Pumpkin Spice Butterscotch Blondies (Low carb, sugar free, gluten free, dairy free)

FullSizeRender2

I think I may fit the criteria for a basic fall girl. I realized this recently while excitedly purchasing a seasonal caramel apple tea and babbling endlessly about the brisk autumn air and oversized sweaters.

Witnesses have confirmed I appeared to be wearing leggings and a puffy faux-fur lined vest at the time.

It was, then, no surprise that the notorious pumpkin spice essentially took over my entire life and has continued well into the winter, which brings us now to this fine recipe featuring all the seasonal elements you JUST MIGHT EXPECT FROM ME. You can take the girl out of the fall, but you can’t take the fall out of the girl.

But of course, with some extra credit: grain free, sugar free, low carb, easily made dairy free, with healthy fats and proteins from both almond flour and almond butter!

What we got here is some dense, gooey, butterscotch-y blondies featuring notes of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg – I regret nothing!! And actually, go make this. You probably won’t regret anything either.

IMG_4547

Pumpkin Spice Butterscotch Blondies (Low carb, sugar free, gluten free, dairy free)

Recipe adapted from All Day I Dream About Food

Yields: around 30 squares

Ingredients: 

2 cups almond flour
2 tsp pumpkin spice mix
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup natural almond butter (or any mild-flavored nut butter)
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, softened (Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or Melt Organic Spread would also work for dairy free)
1 cup sweetener (I use Swerve)
4 large egg whites, or just under 3/4 cup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 – 1 1/2 tsp butterscotch extract (I use Frontier)
1/2 tsp liquid stevia extract (I use Sweetleaf)

Optional:
1 tbsp sugar free brown sugar substitute (like this)
1 tsp maple or molasses flavoring OR 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda and salt.

FullSizeRender

WASTE NOT.

In a large bowl, beat almond butter, butter and sweetener until smooth and well combined.

Beat in egg whites, vanilla, butterscotch and stevia extracts until well combined.

Beat in almond flour mixture until fully incorporated; spread mixture in prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a knife or an offset spatula.

IMG_4527

Stirring this counted as my entire year’s worth of arm reps.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes (less for a gooey consistency, more for a cakier consistency), until just set. I’ve found that the edges will be done before the center, which is fine – they’ll just be a little lighter and cakier.

Remove and let cool at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

IMG_4543

Nutritional Info:

Calculated with 1 tbsp brown sugar substitute, without molasses.

Screen Shot 2015-12-29 at 4.35.30 AM

Find me all over the web!
Instagram  follow_on_tumblr_icon_button_and_html_code_by_tumblrfollow-d7gpci1_zpsrbhjgpxa

 

Advertisement

Take 1: Flourless Cinnamon Almond Butter Cookies

P1000745

I had one job. And that was to post a recipe containing chia seeds.

This recipe does not contain any chia seeds at all. And for that I would like to apologize to my sister, whose sole request was that I post a recipe with chia seeds in it. ONE JOB.

So THIS (the sentence you are reading RIGHT NOW) is my promise to post many chia seeded delights in the future. You heard it here first!!

At least I can say that this recipe was truly inspired. Inspired by me finding myself with three jars of almond butter. Two of them are Costco sized. Yes. You get it.

So what we got here is a crispy-soft, almond buttery, cinnamon-laced tea cookie with hints of vanilla. And in case that sounded too enticing, they are also very ugly. Just, kinda…homely lookin’ for a cookie. :| But let’s not focus on what they aren’t. These cookies are:

  • grain-free/flourless
  • gluten-free
  • low sugar/carb
  • full of fiber and healthy fats (do I sound like Women’s Health right now???)
  • very super easy and quick to make

So let’s go places:

Flourless Cinnamon Almond Butter Cookies

Recipe adapted from Pies and Plots
Yields: ~14 cookies

Ingredients: 

1 cup/8 oz. jar almond butter (I actually used slightly less since I had already eaten some uhhh)
2/3 cup sweetener  (I used ZSweet)
1 packet stevia (optional)
1 egg white
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
Walden Farms chocolate dip for topping (very optional. and don’t try and be clever and stir some into the batter like I did IT DOESN’T BAKE WELL)

Directions:

Our cast of characters.

Our cast of characters.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or nonstick spray.

Stir together all ingredients until fully combined.

Using a tablespoon, scoop batter onto prepared baking sheet. These are pretty soft due to the almond butter, so they begin to spread right away. The sooner into the oven the better!

Please note: these are not hamburger sliders they are a dessert and I'm sorry.

Please note: these are not hamburger sliders they are cookies and I’m sorry.

Bake for about 15-18 minutes until cookies have spread and set on the tops. Cookies will still be very soft and molten in the centers, but they harden  as they cool, so do not overbake. Like I did.

These cookies: apparently fresh off the grill.

These cookies: apparently fresh off the grill.

Hilarious. Also make sure you use a big enough cookie sheet. LEARN FROM MEEEEEE

I kept these in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week, and they stayed fancy fresh. I don’t see why you couldn’t freeze them as well.

Nutritional Info:

Calculated with ZSweet and stevia. Also reflects slightly less than 1 cup almond butter.
Almond Cookie NutritionLabel

I'm sorry these are not charmingly wrapped up in twine and brown paper with sprigs of pine nearby.

I’m sorry these are not charmingly wrapped up in twine and brown paper with sprigs of pine nearby.

Aeriel shot!!!Aerial shot!!!

P1000740 P1000745 Enjoy!