Almond flour makes for a great replacement to traditional flour when crafting and baking cookies. It makes your cookies taste moister, chewier, and lighter, not to mention they are healthier for you as well. Having the option to eat delicious gluten-free, low-sugar almond flour cookies allows you to eat more cookies while being easy on your stomach.
What are the benefits of using almond flour?
Almond flour is a viable alternative to regular flour, especially for those who cannot consume wheat. It is made from blanched, ground almonds and can be used in almost any baking recipe. Considering that this flour originates from a nut, it means that this flour is gluten-free, making it appealing to those who have gluten allergies or celiac disease.
Furthermore, almond flour contains several important vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants. It is rich in magnesium and manganese, which are vital for your heart to distribute and produce healthy blood flow. It also contains monounsaturated fats, which works with manganese to fight heart disease and keep your cholesterol levels stable.
Almond flour is a must for keto users and those who suffer from diabetes because it is low on the glycemic index. It has a much lower amount of carbohydrates and sugar than traditional flour, which tends to be tainted with starchy simple carbohydrates. Having less sugars means that almond flour will be much healthier on your digestive system.
Finally, almond flour is a great source of calcium, iron, and vitamin E which are important for strong bones and skin. It also contains a good amount of fibers, protein, copper, and phosphorus.
Overall, almond flour is an effective flour substitute with scientifically proven health benefits. For more information on almond flour’s nutritional value and its various uses, I highly recommend checking out this article from HealthNewsToday.
Portioning almond flour
Switching from AP or whole wheat flour to almond flour tends to be difficult without practice, since the portion size largely depends on what you’re making.
You can substitute almond flour for regular flour in most baking recipes, and you can vary anywhere from a 1:1 ratio to a 1:2 ratio. You should almost never substitute less than 1:1, because almond flour is not as dense as other flours. Almond flour cookies are safe to do in a 1:1 ratio, but other cookie recipes may call for slightly more. Almond flour requires more eggs to bind the flour together than other flours. This type of flour is generally popular for being the easiest flour replacement to use.
Here is the recipe for almond flour chocolate chip cookies! Feel free to replace the chocolate chips in the recipe if you want other variations of cookies, such as snickerdoodle or peanut butter.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 4 cups of almond flour
- 3/4 cup of light/dark brown sugar
- 2 whole eggs (large or extra large)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips (not too large)
- 1/2 cup of almond butter (optional)
*Yield: 24 cookies*
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Set aside a large baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Mix together the butter, sugar, (almond butter,) eggs, and vanilla in a bowl using an electric mixer. Beat the mixture on medium-high until it is combined well.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and chocolate chips on top and mix on low. Beat until it is combined smoothly.
- With a scoop, spoon, or by hand, roll the dough into balls and place them on your baking pan. The balls should be around 2 inches in diameter. They should also have 2 inches of space between them as well. For exact measurement, use 2 tablespoons for each ball.
- Set the pan in your preheated oven and wait 12 minutes. After the time is up, check your cookies. If the top appears just about to brown and feels dry, then they are ready. If not, wait another 2-3 minutes and check again.
- Take out the pan and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
