Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

Reader and friend Jennie sent me her family's top-secret Italian Chocolate Spice Cookie recipe to “healthify”. I haven't tasted the original version, so I have nothing to compare this to. However, if they taste anything like this healthy version they are wonderful. These little gems are cake-like in texture with a hint of orange and lemon as well as cloves, cinnamon and cocoa.

Before I started baking, I did a little poking around on the internet reading various versions of this Italian delight. Some versions of this cookie are iced completely, while others the icing is drizzled. I chose the latter for no other reason than it photographed better. The original recipe called for shortening, while others called for butter, or a combination of the two. Another variation among the recipes was the different spice combinations and amounts used. I settled on the ingredients I was going to use, rolled up my sleeves, got out my measuring cups and began.

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies “Healthy Makeover”

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Low-Carb, Dairy-Free

Unhealthy: The base of the original recipe called for flour. Regular old white flour, yeah, the unhealthy stuff.

Healthy: I used a combination of homemade unblanched almond flour and coconut flour. I also added some guar gum, which is a useful ingredient in gluten-free baking.

Unhealthy: The original recipe called for both granulated white sugar and powdered sugar, yes the kind that makes your blood sugar skyrocket.

Healthy: I used a combination of stevia, xylitol and erythritol.

The remaining ingredients the original recipe called for were all a-okay. However, it's important to note, this recipe calls for baking powder, not all baking powder is gluten-free. I prefer using the Rumford brand as it is aluminum-free, gluten-free and made from non-GMO corn.

Healthy Recipe

Original Recipe from Jennie
Healthified by Healthy Living How To

Printable Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Makes: 1 1/2 dozen + 1 cookie for taste testing

Ingredients

Spice Cookies

• 1c. Unblanched Almond Flour
• 1/2 c. Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour
• 3/4 tsp. NOW Guar Gum Powder
• 1/4 tsp. NuNaturals Pure White Stevia Extract Powder
• 4 Tbsp. NOW Xylitol, Non-GMO
• 1 tsp. Rumford Aluminum-Free, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO Baking Powder
• 2 Tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Cloves
• 2 pinches Celtic Sea Salt
• 1/2 c. Spectrum Naturals Organic Non-Hydrogenated Shortening
• 3 Large Organic Cage-Free Eggs
• 1/4 c. Cold Coffee
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 tsp. Boyajian Pure Lemon Oil
• 1/8 tsp. Boyajian Pure Orange Oil

Directions

1. Sift together all the dry ingredients.
2. With a pastry cutter, cut in shortening until dough is crumb-like.
3. In small bowl, mix together wet ingredients.
4. Add wet ingredients to dough and mix until well incorporated.
5. Refrigerate dough for one hour.
6. Roll dough into one ounce balls.
7. Place balls about 2 inches apart on parchment lined cookie sheet.
8. Bake at 375º F for 8 minutes.
9. Remove cookies from oven, and lightly press each one down with the bottom of a glass.
10. Return cookies to the oven for 3 minutes.
11. Completely cool on rack before glazing.

Citrus Glaze

• 1/4 c. NOW Xylitol, Non-GMO
• 1/3 c. NOW Erythritol Granular
• 1/4 tsp. NuNaturals Pure White Stevia Extract Powder
• 5 tsp. Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1 drop Boyajian Pure Lemon Oil
• 1 drop Boyajian Pure Orange Oil

Directions

1. In VitaMix or high-powered blender, add xylitol, erythritol & stevia and whiz until powdered.
2. In a bowl, combine powdered “sugar” & citrus oils and add milk 1 tsp. at a time.
3. Stir until thin consistency, drizzle with spoon or place in Ziploc bag, make a small snip in corner and drizzle.

As someone who has been low-carbing for nearly ten years, and gluten-free for about three, the ingredients used in this recipe are ones I have on hand all the time. Nut flours have replaced white flour in my pantry and alternative natural healthy sweeteners have replaced refined processed white sugar.

So while I know this recipe calls for what some would coin “specialty” ingredients, they are staple ingredients in my pantry. If you plan to make eating healthy a lifestyle, I suggest you throw out the unhealthy stuff in your pantry.

What you need to do next is find sources for healthy ingredients. I live 20 minutes from a large major city and I too have problems finding healthy ingredients locally. Whole Foods and our local food co-op carry some stuff and what I can't find locally, I either make myself, like the almond flour, or I buy online.

I make it a point to always list the brands of products I use as they can sometimes make a difference in the result of a recipe. Substituting another brand may work out beautifully or it may not. I also link to Netrition, as they are my resource for online products. I have shopped with them online for nearly as long as I have low-carbed and I have always had phenomenal service and never, not once, have had a problem.

About Vanessa Rae Romero

A Christ-follower, wife, mom, grandma, entrepreneur, city slicker, purple lover, and health nut who inspires women to live healthy, love intently, lead purposefully, and to have fun along the way.