These Aussie White Christmas Cookies are reminiscent of the sugar cookies I grew up loving with their sweet vanilla flavor and cakey crumbly texture. They’re free-from gluten, dairy, eggs and grains. Spend your extra time at home this year making these delectable cookies!
Time to crank the Nat King Cole Christmas tunes, pre-heat the oven and bake some Christmas cookies!
When I put a poll up on my Instagram Stories last week, I was surprised to hear that Aussie’s don’t seem to have many traditional Christmas cookies. There seems to be lots of different traditional Christmas desserts, but on the cookie-front, a bit lacking – or at least according to the feedback I received.
So I decided to change that.
I have great memories of my childhood making sugar cookies in the kitchen with my mom and sister. It was one of my most favorite things to do at Christmastime. Not to mention traditional Norwegian krumkake, which despite it’s odd-sounding name, is one of the most delicious cookies ever (in my humble opinion).
So I created these to be similar in flavor to the Christmas cookies of my childhood, but with my signature SoleFire-spin. So they’re free-from gluten, dairy, eggs and grains.
These cookies are also low in sugar (for a cookie). I used pure maple syrup for the sweetener and they come in around just ~1.5 grams added sugar per cookie (plus whatever white choc you use).
And for a little whole-food upgrade from the traditional sugary sprinkles and food-coloring in frosting, they’re topped with crushed macadamia nuts (and an optional cube of vegan macadamia nut white chocolate).
Because if there’s one thing Australia does really well? It’s macadamia nuts!
(By the way, no judgement if you do love ‘traditional’ baking and ingredients. Some of those things just don’t make me feel great, which is why I share these recipes with you, so you too can benefit from subtle whole-food upgrades to new and classic favorites).
It was important to me that the ingredients I used were easy to find, so that you could make these with just a quick dash to Coles or Woolies. I was able to buy all the ingredients in one quick shop.
I’ve lived in Australia for close to a decade now, and my brain still gets confused when Christmas rolls around and it’s HOT outside (and I mean hot!). So it’s up to you on whether the delicious nutty macadamia crumb topping is meant to represent snow, or sand ;)
Enjoy the cookies and tag me @solefirewellness on Instagram and Facebook when you make them, I can’t wait to see your recreations!
Emily’s Dietary Scorecard
Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Vegan | No Sugar (added) |
Grain Free | Delicious | Vegetarian | Low Sugars (all forms) |
Paleo | Nightshade Free | Egg Free | Low FODMAP |
Watch this video to see my tips and method:
Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/4 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)
- pinch sea salt
- 1/2 cup palm or coconut shortening (room temp)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pulsed macadamia nuts
- 1 block vegan white chocolate (optional) (I used macadamia white choc)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180ºC/355ºF (fan-force) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Place macadamia nuts in the food processor and pulse until a fine 'crumb' is formed. Set aside.
- If using white chocolate, chop the block into small cubes and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, tapioca flour, bicarb soda and sea salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine shortening, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Stir wet ingredients into dry so a dough forms and ingredients are well incorporated.
- Use a heaped tablespoon to scoop dough and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then quickly remove from the oven, sprinkle on macadamia crumble, using the backside of a spoon to gently press the crumb into each cookie (careful not to flatten them).
- Place back into the oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes. The key is a light browning, but not too much that the crumb darkens (you want it to look like 'snow').
- Remove from oven and while hot, place a cube of vegan white chocolate into the center of each cookie.
- Allow to cool and enjoy!
Notes
If you live somewhere warm, these cookies are best stored in the fridge.
I bought all my ingredients for these cookies at Coles, including the vegan macadamia nut white chocolate.
You may be left with extra macadamia nut crumb, either on the baking sheet around the cookies (which will be nice and toasty brown) or just spare crumb. Use any extra as a nutty crunchy topping on salads, yoghurt or ice cream.
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