Almond Crunch Cookies

I am sure many of you have experienced a situation like the following:

It’s 3:00 pm on a workday and your energy level begins to dwindle. Suddenly, you feel the only way to survive another 2 hours at work is by eating something sweet and crunchy.

You have been working hard to improve your diet. This includes avoiding (limiting) junk food and steering clear of the sugar laden vending machine.

Health benefits of almonds

Come to work prepared for late afternoon cravings. Bringing a snack from home will help you bypass the ominous candy dispenser. If you are tired of snacking on your typical low carb options such as, vegetables and cheese, then check out the following recipe for almond crunch cookies. This recipe is simple and quick to make. It can be prepared on a Sunday evening so that you have plenty for the week ahead (and probably a few extra to share with some lucky co-workers). Each cookie has just 10 grams of carbohydrate, nearly 60 percent less carb than other nut butter cookies.

A few bonus points to mention:

• If you prefer a nuttier taste with a little less sweetness, almond cookies are a great alternative to the more traditional peanut butter cookie
• Almonds by themselves are a true nutrient powerhouse. A one ounce serving (23 whole almonds) provides: 164 calories, 6 grams carb, 3.5 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, 14 grams of fat (9 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids)
  • For a complete listing of all nutrients in almonds refer to the USDA nutrient database
  • According to the 2015 Standards Of Medical Care In Diabetes,
    • “A Mediterranean-style eating pattern, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, may benefit glycemic control and CVD risk factors and can therefore be recommended as an effective alternative to a lower-fat, higher-carbohydrate eating pattern.”
    • Almonds have a glycemic index of ZERO!
      • According to the 2015 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes: “Substituting low glycemic foods for higher glycemic foods may modestly improve glycemic control.”

Recipe for almond crunch cookie

*This recipe makes 16 cookies
Serving size: 1

Ingredients for almond crunch cookie

• 1 cup Almond Butter
• ¼ cup Crushed Roasted Almonds
• ½ tsp. Baking Soda
• ½ tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 Large Egg
• ¼ cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
• Baking spray

Tools:

• Clean hands
• Medium sized mixing bowl
• Hand mixer
• Cookie scoop
• Baking sheet

Directions for almond crunch cookie

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Spray baking sheet with cooking spray
• Use hand mixed to combine Splenda Brown Sugar Blend with large egg
• Mix in almond butter, baking soda, and cinnamon
• Last (but certainly not least), add in crushed almonds
• Use cookie scoop to portion cookie dough
• Place dough on cookie sheet
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes

*My personal favorites: Emerald Dry Roasted Almonds and Jif Creamy Almond Butter.

References:
Cefalu, W (2015). The Standards of Medical Care In Diabetes-2015. Diabetes Care. 38(1): S20–S30.