t h e m a y f i l e s is foremost a family blog, chronicling everyday life. Life including natural, healthy eating (with recipes thrown in at random), home educating (with ideas popping up sporadically), an attempt to homestead on .2 acres (with very meager yields), raising 3 of 4 children with a rare genetic disorder, and lots of highly personal family triumphs and failures. You may also find an eclectic array of musings on politics, exercise, sewing, emergency preparedness, backyard chickens, and religion. This blog isn't a campaign to glorify anyone or anything. Just simply a record.

12.02.2008

Refined Sugar-free "Sugar Cookies"

Life without Refined Sugar can be very sweet. Sugar cookies are the timeless pleasure for Moms and Kids during Valentines Day, Christmas, Easter... When I decided to take my family off refined sugar I needed a recipe and this is my own variation of one I discovered. These cookies are to die for!

If you are not converted to limiting or drastically reducing refined sugar in your families diet may I suggest a book? Sugar Blues by William Dufty. This book will open your eyes if anything. I am a convert. My family has been healthier and my PMS/bloating/cramping disappeared. We are 2 years into this lifestyle.

Of all things to make without refined sugar, cookies have been the trickiest to figure out. But these Sugar-free "Sugar" Cookies are the best. Warning! Not low fat...but heavenly, melt-in-your mouth, delicious.

Sugar-Free "Sugar"Cookies

1 1/2 c butter softened
1 c natural sweetener
**
1/4 t salt
4 c fresh ground whole grain flour
*
1 1/2 t vanilla


**I like to use agave or xylitol or a combo...there is some personal preference here. You can use more or less to taste. I think pure maple syrup would be really good too.
*My favorite flour is actually kamut in this recipe, because of the rich buttery flavor, but wheat, spelt or the combo works well too)

Whip butter until fluffy. This is important, it helps the texture.
Add the rest of the ingredients while mixing. Add flour slowly until a stiff batter is formed.
You may need more or less dependent on the sweetener you chose and the moisture content of your flour.

Roll dough on parchment paper. Chill in fridge. You have to do this or your cookies won't turn out, they will spread like crazy. Use cutouts...
Chill again.

Put cold cookie sheet in 325 degree oven for 12-25 minutes depending on thickness.

Sidenote: I picked up these cute cookie cutters at Michaels on Friday. My sister and I did our first ever "arise at 3:45 am shopping adventure." We were complete novices. We got worked over at Wal-Mart. We had no idea how to handle ourselves. But we had a great time at Michaels, Kitchen Kneads and Old Navy.

You can leave the dough in a thick sheet for shortbread, if you like. Frost. (Note: This frosting will cause the cookies to soften, so often we just keep it in the fridge and frost when we are ready to eat them.)

Refined Sugar-free Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 c sweetener (more or less to taste, we like agave or maple syrup)
1/4 c butter
1 t vanilla (opt)

Whip all together until fluffy. Keep refridgerated. Color if desired.

4 comments:

My Year Without said...

Excellent post! The more people are exposed to these natural sweeteners, the better! Also, I can't wait to try these cookies.

Great photographs, too. You're very thorough!

HanksFam said...

Thanks, Rebecca. You always open my eyes!

ejdonnell said...

I can not thank you enough for your recipes. I am always looking for natural sugar recipes!

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