Most holiday cookies use flour as their base and are loaded with sugar and oil to make them taste delicious. While incredibly tasty, you may also experience stomach pains, increased heart rate, or a headache. These are all symptoms of a sugar overload or gluten intolerance.

Here is the good news! You can make and eat festive, delicious holiday cookies without the gluten, bloat, and subsequent insulin crash. It simply involves switching out a few ingredients and being mindful of gluten-free baking tips. The recipes below produce cookies that are perfect for dessert, gifts, and the holiday cookie tray.

Tips for Gluten-Free Baking

The recipes below are easy to make, and the ingredients are readily available in most grocery stores. If you’re new to gluten-free baking, here are a few tips to help ensure gluten-free cookie success.

1. Rest the dough. With the exception of coconut flour, gluten free flour blends take a bit longer to absorb moisture. You’ll have better results if you allow the cookie dough to rest for at least 15 minutes before baking.
2. For chewier cookies, add almond flour. Almond flour results in a chewy texture. If you have a nut allergy, you can use gluten free, all-purpose flour instead.
3. Line the baking pans. To prevent cookies from sticking, line the pans with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
4. Pre-heat oven. Wait until the oven is fully pre-heated to the desired temperature. If the oven isn’t hot enough, the cookie dough will melt before it starts to bake. This leads to flat and sometimes burned on the outside, mushy on the inside cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

(gluten, egg, and refined sugar free)

You won’t even notice the flour is missing in this crowd favorite! This recipe has been refined multiple times, and now it perfectly delivers a batch of chewy, thick, cookies. Easy to make and ready to serve (or eat) in less than 30 minutes. This recipe yields about 1 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ cup melted coconut oil
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Stir in melted coconut oil and maple syrup until all ingredients are combined.
4. Stir in chopped nuts and chocolate chips.
5. Roll dough into golf-sized balls.
6. Bake 9-10 minutes.
7. Let sit for at least 3 minutes.
8. Using a spatula, transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
9. Once completely cooled, store in an airtight container.

Pecan Snowballs

Light and buttery, these little snowballs are a reminder of grandma’s kitchen!

Ingredients

• 2 cups almond flour or gluten free flour blend
• 1 ½ cups chopped pecans
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup powdered sugar or low carbohydrate alternative (like swerve)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp stevia drops or 1 tsp stevia powder
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ½ - 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling the cookie balls in

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Put all ingredients in a food processor, and process until a ball forms.
3. Remove dough from the food processor and roll into ping-pong or golf ball sized spheres.
4. Put in freezer for 30 minutes.
5. Remove from freezer, and place onto parchment lined baking sheets.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Remove and let cool.
8. Roll in powdered sugar.
9. Store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Mint Crinkles

(gluten free, fat free)

A minty twist on a classic Christmas cookie. Once baked, these cookies are firm yet fudgy and gooey . The crushed candy cane adds an extra hint of mint plus a pop of color to the cookie tray. This recipe yields about 2 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

• 3 cups powdered sugar or low carbohydrate alternative like swerve
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 2 - 4 egg whites at room temperature (read instructions below)
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup powdered sugar or low carb powdered sugar alternative, optional: 4 crushed candy canes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, whisk 2 egg whites. Reserve the other 2. Whisk in mint.
4. Stir the egg whites and peppermint into the dry ingredients until blended.
5. If the batter is too thick, add another egg white. Stir until the batter resembles brownie batter. If needed, add the 4^th egg white.
6. Fold in chocolate chips.
7. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes. While waiting, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Pour powdered sugar into a large bowl or onto a large plate. Optional: add crushed candy canes to the powdered sugar.
9. Roll batter into ping-pong sized balls, then roll balls into powdered sugar and/or crushed candy canes.
10. Place balls onto baking sheet. Bake 10 – 12 minutes. Remove and let cool.
11. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Information presented by W(h)ealth should not be relied upon to determine diet, make a medical diagnosis, or determine treatment for a medical condition. The information is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. Consult a doctor and/or medical professional before making any health changes, especially any changes related to a specific diagnosis or condition.