Fierce Foods Jammy Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted grass-fed butter (or ghee or coconut oil), softened
1 1/3 cup Lakanto powdered alternative sugar (adding 1/2 at a time, tasting for desired sweetness)
3 1/3 cups superfine blanched almond flour
2 cups finely chopped pecans (or process into a flour if desired)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Tiny pinch fine sea salt
2 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk (optional)
1 cup jam, flavor of choice, no sugar added
Directions:
1) Using a food processor (or a pastry blender to even a fork in a large bowl) combine the almond flour with the pecans (or pecan flour), powdered sweetener and pinch of salt.
2) Add the vanilla and slowly begin to add the ghee (or butter, coconut oil) 1 TB at a time. Pulse to combine. Add chosen fat until a dough ball begins to form. If you use the full cup and the dough is still a little crumbly, add the almond milk one tsp at a time.
3) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or two teaspoons, roll dough into tablespoon sized dough balls and place on prepared cookie sheet about two inches apart. Preheat oven to 375 F.
4) Using your thumb, make a small indentation in the middle of each cookie ball and then using a teaspoon, add ~1/2 teaspoon jam into center of each cookie. Place cookies in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until bottoms are golden - rotating pans halfway through. Be careful not to over-bake.
5) Remove from oven and cool on baking pan for about 3-4 minutes until you can handle them comfortably with your hands. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze for up to a month.
Note: This dough will also work for Lindzer, Mexican wedding, or snowball cookies, or to make a cookie crust for treats like pumpkin bars.
Nutrition Notes from Alexia Hall, RDN: This cookie provides a very low net carbohydrate per 2 cookie serving, providing just 3.6 net grams of carbohydrates along with almost 3 grams of gut loving fiber. It also has 4 grams of protein and a nice 2 to 1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fats. It is a good source of Vitamins E and C, as well as Zinc and Manganese. The traditional jam thumbprint cookie made with regular refined wheat flour and refined sugar has a totally different profile, coming in at over 20 grams of low quality carbohydrates per serving, with over 10 of those coming from refined sugar. It also contains less than 1 gram of fiber with no appreciable vitamins and minerals other than the iron and folic acid that wheat flour must be fortified with. And you can easily get the daily iron needed just by eating a serving of animal protein for dinner.
Fierce Foods Facts: These traditional holiday cookies have a nice balance of protein and fat while lowering the overall sugar content thanks from the nuts and nut flours along with a little help from the alternative sweetener. They also come with a very nice amount of Vitamin E, which supports heart and immune function and lowers the risk of cancer.
Kids Can Cook Tips: What kid doesn't like to make cookies over the holidays? From start to finish, this is a fun craft for kids; rolling or scooping the cookie balls, making their thumbprint impressions and filling the center with jam.
