Gingerbread Cookies

Makes a big batch of super yummy gingersnaps or gingerbread people. whole batch has under 30 grams effective carb ( total carb minus fiber) so assuming 60 cookies that is about 1/2 gram of carb per cookie. (this is with the liquid splenda option. If you choose to use spenda packets--or another sweetener option--be sure to adjust your carb total)

As always, please refer to "Know Your Ingredients" for an explanation of any ingredients you might have questions about.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup flax meal
1/4 cup whey protein powder
1/4 cup powdered egg whites
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup xylitol or erythritol
(1/2 cup poly dextrose fiber optional-adds crunch)
2 T xanthan gum ( essential)
1 Tablespoon ginger
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
2 Tablespoons Caffix or Pero instant coffee substitute powder.

1 egg
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup butter (One stick) melted
1/4 tsp liquid sucralose based sweetener or 24 packets of splenda or the equivalent in the sweetener of you choice
2 tsp vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients together in large bowl. Mix eggs, liquid sweetener and yogurt in a second bowl and whisk well. Add to dry ingredients and then add butter. mix well. dough is thick so you have to work at getting the dry ingredients well in corporated. Use your hands and knead it a little if you want.

allow dough to rest for a few minutes to get good and thick. or cover and chill for several hours.

Roll teaspoons of dough into walnut sized balls or smaller--dime sized if you like, and place on a parchment covered baking sheet, then flatten the balls with a flat bottomed glass. (I put a plastic bag over the glass to keep it from sticking to the dough)I like these to be as thin as I can get them, as they do puff up some in the oven, but you can leave them thicker.

For a chewier, more traditional ginger cookie, you could also roll the balls in xylitol or even real sugar if you don't mind a little carb hit. bake them for 5 min , then take out of the oven and flatten slightly, then return to the oven to finish baking.

If you chill the dough, it can be rolled with a rolling pin and cut out with cookie cutters. Use a pastry cloth and either almond flour or oat flour (or rice flour)to keep it from sticking.


Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes, (depending on their size) or until they begin to brown around the edges.

cool on wire cooling rack. The longer you let these set out in the air, the crisper they become--even as long as overnight. They don't become stale like a flour based cookie does, they just kinda dry out and get crisper.

these are great frosted with a cream cheese frosting ( coming soon!)

Once they are finished and frosted, I keep them in the freezer, and eat them frozen. They have a good crunch that way and plus don't spoil forever.