?
No, wheat flours won’t work. I would look for a different recipe.
In my family we treat corn, carrots, potatoes and rice as starchy foods, as if they were sweets (starch and sugar = excess weight gain). They are all starchy carbohydrates as are the products made from them (chips, cereal, rice cakes and snacks). So we never use alternative flours made from corn, rice or potatoes. 4 grams of carbohydrates from sugar or starch becomes 1 teaspoon of sugar in our body! Baking with almond flour requires using more eggs to provide more structure. You can use it in cakes, cookies, and other sweet baked goods. I buy mine at http://store.honeyvillegrain.com.
It is important to use blanched almond flour. Most recipes will not work with unblanched; most almond meal (found at Trader Joe’s) is made with unblanched almonds. Unblanched means the dark outside is on the almond; it creates a different texture in baking, which doesn’t work as well to create soft baked goods.
Thanks Maria,
Would you be able to clarify your first paragraph to me? I asked if almond flour can be substituted for any recipe calling for white wheat flours. I wasnt sure from your response what you are saying.
No, wheat flour won’t work… Sorry
Mrs. Maria, if a recipe calls for wheat flour, May I use coconut or almond flour instead of wheat flour? If yes, can coconut or almond flour flour be used as a replacement for all bad/starchy flours in ANY recipe?
Almond flour is close to a 1-1 replacement but coconut flour isn’t. This chart can help converting to coconut flour.
http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2013/03/chai-tea-glazed-twinkies-and-donuts.html
Emili, maybe this will help answer your question.
http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/substitue-almond-flour-for-regular-flour-in-recipes
I know that working with almond flour is different than regular flour because it doesn’t absorb liquid like regular flour, but you can work around that by adjusting the ingredients used.
Made these turned out great. I didn’t use the Stevia either and I used xlitroyel (not sure on the spelling) instead. Turned out great not as crispy as yours though, but I did use the egg. Next time I’m gonna skip the egg. Awesome taste though.
Has anybody tried freezing the raw dough? I would love to be able to make a batch and form the balls then just bake a small batch here and there.
Yes Erica, I have! I love a fresh cookie. So I often freeze the dough in individual cookie shapes so I can have one after dinner a lot;)
Happy baking!
I have been using Just Like Brown Sugar since I saw the recc. on your blog. We really like the flavor, esp. in chocolate goodies. I am wondering if you have tried “Ideal Brown Sugar Substitute” and if you would consider it a healthy choice for a sweetener. I have seen it mentioned in several recipes and I believe it may be less expensive, which would be great here considering we are feeding three teenagers!
I love your blog and am grateful for your time and effort in sharing health news and recipes.
I’m not sure what the ingredients are in Ideal Brown Sugar? Does it have maltodexterin?
Dextrose and maltodextrin, which are carbohydrates that are not free of calories. One cup of Splenda contains 96 calories and 32 grams of carbohydrates, which is substantial especially for those with diabetes but overlooked due to the label claiming that it’s a no calorie sweetener.
i would love to make this, but i’m allergic to nuts. So with that said, is there a substitute for this “almond flour”?
You could try finely ground sunflower seeds or freshly ground flaxseeds.
Happy Baking!
I made these today with mostly ground sunflower seeds and a little bit of ground flaxseed (together equaling 1 1/2 cups) to replace the almond flour, and it worked great for me. Glad we can make these despite a nut allergy! They are delicious!
That’s great! Thanks for posting and letting me know! 🙂
These are definitely the best low carb cookies that I’ve ever tasted. And that is saying a lot since I’ve tried many. Thank you Maria!
Thank you! Glad you liked them. 🙂
Brilliant cookies.husband couldn’t believe they were low carb with such a beautiful short texture!! thank you for sharing your talents!!!
Sarah
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you liked them! 🙂
Instead of using erythritrol can I use more just like sugar or xylitol? These look awesome! I’m also wondering if you have ever left out the chocolate and added nuts instead?
Thanks can’t wait to try these!
You can try it, but the texture will probably be a little different. Erythritol (or Swerve) adds bulk.
Another really fun idea that I saw on pinterest to do with these cookies is to take your muffin tin and turn it upside down. Take the cookie dough and form it over the back side of the muffin tin and bake. You then have a chocolate chip bowl that you can put the coconut milk ice cream into SO YUMMY!!! Something fun for the summer 🙂
Yes! That is way healthier than the junk they put into ice cream cones! 🙂
I made these cookies today and I added in Almond extract and shredded coconut YUM 🙂
They are our favorite. Thanks! 🙂
maria, i made these recently and they were fantastic!! thank you for such a simple and delicious recipe. i’ve tried so many GF choc chip cookies and none of them even came close to this one. my husband was gulping them down straight off the cookie sheet. 🙂 we stored them in the freezer (which is how i used to eat regular choc chip cookies) and they were so delicious i didn’t even miss the “real” ones!!
my question is, do these have to be made with *blanched* almond flour? i used it before, but i’m out now and i can’t get it in my town. i could order it, but i’m on a tight budget at the moment and the regular almond meal is a lot cheaper. i’m just wondering if the skins of the almonds creates some sort of undesirable effect in baked goods, or can i get away with it? thanks!
Thanks for the kind words! The blanched almond flour is what gives it a nice cakey texture. Typically almond meal is ok for cookies but with cakes or similar bakes goods you must use blanched. 🙂
can i use erythritol also instead of just like sugar? if so, what would be equivalent?
You can and the taste will be great, but you won’t have quite the same chewy texture that you get with JLS. 🙂
These are awesome! Even my non-lc dh and dd LOVED them. I used between 3/4 cup and 1 cup Truvia for the sweetener and chopped up a 90% cacao bar. The first batch I made I used all butter. The second batch, I used 1/2 butter and 1/2 coconut oil. Next time I will use the butter and oil again, and also add almond extract and coconut as a previous person suggested.
I took most of the second batch of cookies in to work with me to share with low-carbing coworkers. They all loved them and every cookie was spoken for. I gave out your recipe with your blog address. I can’t tell you how happy I am to have found your site. I love to cook (I was known for my cooking before my diabetes diagnosis) and one of the big disappointments for me was thinking my cooking days were over. But, you’ve definitely changed that for me. I’m ready to cook my way through all of your recipes. Thank you!
Thank you! 🙂
I HAVE to tell you how genius this recipe is!
I made a half batch and subbed half of the fat for unsweetened greek yogurt, added cinnamon and omitted the chocolate chunks and it was the best, crunchy outside chewy inside snickerdoodle I’ve ever had, period!
This is the cookie recipe of my dreams.. I cannot thank you enough! <3 <3 <3
Thank you! From a nutritional standpoint, it is much better to keep the fat and not add the extra carbs from the yogurt. My diet is about 60% fat. Here is more on yogurt. http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2012/05/dairy-free-frozen-yogurt.html
Thank you for the information about yogurt.. I have a huge tub of it in the fridge and have to use it up somehow.. isn’t there still debate on how the carbs in yogurt truly translate in our blood stream and digestive tract because of fermentation eating the lactose in the yogurt?
I have heard that, but my understanding is that you test the final product for the nutritional label. So if bacteria in the yogurt have eaten some of the lactose, it should show up in the label. Would be interested in reading more on it if you have any info. 🙂
Might be a stupid question, but what does “cream” the butter mean? Can you please be more specific? I am new to cooking period!
You just use a beater and beat it a little until it is fluffy. 🙂
thank you, making these today!
I have such high hopes for these as I desperately want my kids to have a healthy cookie instaed of the junk – they are in the oven right now, but the mix was nothing like you described! It was very crumbled, rolling it did not really keep them together. I kind of made a cicle and hopefully they won’t completely fall apart when ready. What did I do wrong? I used a 1.25 sticks of butter (softened), no egg. Should the butter been melted? Also, I am still not sure about the creaming part. I did beat it in my mixer, but not sure it looked fluffy!
HELP!!!
I just added a video of the process. Maybe that will help. Also, I have had some people who have had issues with certain brands of almond (Bob’s Red Mill) and coconut flours. They don’t act like other flours in recipes. 🙂
1.25 sticks of butter isn’t one cup (at least not in Canada). One cup is 2 sticks, which would easily explain the problem.
Just made these, and they also turned out grainy, didn’t stick together well, what did I do wrong? I follwed the recipe exactly. Do you think powedered erythrytol would be better? I did use blanched almond flower, initially just butter (softened), but then added coconut oil as the mixture seemed pretty dry and on the clumpy side. Would it be possible to show pictures of what your mixture looks like after the creaming and then right before you put it on the cookie sheet?
I just added a video of the process. Maybe that will help. Also, I have had some people who have had issues with certain brands of almond (Bob’s Red Mill) and coconut flours. They don’t act like other flours in recipes. 🙂
Hi Maria,
I tried making these cookies, they tasted good, but they were really hard to shape. The batter seemed very crumbly and grainy, they did not roll into a ball at all. I used 1 stick of butter, and then added more coconut oil as the batter seemed really dry. Is the batter supposed to be crumbly? I was trying not to use the coconut as my family is starting to think that everything from now on will have a coconut taste :), so should I have used more butter?
Trying to perfect this recipe…Any chance you’d post a video?!!!!
Hmm, haven’t had that happen before. I’m going to post a video of the process in the next week or so so stay tuned! 🙂
LOVE these cookies! They are always in my freezer! I use half butter half coconut oil and I use two eggs! It is a moister dough and I use a cookie scoop instead of hand shaping. (can flatten slightly with fingers)
I will have to try the half dark/half milk chocolate though! fab idea 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE VIDEO!!!! You really showed how easy and quick it is to prepare some healthy snacks, I must be honest and say I get very intimidated when I see the recipes, this was very quick. :0)
Thank you! They are very easy. 🙂
I made a batch of these and they were flat… Glad I watched the video with the tip for adding more coconut flour! Do you think it would also work to decrease the butter/coco oil??
Yes, that would work also. 🙂
And… how many much does “1 stick” measure out to? Where I live, we buy our butter in 1 pound blocks not sticks so not sure how to measure it.
1 stick of butter is a quarter pound or 8 tablespoons. 🙂
That looks so incredible…I will have to make it for my kiddos!
Btw, you look amazing. I’m especially envious of your arms! Please share what kind of workout you do (in addition to the clean eating) to get them to look that way!
Thank you! You are so sweet! I lift as heavy of weights as I can in my body pump class and do yoga. 🙂
P.S. I don’t eat “Clean” as it is traditionally defined. That is a diet way too high in grains, oatmeal, fruit and sweet potatoes. 🙂
I’m just turning grain free, so I hear you on the different definitions of “clean!”
Do you not eat fruit? Or do you limit the types/quantities?
I don’t eat most fruits, no. I am sugar and starch free as much as possible. 🙂 Here is a post on fructose and how it is bad for our bodies.
http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2011/05/rhubarb-crisp-and-fructose-facts.html
I tried these, and found them to be way too sweet. I used 1-1/2 cups of granulated Swerve, and 1/2 cup of Ghirardeli 60% chocolate chips, along with 4 squares of Lindt 85% chocolate. Cookies were very sweet, and had a cooling effect in the mouth. They tasted great though.
Next time I think I will decrease Swerve to 3/4 to 1 cup. Do you think this will work oK with the texture? Also, what I did was to use 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup vigin coconut oil. Maybe the dryness others saw was due to the coconut oil not being soft enough, as there is a difference between soft, and slightly hard with coconut oil. Mine was a little bit too hard at first, and appeared dry at first, but softened the longer I mixed it.
The Ghirardeli and lindt chocolate have a lot of sugar in them and I don’t recommend them. The chocoperfection bars listed in the recipe don’t have any sugar and have a much less sweet taste so that is probably where the difference comes from. Happy baking! 🙂
Good point on the chocolate with the sugar content, although 5 gm of sugar in 85% Lindt, (4 squares), is better than most. This time around, I made my own chips using 100% Ghirardeli baking Chocolate, coconut oil, cinnamon, and vanilla, and some Swerve. I also, only used 3/4 cup of Swerve. The sweetness was just about right, although this batch was a little dry.
I do have a Swerve issue to ask you. My wife andI both have found that Swerve has a definitive cooling effect in the mouth, (similar to mint), and has a tingling effect on our lips. Thinking we might be allergic to it, but surprised that both of us feel this instead of just one of us. Anybody else have this effect, as the website says this doesn’t happen with Swerve as it does with other erthrytols.
One of the main ingredients in Swerve is Erythritol. Erythritol can have a slight cooling effect in its flavor profile. 🙂
Tonight I made these and they were decadent! It didn’t have Just Like Sugar so I just used Swerve and they were delicious. I’ve been looking for a LC chocolate chip cookie recipe and yours has definitely any others! I’m glad I watched the video, as well, the idea to use a dark and milk chocolate bar is a good one! Great mix of tastes. Anyway, thanks!
Thanks! Glad you liked them. 🙂
I made these last night added in some vanilla whey and cut back on the coconut flour to get them more crispy. SOOOO good and my 20 month old loves them! Thank you Maria
Awesome! Glad you liked them. 🙂
Wow! Loved these! I made them with swerve and added a tsp of vanilla to the batter. The kids gobbled them up and declared them “The best cookie ever” and told me to scrap the other grain free cookie I’ve been making the last few months. I’m going to make another batch and keep the batter in the freezer for when the kids get invited to birthday parties and need something quick to take to enjoy. 🙂 Thanks for another great recipe!
Thank you! That made my day! 🙂
Yay! I’ve been needing a grain free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. So glad I found this one. I knew I could count on you! Thanks Maria.
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Maria! So I made these again, this time with my newly received Just Like Brown Sugar, and While the texture is amazing, I ran into the slight problem of them tasting like death. Could it be because I used a different brand Stevia glycerite
Per you other comments, first, yes too much stevia might give it a bitter aftertaste but I don’t think it would change that much. There may have been something wrong with your stevia. 🙂
I used Nature’s Answer Alcohol-Free stevia and oh! Just realized I put a teaspoon of the stevia in stead of half (I halved the recipe) could it be the off brand-ness or the double?
Ok so they cooled and the boyfriend tasted one and said they were strongly licorice flavored…though the texture is great. Just like you said, chewy and crispy on the outside. What can I do to rectify this?
Very possible! Thank you!
Hi Maria,
Could you please tell me if my previous comment went through. I would like to purchase items directly from you. I’m not sure how to get in touch with you about the items.
Hi Sue. Sorry, I don’t sell my baked goods. 🙂
Great cookies! I made them for the first time, today and they are delicious. I found them to be a bit sweeter than I thought they’d be; I used swerve. Could you recommend a less sweet version? I don’t have a lot of experience baking sweets, so I’m not sure how much sweetener to cut out.
Thanks very much, Maria! I’m reading your book Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism, and I love all the great info.
Thank you Steve! Everyone has a bit different taste buds when it comes to sweet. I think I usually need a little more than some so you can just reduce the sweetener to you liking (maybe 1 cup instead of 1 1/2). 🙂
Hi Maria, I made these for the first time today and they were great! A bit of a cooling taste from the Swerve but for my first baked good in two months, it was amazing! I only used 2/3 cup Swerve, I think we might be more sensitive to sweet than you – no biggie though. I just tasted the creamed butter and sugar before I added the egg and it was sweet enough. Might pull out a tablespoon or two of Swerve next time, and add a bit of vanilla. Might try JLS next time, missed the chewy texture. I used one chopped Milk Chocoperfection, and added some toasted pecans. We were eating grains, but it was all made from scratch so we’re used to less sweet items than you would get from the bakery or store. The dough was lovely and soft, I put it in the fridge for a bit to firm up before rolling and smushing them. Thank you!
Heather from Canada
Thanks Heather! Yes, everyones taste buds are more or less sensitive to different flavors. Always best to go by your own taste like you said. 🙂
I made the cookies today, they came out perfect, I just don’t like the taste of just like sugar, do you think the cookies would come out if I didn’t add any type of sweetner at all? I just don’t like the aftertaste, I thought adding an extra chocoperfection bar would cover up the taste of just like sugar but it didn’t…I don’t want to waste the flour if it wont turn out with some kind of sugar..i have tried everything but swerve and afraid to put the money into it since I am not liking any of the non real sugars….
Yes, I have used Swerve in these many times and love them with it. 🙂
Ow Maria, they were great! Thank you so much for the recipe, best low carb cookies yet I’ve found online.
Mine went for a run on the plate and kinda got stuck together. Also, they were pretty fragile. I’m european though, so I ‘m sure it has something to do with both cutting the recipe in half and converting to the metric system, hehe..
I’m gonna use your tip though to try baking one cookie first and then adding an ingredient it may need. Though I wouldn’t know what! What would you advise against very fragile, easy to break cookies. (yet real tasty and enough butter there I suspect?)
I’m keeping them in the freezer now, but the taste of frozen choc chip baked cookies reminds me too much of the old ben&Jerry icecream, so I’m constanly sneaking one out of the freezer nevertheless..
Thank you! After the test run it depends. If they run like you said and spread a lot, there is a little too much oil so I would add some almond flour. If the puff up a lot and are too cakey for your liking, then you can add some butter. Happy Baking! 🙂
Hi Maria! I want to make these cookies along with the ice cream for my sons birthday this Sunday 1-6-13. My local stores do not carry Swerve or Just Like SUgar, and have run out of time to order them. I have on hand here at home Stevia in the Raw and Xylitol. I know these are not the best options, but would these work, and if so how much would I use? Thank you!
Hi! Xylitol is an ok option, it just adds a few more calories. 🙂
Hi Maria –
I seem to be the only person in the world whose blood sugar is raised by eating JLS. I’ve tried it, even by itself to test, and it always puts me over 200. That being said, is there anything I can replace it with in recipes like this that would give similar results?
Hi, That could be a sign of an allergy. You can try Swerve or just Erythritol and Stevia Glycerite. 😉
These are the BEST cookies EVER! My daughter hearts them so much! Thanks Maria, you’re a rockstar! <3
Thank you! Glad you liked them. 🙂
Hi Maria, you can feel free to post this or not, I thought it might help those new to experimenting with baking. They have the texture of oatmeal cookies due to the sliced almonds that get broken up by the electric beaters, and taste fairly similar too. They are not that sweet due to my own tastebuds and desire to save money on expensive sweeteners, but that’s easy to adjust. I found using half and half of two types of sweeteners canceled any aftertaste and created a nice texture.
Heather from Canada
“Fauxtmeal” Cookies
3/4 cup butter, softened (cup, not stick)
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted (so total 1 1/2 cups of butter/coconut oil)
Beat together one to two minutes. Add:
1/3 cup Just Like Sugar
1/3 cup Swerve
Beat until fluffy (about two minutes). Add:
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp pure almond extract
Mix well with beaters; taste and add more flavoring if desired, or more sweetener. Add:
2 eggs
Beat well. Add:
3 scant cups almond flour
1 cup coconut flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
Beat well. Add:
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
up to 1 cup blanched sliced almonds
Beat well (will break up almonds).
Note: they are really good with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg (or both) on top of each cookie before you pop them in the oven.
Form into cookies on a parchment lined pan (no need to grease parchment) and bake at 325 F for 11 to 15 minutes (depending on oven and altitude) until golden at bottom and around edges. Let cool completely on pan before moving. They are very delicate cookies, but they do hold together once cooled.
Sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing Heather! 🙂
Hi Maria. I made these last night. They are very good! I do have a question. Instead of buying almond flour (which is so expensive) I recently bought blanched almonds in bulk. Then I threw them in my food processor and made them into almond flour. Will I get the same consistency out of recipes from making and using my own flour?
Thank you! Yes, that should work just fine. Happy baking! 🙂
Also, if you get your flour in bulk here it is actually cheaper (25 pound bag) than whole almonds. ($4.29 a pound) 🙂
http://www.nuts.com/nuts/almonds/flour.html
Maria. So glad I found your blog. I made these cookies today with coconut palm sugar, which is like brown sugar, and Swerve. They came out great.
These turned out perfect- we followed your recipe exactly. Does the Just like sugar melt ? I’d like to try it in a no-bake recipe, and use almond slices for the oatmeal. What do you think?
Thanks! Yes, Just like sugar should work great for that. 🙂
Could I omit the coconut flour and use all almond flour? These look delicous- can’t wait to try them!
Stephanie
You could, but you will have to adjust the ratio of almond flour as coconut flour isn’t a one-one conversion. I would add until the batter looks right and try one in the oven and adjust from there. I use both as I find it gives a texture closer to traditional flour. 🙂
Hi Maria-
In your video you use vanilla, but you don’t have that listed in your recipe. Not sure if someone had already mentioned this…. how much vanilla did you add? I made them without and they are fine…. I also only used 1 cup swerve (no Just like Brown sugar) and think the sweetness is great!
Hi! I used a teaspoon but that is optional. Thanks! 🙂
These are awesome. Dana
Thanks!
Maria, these are a staple in our house, as I’ve said before. We love them! THe last time I made them, though I made a “mistake” that turned out really well! I almost let them burn. I forgot to turn the timer on and just left them in the oven until they were quite dark brown all over. And they are FANTASTIC. They have an almost caramel flavor the is deep and rich; they don’t taste burned at all. And of course they are nice and crispy, which is how we like them.
Thank you Susan! 🙂
these taste amazing!
I can’t find the video mentioned. I see the words “here is a video of the process” but no hyperlink. Would love to see it if it is still available. Thanks!
I updated it above. Thanks!
Perfect! This helps a lot to see the consistency and texture. Have you tried Amberen chocolates? Or what do you think about using unsweetened baking chocolate? I haven’t tried chocoperfection but thinking since I find now I have reaction to chicory root in JLS I would have same headache reaction too.
Yes, I have used unsweetened baking chocolate before. I haven’t tried Amberen. 🙂
Hi Maria I’ve made several if your recipes over the last couple of months. Thanks so much for all you do! This was the first I tried but when I tried to make it again last night they were a huge failure. I figured it out. I melted the butter by accident while trying to soften it. You can’t use it that way it will not cream with the just like sugar. I hit a crumbly mess. If people are having trouble they should make sure they have room temp butter and not warm- made all the difference tonight when I tried again. Thanks again!
Thanks for the tip. 🙂
The video says to bake for 12-15 minutes, but the recipe above says 17-20 minutes. I will give it a try at 12 minutes and add if necessary.
Making these cookies now!!! I love the cookie dough, if things don’t go well, I could totally just eat this lol. Good call on, testing one at a time first 🙂
If you’re using xylitol in place of the other sweeteners, how much should you use? 1 cup? 1 and a 1/2? You have 1 cup of JLBS and 1/2 cup of Swerve but I’m not sure if I use xylitol alone, if that means I should use 1 and a 1/2 cups. It seems like way too much. Plus in your video, I believe you only use 1/2 cup of swerve and no JLBS?
I would try 1 cup. But you can always sweeten to taste if too sweet for you. 😉
I just baked one as a trial and I was surprised as it crumbled completely in my hand. I didn’t wait very long for it to cool down so I’m hoping that is why that happened. I also shaped mine into a thick hockey puck like shape. It completely retained its shape and didn’t flatten at all when baked but when I lifted it up to eat it, it crumbled. I will try flattening out the rest of them and waiting for them to cool completely. Don’t know if it needs more fat (oil) but I did use 1 cup of coconut oil (and xylitol as my sweetener). The rest was the same. I don’t have Choco perfection bars though. The taste of the cookie (crumble) is amazing though.
Hey Maria! Just found out tonight how delicious these cookies are and how easy they are to make! Thank you so much! Unfortunately, I didn’t have the Just Like Sugar so I just used erythritol. Everything turned out fine, but I think I made the mistake of munching on some cookie dough…turns out they weren’t kidding about the laxative effect of erythritol! I’m fine now, but have learned my lesson… 🙂 In the end it was worth it being able to have a treat and not have to worry. Thanks again!
Thanks Jackie! 🙂
I made these last time with coconut oil and they came out very crumbly, falling apart but the taste was fantastic. I’m hoping if I use butter instead, they will come out more moist and less crumbly. Also I used xylitol last time but I ran out. If I use erythritol alone, do I need to use 1 and 1/2 cups since you use that much of the two sweeteners combined or is 1 cup enough? And you often use stevia extract when you use erythritol. Would I need to add some of that?
1 cup might be enough. I always taste the batter to check. I find that mixing sweeteners can have a better overall flavor. 🙂
I added 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum to mine and they held together quite nicely!! 🙂
Thanks for the tip! 🙂
These cookies look amazing. I haven’t had success using Almond Flour, but I used Bob Mills. (Sorry Bob).
So I have Five Questions:
1. What brand of Almond (Blanced) Four do you recommend? You’ve mentioned two different kinds in my reading of your posts on line. One was Honeyville, can’t remember the other one.
2. Can this recipe be halved. I don’t have enough coconut flour to make the whole batch.
3. If it can be halved, how do you “halve” an egg?
4. What brand of Coconut Flour do you recommend?
5. How do you keep from getting fat with all the “fat” you consume. I know they are good fats, but I would assume portion control is still important ???
Thank you for your awesome recipes. You are an inspiration. AND You look great!
Angela C.
I like this almond flour:
http://aff.nuts.com/SF3E
Sure, it can be halved.
You would have to beat it and separate into half.
I also get mine here;
http://aff.nuts.com/SF3E
It is all about getting the right ratios (70-80% fat, 15-20% protein and 5% or less carbs). I explain this in great detail in my book Keto-Adapted. 🙂
http://mariamindbodyhealth.com/my-books/
I have successfully halved this recipe and used 1 whole small egg, and it worked wonderfully.
Hi Maria,
I first want to say I am so excited to find your sight! Thank you!! Sadly I have a food sensitivity to all things coconut. So my question is can I sub. out the coconut flour for something else such as ground sunflower seeds or sunbutter? Or can you recommend another sub. for the coconut flour in your recipes?And if so how do I do the conversion?
Thank you!!!
Yes, almond flour will work (and sunflower seed flour will too) but the sub for coconut flour isn’t 1-1. Here is a chart to help convert.
http://mariamindbodyhealth.com/chai-tea-glazed-twinkies-and-donuts/
Any chance the salt if off. I used sea salt and it was not pretty.
Some salts are stronger than others so in your case you might want to use a bit less. 🙂
Since eating keto I avoid nuts and baking yummy cakes with coconut flour is not a challenge anymore, but cookies seem impossible… I remember that you posted once a recipe for “Keto Protein Pancakes” made nut free and with whey. Do you think it would be possible to create a slightly crunchy “Keto Cookie” with only protein powder, xylitol, eggs and butter as a basic recipe?
That might work. Too much protein will make it really crunchy, too much eggs too eggy. So it will be a little tricky. 🙂
I posted my version of nut free keto cookies in the recipe section of the forum! 🙂
+ I have photos of the cookies but don’t know how to post them?
You should be able to add them (click on “Attachments and other options” when posting). 🙂
It says my file is too large. The maximum attachment size allowed is 192 KB. 🙁
Yes, you have to shrink the photo down (we have to pay for storage on our site). You should be able to open it in any photo program and resize it.
I can’t have Just Like Sugar Products, would subbing your recipe for homemade brown sugar work? I just purchased some Yacon syrup and am excited to try the brown sugar.
Yes! That is a great option. 🙂
SO, I just made these and they have to be the most successful, tasting cookie I’ve made thus far on ketosis! I chose to do the coconut oil. Here in the Carolinas, it’s over a 100 degrees so my coconut oil is totally melted. I just added in with my sweeteners. There was no ‘fluff’. I used the Just Like Sugar Baking and Truvia, cause it’s what I had. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of Xanthan gum. My dough seized and left a liquid pool in the bottom of my mixer. BUT- the cookie was so divine!!!! With the coconut oil, it reminded me of a macaroon. Looking forward to trying it with butter next time! THANK YOU!
Thank you so much! 🙂
I made the cookies – bought everything from Amazon — and I used Just like brown sugar and couldn’t find Swerve and used Sweet Leaf instead — the receipe didn’t say vanilla – so didn’t use that — and the chocolate bar was dark chocoloate — only – but mine don’t look the same color and not so yummy. I can’t figure out what I did wrong. Is the flavor of chocolate important. waaaa
Hi Maria I just made these and they look amazing and taste great (could i use half butter half coconut oil to cut down slightly on the coconut flavor?) but my only issue is that they are SOOOO soft, even when they are a nice darker brown. How can i get them more crispy? Otherwise they taste great!
Made these tonight and, I am in chocolate chip cookie heaven!
My grand babies are coming tomorrow and I needed a cookie they would eat, as they are typical children that want the sweet chocolatey gooey goodness of traditional CC cookies. These are better than any traditional CC cookie I’ve ever made. I am sooo impressed with these little pieces of heaven. I cannot thank you enough for all you do!
Thank you!
BTW I made them with all butter and used a brown sugar sub. Didn’t change anything.
Thanks again
For some reason the pictures in this post are not showing for me. I have tried on my computer and my phone. Just thought I would let you know because we made these tonight and I am sharing this recipe with friends on facebook.
They should be now. We migrating to a new faster host so you must have viewed before it was all migrated. 🙂
Hi Maria,
I’ve been making these cookies for a couple months now, they’re great! My husband just walked by and looked at the Just Like Sugar “Brown” and said, “Wow, 97g carbs?” What’s the deal with that? I couldn’t answer him, I notice it’s not from sugar but wow wee, 97g??
It is all fiber. It is ok for some, but some people will get kicked out of ketosis with too much fiber so you do have to keep in moderation (and include the total carbs in your carb count).
Does this mean that a cookie (or two) is out trying to stay around 30 carbs daily? I do not need to lose weight……
TY
In maintenance they can be fine. If trying to lose weight and heal, I count total carbs (minus sugar alcohols form Erythritol which I already subtract from all my totals). 🙂
What is the fat content per serving of these cookies?
I updated it above. 😉
These are on to try list…. it keeps getting bigger..lol Thanks
Thanks!
If you use Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour, will these not turn out?
They should. If the batter seems a bit runny, add a little more flour. 🙂
Do you recommend counting total carbs or net carbs? I see each cookie has 13 carbs. I’m trying to stay under 25 per day so these seem a bit high if you count total, but net they aren’t so bad. What do you recommend?
I count total if trying to lose weight. So yes, this would be a treat, but they are pretty big so 1/2 could be done too. Also, Swerve can be used to cut that down to about 3g carbs per cookie (the texture will be just a little less chewy). 🙂
Wow! These are amazing!! I haven’t found a chocolate chip cookie recipe that I liked until now. I’m putting them in the freezer so I don’t eat them all in one sitting lol. Thanks, Maria!!
You made my day!