Recipe: Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies (GF, DF)

Recipe: Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies (GF, DF) post image

I never really liked conventional sugar cookies — much too sweet for me. But lots of people do like sugar cookies so I thought I would develop a recipe that has the crunch and the sweetness, without grains (of course) and without sugar!

Traditionally sugar cookies have been made with sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla, and baking powder or baking soda. It is believed that the earliest version of a sugar cookie originated in the Middle East and probably also included nuts and dates. They were later introduced to Europe by the Moors of Spain.

Typically thought of as “cakes” these small and harder versions were also called jumbles, gemmels, jambals or jumbals. They were shaped in knots and other intricate shapes and baked until crispy in order to stay fresh over time. These cookies were dried and stored for many months and used as travel food.

In the 1700’s the Nazareth Cookie was created in Nazareth Pennsylvania. There, German Protestant settlers created the round, crumbly, sugary cookie that was a precursor to the modern sugar cookie.

These grain-free, sugar-free cookies are sweetened with just a little raw honey and stevia and their natural sweetness will surprise and delight you!

Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • parchment paper
  • cookie sheets
  • Saran wrap
  • Spatula

Instructions

  1. Mix together the egg, the honey, stevia, melted ghee and vanilla extract
  2. Split open the vanilla pod carefully and swipe out the tiny seeds and add to mixture
  3. (You can save the spent pod for flavoring sauces or jams)
  4. Add the almond flour, the shredded coconut and part of the coconut flour and mix
  5. The batter should be thick enough to make balls — if it is not, add coconut flour a little at a time
  6. Form balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet
  7. Place saran wrap over cookies and flatten with a spatula
  8. Bake at 325 degrees F for 12 – 16 minutes or until lightly browned
  9. Cool on a rack

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes

This post is shared at: My Meatless Monday, Sugar-Free Sunday, Melt in Mouth Monday, Monday Mania, Barnyard Hop, Meatless Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tasteful Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Hearth & Soul Hop, Sustainable Ways, Gluten Free Wednesday, Mommy Club, Healthy 2Day, Cast Party Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Creative Juice Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Keep It Real Thursday, Eat Make Grow, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Gluten Free Fridays, Freaky Friday, Country Homemaker Hop, LHITS, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Hearth & Soul Hop, Traditional Tuesday, My Meatless Monday, Melt in Mouth Monday, Mommy Club

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Leave a Comment

  • mia August 27, 2012, 6:54 am

    Help, I would love to make these, but the recipe is not complete..how much shredded coconut and coconut cream?
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Jill August 27, 2012, 10:04 am

      Hi Mia,
      Sorry, the recipe is updated with correct shredded coconut and no coconut cream.

      Reply
  • Lauren @ Empowered Sustenance August 27, 2012, 9:25 am

    These look great! But I am confused about the coconut cream, too. I look forward to trying this recipe!

    Reply
  • Mira Dessy August 27, 2012, 9:50 am

    These look delicious, can’t wait to give them a try.

    Reply
  • Sherry Lochner August 27, 2012, 7:20 pm

    Just made these and we love them! πŸ™‚ I found them through DessertStalker. I didn’t have any vanilla pods and kept out the shredded coconut. I added in some mini chocolate chips from Enjoy Life for a yummy chocolate chip cookie!

    Reply
    • Jill August 27, 2012, 8:10 pm

      Hi Sherry,
      Thanks so much for the feedback! Your changes sound wonderful!

      Reply
  • France @ Beyond The Peel August 28, 2012, 11:38 am

    They sound delightful. I love how little sugar there is.

    Reply
  • Kathy @ Back To Family August 28, 2012, 5:56 pm

    Wow! These look wonderful! Sugar-free and wheat-free. Just what I needed. Thanks for sharing this recipe! Pinning this. πŸ™‚

    Reply
  • Jessi@ {Sweet & Salty Life} August 29, 2012, 1:01 am

    These look delicious! I love the use of coconut and almond flour. I’ll have to give these a try! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  • April @ The 21st Century Housewife August 30, 2012, 10:11 am

    I love how you have made traditional sugar cookies so much healthier in this recipe! They look scrumptious!

    Reply
  • natalie August 30, 2012, 10:22 pm

    hi what can i sub almond flour and egg with. cant have either egg or nuts.

    Reply
    • Erin November 15, 2012, 9:27 pm

      I haven’t tried this, but these are common substitutes for both of those things: you could try using sorghum flour instead of almond, or maybe even all coconut flour if you love coconut. For the egg you can try a flax egg (recipe for that here: http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/2011/10/how-to-make-a-flax-egg-for-vegan-baking-the-right-way/), or you can use half of a good size banana (although the cookies will take on a banana flavour).

      Reply
  • Jen August 31, 2012, 9:23 am

    I love that they have some crunch! I have been missing that with most GF cookies! I will have to try these! Thanks Jill.

    Reply
  • Miz Helen August 31, 2012, 10:43 am

    Hi Jill,
    Yummy cookies, I need one for my coffee break. Hope you have a great holiday weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply
  • Adelina Priddis August 31, 2012, 11:10 am

    sugarless, sugar cookies…now there’s a twist! I’ve never been a big sugar cookies fan either, unless they’re really soft. Thanks for linking to Foodie Friday!

    Reply
  • Tiffany A. September 3, 2012, 9:36 pm

    Made these and they were super yummy with a cup of raw milk! I did skip the vanilla bean and I added cinnamon to the dough and sprinkled on top πŸ™‚ Mine were soft and chewy but I think they would have gotten crispier if I had left them in the oven longer (I pulled them out at 12 minutes and let them cool on the tray.) I’m pretty sure I’m going to make a double batch tomorrow, maybe some with orange zest mixed in? Thanks for the awesome recipe!

    Reply
    • Jill September 3, 2012, 10:14 pm

      Hi Tiffany,
      Thanks so much for the feedback! Your variations sound wonderful — I will have to try them!!

      Reply
  • Michaela September 10, 2012, 4:30 pm

    I am allergic to Almond what can I use instead?

    Reply
    • Jill September 10, 2012, 7:21 pm

      HI Michaela,
      you could use just coconut flour but it would be probably 1/2 cup coconut flour and maybe a little more shredded coconut. It will be a different cookie!

      Reply
  • kevin November 6, 2012, 12:40 am

    Hi will give it a go. Looks lovely

    Reply
  • Jennifer December 22, 2012, 4:10 pm

    These look great, I will try making them!

    Reply
  • Immigration Attorney Nashville May 28, 2014, 8:46 am

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  • Andrea March 9, 2015, 5:59 pm

    I made these cookies this morning for my mom, she loved them!! I used 1 T honey & 2 packets of stevia. Also added orange & lemon zest, 1 T of orange juice, scant 1/8 tsp of ground ginger & a 1/4 cup combined of shredded coconut and crushed walnuts. My house still smells divine!

    Reply
    • Jill March 9, 2015, 6:54 pm

      HI Andrea,
      Thanks for sharing. Your version sounds awesome!

      Reply
  • M.R.Hampton July 24, 2016, 8:18 pm

    Sugar cookies are my favorite kind of cookie; however, since removing refined sugar and wheat from my diet, I haven’t had one or made any…until today, when I made your sugar-free sugar cookie. I am so pleased with the taste and texture! I am excited to make these for our kids and can feel good about them eating them! Thank you for this delicious and wonderfully versatile recipe!

    Reply