Chocolate Mint Cookies

Sugar-Free, Keto, Thm

Do you have a certain smell, taste or sight that is directly connected with Christmas? I do. Except its not just one. It’s like a 304!

I love the Christmas tree (the real one, with the REAL smell) all set up right after thanksgiving. I love the Christmas music softly playing in the background whenever I cook or bake. I absolutely love the Christmas tree lights on after all the kids go to bed, when I can actually sit and enjoy it, and the cozy soft glow that it gives off. Somehow, everything seems better around Christmas time.

There is an array of different cookie recipes that I love to bake around Christmas time, but these taste just like Christmas to me. I came up with the recipe last year when I was playing around with some ideas. One evening, as I was scrounging through the cupboards for something sweet (does anyone else do that???), I found an old box of Girl Scout cookies. Mint thins! I smelled them to make sure they were good still…they weren’t. So, I decided to make some chocolate mint cookies, inspired by an old bad box of Girl Scout cookies! The clincher was, they were going to be the healthy version so that I could thoroughly enjoy them!

Staying “on plan”

You see, I have a hard time staying on track with my health and fitness around the holidays. Is it only me? I feel like thanksgiving always starts it off for me, because I always end up baking enormous amounts of pies, cheesecakes and the like. Its not that I am a binger on all that is junk, but my messed up thinking always gets me in the end. I start to think, “well, thanksgiving is this week, so I guess I will have one of those cookies,” or, “I have to have a homemade roll with my dinner!”. That thought process just continues for a couple of weeks, when finally I am ready to get back to eating “on plan” again. Then it is Christmas week, and the whole process begins again.

I know I am not alone on this. I’ve talked to so many of my friends who struggle with this too. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not the end of the world if you take advantage of the wonderful bounty of deliciousness around the holidays. However, if it becomes the “norm”, then it can be.

So with all of that being said, wouldn’t you love to start incorporating healthy options to your holiday traditions? Try these guys on for size! I would love to hear some of your family traditions, your favorite cookie recipes etc, but especially how you liked these Chocolate Mint Cookies!

So grab a cozy blanket, a glass of milk (or cashew milk-one of my favorites), and put on that old Christmas classic movie, and enjoy one of these timeless cookies…with none of the guilt! Feel good about serving healthy options this Christmas!

Heres the recipe! I hope you enjoy them!

God Bless!

-Zaneta

Chocolate Mint Cookies

A Christmas Favorite! Sugar-free, Keto, THM

Course Dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes

Servings 30 cookies

Author Zaneta Francis

Ingredients

3 Eggs At room temp
2 sticks Butter (unsalted) Softened
1 1/2 cups Sweetener I love gentle sweet, monkfruit or an erythritol blend
1 tsp Xanthan gum to thicken and bind
5 drops Vanilla creme stevia
1 1/4 tsp Mint extract
2/3 cups Cocoa powder
3 tbs Pyrure Stevia blend
1/2 cup Sour cream
2 cups Almond flour It works better with the fine ground almond flour
1/2 cup Oat Fiber This is another trick to make it bind together

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In Mixer: Blend together the softened butter and all sweetener until creamy.
Add in room temp eggs and mix until fluffy
Add in vanilla drops and mint extract. Continue to mix.
In seperate bowl, mix together remaining dry ingredients.
Add Dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until well mixed together.
Once Mixed together, leave mixture in bowl. Place in Fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Once chilled, place round 1 inch balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Slighty press down on dough.
Bake in oven for 12-14 minutes.

Z’s Snickerdoodles

October 8, 2018December 5, 2019 zhealthyhousewifeLeave a comment

Sugar-free, Keto, THM-S

A Cookie was Born!

Seriously, how can you enjoy fall without snickerdoodle cookies? Seriously.

Well, last week was the official start of fall! Yippee!

One early morning, I was sitting on the couch and feeling a “baking spree” coming on. I was feeling especially “fall-y”. I had my traditional pumpkin smelling candle going, a nice warm fire in the fireplace and a cozy blanket on.

I started thinking to myself, “What cookie says fall? Hmmmmm……”. Hello! Snickerdoodles!

My dilemma started when I immediately remembered that I was supposed to be on a low carb plan that whole week! WHAT?!?! Who’s dumb idea was that???

I really wanted snickerdoodle cookies, BUT I really wanted to stick to my low carb week.

Thus, a cookie was about to be born!

I hurriedly got up and went to my kitchen. I began looking through my cupboards for any kind of ingredients I could use. Of course, I always have almond flour and sweetener around, so that was no problem. I also found butter and a half carton of cream cheese. I found a bunch of cinnamon and other yummies, and I began to go to work.

Mind you…When you picture me in the kitchen, I’m sure you picture a put together mom in her pretty little apron, perfect hair and makeup, gliding around the kitchen in baking perfection mode. NOPE.

My picture of reality is slightly different.

I was still in my pajamas, my hair was a rat’s nest, I hadn’t brushed my teeth yet, there were dishes all over and in the sink from the night before, my boys were running around like wild banshees getting ready to start school (homeschool) and doing chores, and I’m pretty sure my daughter was crying in her room about something.

But I didn’t care at that moment. I wanted to create a recipe. I was on a mission! (task-oriented much?)

Sometimes life is not conducive to having that perfect “baking experience”. You know what I mean? That perfect scenario that we all picture?

The perfect kitchen, the perfect hair and makeup WHILE baking. That just aint reality.

At least for me.

I say, despite your environment, JUST OWN IT! Whatever your kitchen scenario is… OWN IT!

A Fall Favorite

Now that you have a picture of how this recipe came to be, we can talk about snickerdoodles! This traditional cookie is definitely a fall favorite around this house! But this year, my family got to experience this favorite in a healthier way!

These cookies are still buttery and rich, but with none of the guilt that accompanies regular sugary snickerdoodles! They have a very tiny amount of carbs in them, so they allow you to only burn one fuel at a time when you eat them (see Trim Healthy Mama for further details)! Yay for slimming your waistline while eating yummies!

I call them Z’s snickerdoodles because this is my own adaption to the traditional snickerdoodle recipe.

I really love being able to create healthier options to craveable favorites such as snickerdoodles. These did not disappoint!

Be Fall-y!

It’s nice and cool now (unless you live in the south), so I encourage you to go be “fall-y”! Put on a pumpkin smelling candle, start a cozy fire, put some good music on and create your fall-y atmosphere.

Trust me…you’ll love it! Even if you don’t have the perfect kitchen, you don’t have your hair and makeup perfect, your kids are less than great, or your house is a mess. Sometimes you just gotta “roll with the punches” and find ways to bless yourself and bless your family! Baking is no exception! It is a blessing to all that around!

So go be fall-y and bake some Z’s Snickerdoodles!!! (recipe below)

God Bless!

-Z

Zaneta Francis

Yields 36 cookies

Z’s Snickerdoodles

Sugar-free, THM, Keto. A rich cinnamon and buttery cookie, perfect for the fall!

10 minPrep Time

12 minCook Time

22 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Wet ingredients:
2 sticks butter (1 cup)
3 eggs
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
1 Tbs Super sweet (or 1 tsp straight stevia)
3/4 cup Erythritol
10 drops vanilla creme stevia drops
Dry ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
3 tbs cinnamon
2 tsp cream of tarter
4 scoops of collagen (or 1/8 cup)
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
For cinnamon/sugar coat:
2 tbs cinnamon
1/2 cup xylitol or sweetener of choice

Instructions

In stand mixer:
Cream together the butter and sweetener until creamy.
Add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix until creamy.
In separate bowl:
with a whisk, mix all dry ingredients until well mixed.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well.
Chill dough for 20 minutes.
Once chilled, roll into 1 inch balls, then place in cinnamon/sugar mix to coat.
Place on uncreased baking sheets and then slightly flatten (not too flat).
Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown around edges.
Enjoy!

Notes

keeps well in fridge.

https://zhealthyhousewife.com/2018/10/08/zs-snickerdoodles/

Nutrition

Calories

3553 cal

Fat

338 g

Carbs

106 g

Protein

70 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Sweets and Treats

Z’s Choco Chip EX cookies

October 4, 2018October 16, 2019 zhealthyhousewifeLeave a comment

Sugar-free, low-carb, THM-S, Keto

Why the EX?

There are chocolate chip cookies, and then there are chocolate chip cookies with “EXtra” stuff in them. Hence the “EX”. (No, I wasn’t going to talk about one of my ex’s, sorry if you were looking for some drama! I aint no drama mama! lol.)

These bad boys are lightly sweetened and have Lilly’s dark chocolate chips, so they are the perfect little not-too-sweet snack.

I often like to create recipes that are both delicious and also beneficial to my health. These cookies do both!

The “extra” ingredients really aren’t needed to create a sweet treat, but isn’t nice to know that you are having a sweet treat AND helping your body be healthy? I don’t know about you, but I sure do!

Here are the two “Extra” ingredients that are in these bad boys:

Flax meal: Ground flax seeds, which is known as flax meal is very good for you. Omega-3 essential fatty acids, “good” fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s. Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. I love to use GROUND flax seeds (flax meal) because once the flax seeds are ground, your body can digest the awesome vitamins and minerals that the seeds possess. If you just eat straight up flax seeds, they will pass right through your body, and you won’t benefit from their nutritious benefits.

Protein powder: Protein powder is a popular nutritional supplement. Protein is an essential macronutrient that helps build muscle, repair tissue, and make enzymes and hormones. Using protein powder may also aid weight loss and help people tone their muscles. I like to use a protein powder that has three different kinds of protein in it. It allows your body to digest these separate proteins in a slower fashion, thus helping aid building muscle! Yes please!

The art of baking low-carb

I have learned that baking with almond flours and other low carb flours is an art. It really is. I have had many failures when creating healthier recipes, and have learned a lot about what not to do.

Almond flour is my preferred “low-carb” flour. I have heard of people liking to bake with coconut flour, but unfortunately, I have NEVER had luck with it. Not only does it does it have the consistency of chalk, but the coconut flavor permeates through everything!

Perhaps you like the taste of coconut, but I do not. That is why I have learned to love baking with almond flour. One of the tricks that I have learned is to use xanthan gum to bind the flour together. I’m not sure scientifically how that works, but I have found it to be very helpful in the texture of my cookies.

I am still learning to bake in a low carb fashion, and to make the textures just as good as the traditional recipes. And I do still occasionally like to make yummy traditionally baked treats as well (i.e. regular chocolate chips cookies, full of sugar and butter). I do however, love to experiment at making cookies and treats that I feel less guilty eating. Because I love treats!

The Recipe

This recipe is really easy. I just add the “wet” ingredients first in the stand mixer, mix the dry ingredients together and then throw it all in the stand mixer to mix. After that, I let the cookie dough chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes (this is another little trick to baking low carb). That way, after the dough chills, it is very easy to make into balls. I just add the balls of dough onto the baking sheets, smoosh them down slightly and then bake! Easy peasy!

So, without further adieu, here is the recipe! Enjoy!

God Bless!

-Z