Welcome back for part two of our three-part series all about cookies! What better topic to dive right into this holiday season, am I right?! Last week we shared some tips for planning your very own holiday baking party, and now we’re providing you with the low FODMAP recipes you need to execute your party plans! For those of you who couldn’t imagine finding the time to bake homemade cookies let alone host a baking party, not to worry… as a busy mom, I get it ;-). Next week we are reviewing some store bought cookies that won’t cause you digestive discomfort this holiday season.
It’s pretty challenging to buy packaged products with completely low FODMAP ingredients. Many of the gums and additives have not been tested by Monash University yet so we don’t know for sure whether they will trigger symptoms. Do your best when choosing store-bought cookies and try to make some treats at home whenever possible.
Wondering what affects symptoms of IBS like gas, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation? You’ve got to understand more about the FODMAPs, poorly digested sugars that are the most common triggers in digestive issues. Download my free eBook – Click here to get a copy emailed to you right away.
First up we have some wonderful Maple Ginger Crinkle Cookies! These guys are a delicious spin on a ginger molasses cookie, or a grown up version of gingerbread men. This recipe calls for almonds, but in an amount safe if you’re following the low FODMAP diet. NOTE: max 3 cookies are a serving (if you make 12). As always, listen to your body. If almonds don’t agree with you, or you are very sensitive to them, this might not be the best recipe. (Try substituting pecans instead!)
If you’re looking for a vegan take on this recipe, substitute 1 tablespoon of ground chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water in place of the egg to make this recipe low FODMAP and vegan! Simply mix the chia seeds with water and let it sit in the fridge until it gels, about 5-10 minutes.
Low FODMAP Recipe: Maple Ginger Crinkle Cookies
Makes: 12 servings
Time: 15 minutes prep, 10 minutes cook
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup oats
1/4 cup almonds (~38 almonds)
1/3 + 1/8 cup gluten-free, low FODMAP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 cup canola oil
3 tbsp almond milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 tbsp candied ginger*
3 tbsp coarse sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place oats and almonds into a food processor and blend to a flour consistency. (Alternatively you could buy oat & almond flours) Empty into a medium mixing bowl.
Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to mixing bowl. Whisk together.
In a small mixing bowl, add oil, milk, maple syrup, and egg. Whisk to combine.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Add finely chopped candied ginger. Gently stir to combine just until mixed. The batter should be just a little bit sticky.
Measure coarse sugar into a shallow dish. Form 1 inch balls of dough and roll in sugar.
Place dough balls on parchment lined baking sheet and press lightly to flatten. Allow room for spreading.
Bake for 11 minutes or until the tops of the cookies appear crackled and your finger doesn’t leave an imprint in the cookie if gentle pressure is applied.
*NOTE: Candied ginger should be fine on the low FODMAP diet if you just see sugar and ginger on the ingredient list, but it can also be excluded if you’re not sure how your body might react.
Next we’ve got an Italian classic. I love enjoying biscotti dipped in my coffee sitting cozy on my couch… with the quiet of my babe napping or with the fun of him crawling circles around me! WOW – this year’s holiday season will be much different ;-).
While most dried fruits are off limits on the low FODMAP diet, Monash University testing has confirmed that 1 tablespoon of dried cranberries contains low enough levels of FODMAPs to be safe. While it’s hard to make something like a trail mix with less than 1 tablespoon of dried fruit per serving, it only takes a few dried cranberries to add some nice colour and flavour to this biscotti recipe. And yes, if you do the math, that entitles you to half the batch since there’s two tablespoons in the whole recipe…I’m not judging 😉
Low FODMAP Recipe: Lemon Cranberry Biscotti
Makes: 12 servings
Time: 15 minutes prep, 50 minutes cook
INGREDIENTS
1 2/3 cup gluten-free, low FODMAP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 lemons
2 eggs
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp dried cranberries
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Zest two lemons, then juice the lemons. Set zest and juice aside, separately.
In a small mixing bowl add eggs, water and 3 tbsp of the reserved lemon juice. Whisk to combine.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Add lemon zest and dried cranberries. Gently mix just until combined. The dough should not be sticky to the touch, but should easily stick together to form a ball.
Form into an oblong loaf and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and turn heat down to 300°F. Let the loaf cool for 20-30 minutes.
Using a serrated knife, gently slice the loaf into ¾-1 inch thick pieces.
Arrange slices face down on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake for another 25 minutes.
While biscotti are cooling, prepare icing by combining powdered sugar, 1 tbsp of the reserved lemon juice, and melted butter. Mix until smooth. Drizzle over biscotti and set aside to dry before serving.
The last cookie we have for you today is a meringue cookie. Have you ever tried a meringue? I hadn’t before creating this recipe! They have a unique crispy, melt in your mouth texture. Very indulgent! When looking for the candy canes in this recipe, ensure that they are made of sugar considered low FODMAP. Stay away from corn sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Additionally, this recipe calls for red food colouring, which also hasn’t yet been tested, so only use it if you know it doesn’t bother you!
Low FODMAP Recipe: Candy Cane Meringues
Makes: 25 servings
Time: 20 minutes prep, 90 minutes cook
INGREDIENTS
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup white sugar
1-3 drops of red food colouring
2 peppermint candy canes (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 225°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites, salt and lemon juice until it starts to form large peaks. Egg whites tend to foam up better if they are brought to room temperature before beating.
Once mix is forming soft peaks (small peaks that stand up then curl over), gradually add all of the sugar a tablespoon at a time with mixing in between each addition until the mix forms stiff peaks. You’ll know you’ve reached the stiff peak stage when you have larger peaks that stand straight up and don’t curl over.
Gently fold in red food colouring, just until you have an even colour.
Drop with a spoon, or pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of mix onto parchment paper, ensuring each meringue is 1 inch apart. Sprinkle crushed candy cane on meringue drops.
Bake for 90 minutes. Once cooked, meringues should be completely dry on the inside. They should not be brown.
Leave the meringues in the oven, and turn off the heat. Open the oven door slightly to let the meringues cool gradually.
Once firm, loosen meringues from parchment paper with a metal spatula. Store loosely covered in a cool, dry place.
Wishing you good gut health & holiday eating,
Stephanie & The Team