My son’s first cookie was this little gem. He was almost 2.5 and loved helping cook most things, but wasn’t old enough for me to feel comfortable letting him eat anything. When cookies started appearing in many of the books we’d read, I knew a cookie was in his near future. I was a-okay with this being his first bite. I call them sneaky snickerdoodles because they’re more like a bite-sized protein snack, not the highly-processed, overly-sweet, refined cookie much of the world has come to know and love. Seven ingredients also make it ideal for little hands to help mix and stir, and you don’t have to worry about them snitching raw egg dough because they’re egg free!
When it comes to optimal health, managing blood sugar balance is paramount. I talk a lot about blood sugar balance in my recipes because it’s worth repeating. It’s not just something that people with diabetes have to pay attention to. It’s essential for everyone if you want to feel your best emotionally and physically! There’s no population who suffers greater from blood sugar spikes than KIDS. Little ones aren’t cognitively capable of interpreting the feedback their body is giving them. Let’s be honest, many adults aren’t mindful of the language their body speaks either. One of the best ways to keep blood sugar stable is to not let it spike in the first place! Simple refined sugars cause an immediate surge of sugars into the blood stream. The pancreas overreacts by secreting insulin to drive that sugar into cells, which in turn causes the blood sugar to fall even lower- known as blood sugar rebounding. It’s a roller coaster of hormones that are trying to manage our roller coaster of emotions and energy.
These are a one-bowl wonder, so clean up is a cinch. Most cookie recipes separate wet and dry ingredients, but I find that to be an unnecessary step (you’re welcome). When I had to go egg-free and dairy-free in the early days of nursing #2, these were my jam. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say the cookie dough was my saving grace. Sweet enough to calm a sugar craving, and enough protein and fat that I didn’t keep eating uncontrollably!
Sneaky Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
Sneaky Snickerdoodle Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour or almond meal
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup almond butter*
- 1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
*Runny almond butter is best! A jar is usually the runniest when newly opened. If you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel on your almond butter, add an additional 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil to the recipe.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, add all ingredients in the order given. Mix just until all ingredients are incorporated.
Scoop 1 inch round balls of dough onto prepared cookie sheet. You may choose to roll them in your hands or use a cookie dough scoop for more consistency. Using the bottom of a glass jar or cup, flatten the balls into round cookies, about 1/4″ thick.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes. If you like a gooier cookie, pull them out sooner, around 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire wrack to cool completely. Store them in a tightly sealed container for up to a week in the refrigerator or 3-6 months in the freezer.
Photos and Content Copyright © Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition, 2019
Jaclyn Beaty Nutrition 