Carob Almond Butter Cookies
I love to bake but since dealing with autoimmune issues due to having had shingles four years ago, I felt like I had to give up baking because of my food limitations. Years past especially during the holidays I would have been knee deep in flour and sugar baking to my hearts content; loving every minute of it. Baking was relaxation and a stress reliever for me. It’s been very challenging to say the least not to be able to bake how I once did.
No Longer Eating Chocolate
Baking with chocolate was one of my favorite things! I would find the highest quality cacao and make delicious mouth watering chocolate cookies, cakes and brownies. But unfortunately because of my body’s reaction to the caffeine I’ve had to give up eating everything containing chocolate. Every once in a while I’ll sneak a little piece of chocolate to eat. But I definitely suffer the consequences and quickly find out that a little chocolate isn’t worth the pain and toll it takes on my body.
Using Carob
I started using carob in place of chocolate and even though carob didn’t have the richness and complexity of chocolate it still satisfied my chocolate craving whenever I had one. Carob is like chocolate in that it really matters the quality of the product. I was able to find a high quality organic carob that’s mindfully harvested (I’m listing the carob I use in the ingredients below). A high quality carob makes a difference in baking.
The Cookies
I have quite a dilemma when it comes to baking. But you know the old adage, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. So instead of making lemonade I’ve decided to make cookies. I’m going to start creating baking recipes with ingredients my system can tolerate in moderation. Maybe these recipes will be beneficial for others out there who because of food restrictions have to stay away from ingredients such as wheat based flours, refined sugars and chocolate.
The recipe below is not a nut free or grain free recipe so if you have a nut allergy or have to stay away from nuts and/or grains don’t worry. I plan on creating other recipes not including nuts and grains. This recipe however is free of refined sugar, gluten, dairy and is totally plant based.
The cookie has a subtle sweetness and reminds me of a shortbread type perfect to have with a cup of tea or any hot beverage of your choice.
- First in a high powered blender make flours from the quinoa and millet grains, 1/2 cup of millet will yield a 1/2 cup of millet flour, 1/4 cup of quinoa will yield a 1/2 cup of quinoa flour.
- Add flours to a food processor with all the other ingredients except for the non-dairy milk.
- Blend everything together, once incorporated add 1 Tablespoon of milk at a time and blend till mixture starts to form a nice ball and it’s not dry.
- Take the cookie mixture out of the food processor and make into a ball.
- Place into a resealable bag and flatten dough down while in bag to make a disc.
- Place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
- Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut out cookies using any shape you desire.
- Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until edges of cookies start to brown.
- Cool completely before enjoying. To store place cookies in a airtight container.
*Halawi dates are smaller than medjool dates, if using medjool dates or any other type of date pack a 1/3 measuring cup with the dates and use that quantity.
