Gluten Free Desserts and Sweets

Grain Free Pumpkin Pecan Cookies

Grain Free Pumpkin Pecan Cookies Recipe

photo by recipe author

Servings: 15
Preparation Time: 15

• 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
• 1 1/2 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 heaping teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 heaping teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 small egg (I use farm fresh soy free eggs from Tropical Traditions)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 3 tablespoons grass-fed butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees ºF.

Place the pecans in a food processor and blend until the nuts resemble coarse sand and start to clump together. It’s the stage before pecan butter would start. Add in the sugar, arrowroot, spices, salt and soda. Pulse a couple times until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg with the pumpkin, butter and vanilla. Pour the pecan mixture into the wet mixture and combine. Spoon dough out onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. The cookies will spread a bit.

Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes. Place on a cooling rack to cool.

Quick notes

I almost made these without the egg and I think they would still work without it. The arrowroot provides some structure and binding. I think the end result may be a harder crunchier cookie which may be what some of you prefer.

Variations

I prefer using my own spices rather than pumpkin pie spice blends from the store. I think it tastes better and allows you to add more off a specific flavor that you prefer. You could certainly use a spice blend, but I would add it in the end so you can keep adding if need be.

I typically don’t provide a variation unless I try it myself. I think this would work with maple syrup or honey. I would remove the egg (it provides liquid and see my quick notes section above) and use 1/4 cup or less of liquid sweetener. Add it with the rest of the liquid ingredients. You can always start with less and ad more if need be!

Recipe submitted by Kate, Highlands Ranch, CO

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Grain Free Peach Cookie Bars

Grain Free Peach Cookie Bars Recipe

photo by recipe author

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

• 2 cups almond flour*
• 1/2 cup arrowroot flour
• 1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 peach, peeled and sliced (the more unripe the peach is, the better)
• 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter, softened and cut into pieces or coconut oil
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut milk**
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees °F.

Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper, this makes it really easy to get the bars out in one piece.

Place all of the dry ingredients into a food processor and combine.

Add in the butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk and pulse until a dough forms. The dough should form a ball and be wet, add more milk if needed.

Press the dough into the baking dish until fully covered, then place the peach slices on top of the dough.

Bake at 350 for 32-35 minutes or until the top is golden.

Let cool, remove the bars from the pan by pulling up on the sides of the parchment paper. Cut into desired size bars.

Store in an airtight container. These are great at room temp, but as with all almond flour goodies, I think they are best out of the freezer!!! Let them sit for a minute or two out of freezer to thaw the peach.

Quick notes

*You can grind your own almond flour by placing whole almonds in a blender/food processor and blending until you get a fine meal.

** For the freshest coconut milk make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

Softened coconut oil should work in place of the butter for those that are dairy free.

Recipe submitted by Kate, Highlands Ranch, CO

Submit your recipe here!