A healthy holiday cookie that’s melt in your mouth good!
The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is baking lots for all to share. Okay, so maybe that didn’t rhyme as well as I had planned. 🤷🏻 These skinny snickerdoodles are sure to knock santa’s socks off (and anyone else you make them for). 🎅🏼🌲🍪 They’re made with healthy ingredients and only take 15 minutes to whip up, plus they are allergen-friendly for all your neighbors, friends and co-workers!
T-minus 5 days!!!!! It’s so close. If you’re anything like me you just finished Christmas shopping and now it’s time to think about what to make or bring. I have a Birthday/Christmas party with friends this Friday and I’m trying to decide what to make! Then I have 3 full days of Christmas with Nick and I’s family, so there will be a lot of eating involved 🙂 which I’m totally okay with.
One thing that will for sure be making the spread are these scrumptious snickerdoodles (yes, I know they don’t look like traditional snickerdoodles, but it’s because they are made with coconut sugar – we’ll get to that later). Cookies are such a holiday staple. I saw so many Snaps and Insta stories this past weekend with tables full of Christmas cookies.
My favorite are peanut butter blossoms. And luckily for me, they are generally gluten-free! (If anyone wants to bring me some, feel freee!) What are some of your favorites? Grandma’s sugar cookies? Thumbprints? Fudge? Gingerbread? Shortbread? Who are we kidding, they are all delicious.
So what makes these snickerdoodles “skinny?” Coconut sugar, almond flour, pure maple syrup and applesauce, yano all the goods! But you may be wondering why I substitute these ingredients for the regular, so here you are:
Coconut Sugar – coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index, meaning it doesn’t make your blood sugar spike like regular sugar does. It also has less fructose, which can be very high in other sweeteners such as agave nectar or high-fructose corn syrup.
Almond Flour – almond flour is a great gluten-free substitute for baking. It’s also low in carbs, high in fiber and it’s a good source of protein.
Pure Maple Syrup – pure maple syrup is a good alternative to cane sugar because it helps lower inflammation, it supplies your body nutrients and it doesn’t spike blood sugar (aka – it has a lower glycemic index). Think of maple syrup as the “non-refined,” natural sugar.
I’ve tested the recipe a couple times, so here are a few of my tips:
- Make sure to cool the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking to help it set.
- Make sure to mix the dough well, if you don’t, you might get a sour bite from the applesauce.
- Don’t bake for more than 10 – 12 minutes, they will get dark on the bottom. If you want, you could move them up to the top rack.
- This recipe only makes 12, so if you want to make more, just double or triple the recipe.
- You can use coconut sugar for the cinnamon sugar mixture, the cookies will just be a little darker than normal.
So what are you waiting for! Grab a bowl, preheat the oven and get to baking these scrumptious skinny snickerdoodles!
- • 1½ cup almond flour + 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- • 1 teaspoon baking powder
- • ½ teaspoon salt
- • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- • ¼ cup unsweetened organic applesauce
- • ¼ cup coconut sugar
- • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- • 1 large egg
- • ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Cinnamon Sugar
- • 3 tablespoons white sugar
- • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, blend all the ingredients except for the cinnamon sugar. Mix until smooth.
- Place bowl in fridge for at least 30 minutes to help set the dough.
- Place 3 tablespoons of white sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Once dough has set, use a cookie scoop to roll dough into ~1 inch balls and then immediately roll into the cinnamon sugar mixture until cookie is well coated.
- Continue step 5 until all the dough is used.
- Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, watching closely not to burn the bottoms.
- Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!
