Delightful and Guilt-Free: Atkins Diet Cookies Recipes

For those following the Atkins diet or simply seeking to reduce their carbohydrate intake, the idea of enjoying a sweet treat like a cookie might seem impossible. However, with a few clever ingredient substitutions and the right recipes, you can indulge in delicious, low-carb cookies that satisfy your sweet tooth without derailing your dietary goals. This article explores several Atkins diet-friendly cookie recipes, offering variations and tips to ensure success.

Understanding the Basics of Atkins-Friendly Cookies

The key to creating Atkins-compliant cookies lies in replacing high-carbohydrate ingredients like wheat flour and sugar with low-carb alternatives. Common substitutions include:

• Almond Flour: A popular choice for its low carb count and slightly nutty flavor. Super-fine almond flour is recommended for the best texture.
• Coconut Flour: Another low-carb flour option, but it absorbs more moisture than almond flour, so recipes need to be adjusted accordingly.
• Sugar Substitutes: Erythritol, monk fruit sweetener, and sucralose are commonly used to provide sweetness without the blood sugar spike.

Recipe 1: Atkins Soy-Free Flour Mix Cookies

This recipe utilizes a special Atkins Soy-Free Flour Mix, combined with other low-carb ingredients, to create a delightful cookie.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups Atkins Soy-Free Flour Mix (sweet version with vanilla whey protein)
• 1/2 cup Blanched Almond Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder (Straight Phosphate, Double Acting)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 10 tablespoons Unsalted Butter Stick, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Sucralose Based Sweetener (Sugar Substitute)
• 1 large Egg (Whole), room temperature
• 1 tablespoon Tap Water
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 tsp, ground Cardamom

Directions:

1. Combine Atkins Soy-Free Flour Mix, almond flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together room temperature butter and sugar substitute until light and fluffy.
3. Add room temperature egg, water, vanilla, and ¾ teaspoon cardamom; beat on medium speed until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary (mixture may look watery).
4. Add flour mixture a little bit at a time mixing on low speed until dough comes together.
5. Wrap dough in parchment paper, place in a resealable bag and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Roll dough out between parchment to ¼-inch thick; use small cookie cutters or a sharp knife to cut out shapes. If the dough is too sticky, or is not holding the shapes well, place rolled out dough in the freezer for 10 minutes and try again. You should have about 50 (9-gram raw dough each) cookies.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until bottoms are golden, watching closely in the last few minutes to ensure they do not burn.
9. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. While the cookies are cooling, in a small bowl combine the confectioners erythritol, 8 teaspoons water and 1/8 teaspoon cardamom with a fork until a paste forms.
11. Drizzle cooled cookies evenly with icing and allow to dry before storing.
12. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe 2: Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

These keto chocolate chip cookies offer a perfect balance of soft chewiness and a crunchy edge, all while being sugar-free.

Ingredients:

• Super-fine Almond Flour
• Very soft Butter (or melted and cooled)
• Medium Egg
• Heavy Cream (double cream in the UK)
• Granulated Erythritol Monk Fruit Sweetener Blend
• Sugar-free Chocolate Chips or Chopped Dark Chocolate (ChocZero or Lily's are good options)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F (electric) or 160C / 320F (fan-assisted). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix all ingredients with a fork until well combined.
3. Fold in sugar-free chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate.
4. Roll the batter into cookie dough balls (or portion them with a cookie scoop) and place them on the baking sheet. The mixture makes 10 cookies with a diameter of around 6 centimeters.
5. Flatten the low carb chocolate chip cookies with your hand (or press down with a fork to make a criss-cross pattern.
6. Bake for around 13 minutes or until the edges are golden. If you like chewier cookies, make them thicker than ½ cm and reduce the baking time to 10 minutes.
7. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Keto cookies are really soft and fragile when fresh out of the oven.

Tips for Perfect Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies:

• Cream is Key: Don't skip the heavy cream, as it adds richness and a creamy texture.
• Flatten the Cookies: Flatten the cookies before baking for a more even texture.
• Baking Time: Bake until the edges are golden brown.
• Cooling Time: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them.

Variations:

• Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies: Use 40 grams (⅓ cup) of coconut flour instead of almond flour.
• Dairy-Free: Use coconut oil instead of butter.
• No Egg: This recipe also works without the egg, resulting in crispier cookies.
• Nutty: Add ¼ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts to the dough.
• Macadamia Nut Flour: Substitute almond flour with macadamia nut flour.
• Pinch of Sea Salt: Adds even more flavor to the cookie dough.

Troubleshooting:

• Soft Cookie Dough: If the cookie dough is too soft, refrigerate it for 10 minutes to firm up.
• Large Egg: If using a large egg, increase the amount of almond flour by 2 tablespoons.
• Sweetener: For crispy cookies, use erythritol-based sweeteners. Golden erythritol can add a caramel flavor.
• Nut-Free Version: Use coconut flour or a 50/50 blend of sunflower seed and sesame seed flour.

Recipe 3: Low-Carb Cranberry Bliss Cookies

These cookies combine the tartness of cranberries with a hint of orange and almond, creating a festive and flavorful treat.

Read also: Understanding the Atkins Diet

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Cranberries, fresh
• 6 tablespoons butter, unsalted
• 2 tablespoon(s) truvia sweet complete (2 tbsp= 21g)
• 1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Almond Flour, Blanched
• 1/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1/4 cup Confectioners (powdered) erythritol
• 1/2 tablespoon Orange Zest
• 1/3 cup(s) truvia sweet complete (1/4 cup= 42 g)
• 2 tablespoons tap water

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cranberries, 1 tablespoon water, and 2 tablespoons Truvia to a simmer. Cook until the cranberries pop, about 10 minutes from fresh, or 15 minutes from frozen. Set aside to cool.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together room temperature butter and 1/3 cup Truvia until lightened and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and cooled cranberry mixture mixing until well combined.
3. Add sifted almond flour and xanthan gum, mixing on low until just combined.
4. Create a 6-inch-long log of the dough on a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, until very solid. These cookies will spread significantly if they are not chilled adequately.
5. Heat the oven to 350° and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Cut the cold dough into 12, ½-inch thick rounds and place on baking sheet cut side down.
7. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until bottom edges are golden brown. Watch closely in the last few minutes to ensure the cookies don’t burn.
8. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then gently place on a cooling rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes. These cookies will be very crumbly until completely cooled.
9. While the cookies cool, in a small bowl, use a fork to combine the confectioners erythritol and water to form a paste.
10. Dip (or drizzle) cooled cookies in the icing, applying about 4 grams icing per cookie. Sprinkle the icing with orange zest and allow the icing to set. One iced cookie is one serving.

Recipe 4: Atkins Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe provides a more straightforward approach to chocolate chip cookies, utilizing the Atkins Soy-Free Flour Mix and sugar-free chocolate chips.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Atkins Soy-Free Flour Mix
• 1 cup Salted Butter Stick, melted
• 1 cup Sucralose Based Sweetener (Sugar Substitute)
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 large Eggs (Whole)
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder (Straight Phosphate, Double Acting)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 6 ounces Sugar Free Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Blend all dry ingredients together in a small mixing bowl, set aside.
3. Mix melted butter, sugar substitute and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Gradually add dry ingredient mixture, beating until blended.
6. Gently mix in chocolate chips with a wooden spoon or spatula.
7. Spoon level tablespoons of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet coated with non-stick vegetable oil spray. Gently flatten cookies by pressing with hand or spatula. You should have 36 cookies total.
8. Cook at 350° F for 10 to 12 minutes or until done or until lightly browned.
9. Remove from baking sheet and place cookies on a wire rack to cool.

Recipe 5: Peanut Butter Cookies

These peanut butter cookies are a simple and satisfying option for a low-carb treat.

Ingredients:

• Peanut butter
• Stevia
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• Sugar-free chocolate chips
• Sea salt

Directions:

1. Set oven racks in the upper and lower third positions. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the peanut butter, stevia, baking soda, and salt with a handheld electric mixer on medium speed, scraping down the sides if needed, until well combined, about 1 minute.
3. Reduce the speed to low, add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until combined.
4. Shape the dough into 24 balls (scant 1 tablespoon each) and place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.
5. Using the tines of a fork, carefully flatten each ball, creating a crisscross pattern. (Dampen the fork with water if it sticks.)
6. Bake, rotating the cookie sheets from top to bottom and from back to front halfway through, until the edges are just beginning to brown and the cookies are just set, 7 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake; the cookies should not be browned.)
7. Let cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
8. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and microwave on high in 20-second increments, stirring after each, until melted, about 1 minute total. (Alternatively, gently melt in a double boiler or in the top of two saucepans set up in a double-boiler style.)
9. Dip a dry fork into the chocolate, then drizzle the chocolate over the cookies. Sprinkle with sea salt.

General Tips for Atkins Diet Cookies

• Net Carbs: Always calculate the net carbs per serving to ensure the cookies fit within your daily carbohydrate limit.
• Customization: Feel free to customize recipes with your favorite flavors and ingredients, but always keep an eye on the net carbs.
• Chilling the Dough: Chilling the dough is crucial for many low-carb cookie recipes, as it prevents the cookies from spreading too thin during baking.
• Cooling Time: Allow the cookies to cool completely before handling them, as they tend to be more fragile when warm.
• Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain their freshness.

Important Considerations

• Individual Results May Vary: Weight loss is influenced by various factors, including exercise, lifestyle, dietary pattern, and calorie consumption.
• Consult Your Physician: Before starting the Atkins Diet or any weight loss program, consult your physician or healthcare provider.
• Not for Persons on Dialysis: The weight loss phases of the Atkins Diet should not be used by individuals on dialysis.

Read also: Delicious Atkins Dinners

Read also: Atkins Diet for Vegetarians

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