I use the term “treat” loosely, as in my case, three of these were my breakfast!
In this recipe, I used MaraNatha All Natural Roasted Almond Butter. They sell this at a very reasonable price at Costco. There is only one ingredient in this almond butter, dry roasted almonds. There is no salt or sugar added. If you choose to use a different almond butter you may need to adjust the sweetener or salt in the recipe. Also, if you use an almond butter that is not roasted your baked cookies may be a lighter color.
The original recipe called for 3/4 c. of sugar. I simply subbed with xylitol, a natural low-carb sweetener. And since I seem to be getting more and more inquiries about this sweetener…
What's So Great About Xylitol?
1. Xylitol is a natural low-carb sweetener derived from birch or corn. It has the same sweetening power as sugar therefore it can be replaced cup for cup.
2. Xylitol provides 2.4 calories per gram (for comparison sugar provides 4 calories per gram) and scores about a 7 on the glycemic index (sugar scores an 80).
3. Xylitol has a negligible impact on blood sugar, making it a preferred sweetener for those living a low-carb lifestyle, diabetics or those wishing to reduce their sugar consumption.
4. Xylitol does not feed the bad bacteria found in the gut like sugar (and all its various forms).
5. In an article titled Sweet! Dieting Without Deprivation, Sayer Ji, the founder and chair of Green Med Info, the world's most widely referenced, evidence-based natural medicine resource, asserts,
Those prone to infections or the overgrowth of Candida albicans (yeast) have used xylitol successfully to regain their health. The Finns discovered decades ago that xylitol consumption could be correlated directly to a dramatic decrease in incidents of cavities and ear and throat infections. Because xylitol (unlike sugar and starch) is non-fermentable and has an alkaline reaction in the body it creates an inhospitable environment for Streptococcus mutans and other infectious organisms that tend to thrive in lower pH environments. Studies have shown that plaque build-up and dental caries can be reduced 80% by the introduction of moderate amounts of xylitol, or approximately half an ounce a day. Research also indicates that xylitol may increase bone strength and bone density in those who consume it.
6. Understand, just like every other food, not all xylitol is created equal. Click HERE for the xylitol I use — it is non-GMO verified and birch-derived.
Update
I recently posted this in response to a thread on Facebook that is purporting that xylitol is not a “safe sweetener”.
Just like any other food, quality matters. So while xylitol made from GMO corn may not a good choice, it doesn't make all xylitol bad. There are many benefits to be derived from xylitol and I would choose it over natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup because of what these sweeteners do to blood sugar and the liver. Green Med Info, the largest natural medicine database cites study after study regarding the safety and benefits of xylitol. Personally, I use birch xylitol in my kitchen as I have researched the source and found it to be a high-quality, non-GMO, birch-derived xylitol product. For those looking for a healthy xylitol you can read more about it here.
Today's recipe is for you…
♥ if you like a super simple easy recipe.
♥ if you are trying to reduce your sugar intake.
♥ if you are gluten-free.
♥ if you are dairy-free.
♥ if you live a low-carb lifestyle.
♥ if you are a cookie monster.
Ingredients
- 1 c. Almond Butter
- 3/4 c. Birch Xylitol (see notes for substitutions)
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt
- 2 oz. Dark Chocolate Chips
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In medium mixing bowl, with a large spoon, mix together almond butter, xylitol, egg, vanilla extract, salt and baking soda.
- Fold in dark chocolate chips.
- Using a cookie scoop, spoon cookie dough onto Silpat lined baking sheet.
- Flatten slightly by doing a criss-cross pattern with a fork.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes.
- Cool on rack.
- Enjoy!
Notes
At 13 minutes the cookies will seem like they are not done, still take them out of the oven and move immediately to a rack. They will firm up as they cool. If you let them go longer, the bottoms will burn.
Per Cookie 92 calories, 7 g fat, 3g carbs, 2 g fiber, 1 g NET CARBS, 3 g pro
Other low-carb healthy sweetener options:
Swerve. Which can be substituted 1:1 with the xylitol.
You can also replace the xylitol with a combination of 6 Tbsp. erythritol plus 1/32 tsp. stevia extract.
Xylitol is only for human consumption. It can be toxic to dogs.
