My Favorite Fructose-Free Dessert
– No Bake Cookies!

I’ve been making these cookies everywhere I go… to rave reviews. So many people have asked for the recipe that I finally put it up here.

I know, I know.   You’re probably suspicious of any recipe that has “free” in the title.   Me, too.   It gets worse.   Trigger warning.   You can even make these paleo.   Ugh.   I hear you.   If you play your cards right, they could be GMO-free.   Horror of horrors!   Frighteningly, they’re also vegetarian.   I know.   I’m panicking, too.   You could even make them *shudder*… vegan.   Ewwwwwww vegans!!! ¹Totes kidding about the vegans.   I love me a sweet vegan.

Jema’s Addiction-Free Cookies

(Want paleo?   Vegan?   See below.   The following will please vegetarians:)

• 1/2 c dextrose (here’s why)
• 1/4 c butter (sub coconut oil if you need)
• 1/2 c peanut butter (sub 1/2 c. of any ground nuts if you need)
• 1/4 c cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (to taste)
• 1 c. shredded coconut or oats (I grind this to makes the cookies stick together better)

Do this:

1. Heat dextrose over medium-low, stirring as it melts.
2. Add butter, creaming the dextrose and butter together.
3. Turn off heat. (Dextrose burns easily)
4. Add peanut butter and stir until it’s melted in.
5. Add cocoa powder and salt, stir thoroughly.
6. If mixture is still too hot to leave your finger in, wait until it cools a bit or extract will evaporate (it’s alcohol based). Once mixture is cooled enough to touch, add extract.
7. Stir in coconut.
8. Wait until mixture cools near room temp or it will be hard to form into cookies.
9. Scoop onto waxed paper, let sit in freezer for 10-20 mins, remove to air-tight container and store in freezer.
10. Try really hard not to eat them all in the same day.

This recipe is very forgiving.   It’s okay if you’re a little short on something, don’t even have peanut butter, almond extract, etc.   Honestly, these are just my excuse to eat cocoa powder.   You just need fat, salt, sweet, and something to make it all stick together (the coconut or oats.)

Paleo Substitutes:

• 1/3 c maple syrup (can use honey, too)
• 1/4 c butter (sub coconut oil if you need)
• 1/2 c almond butter (sub 1/2 c. of any ground nuts if you need)
• 1/4 c cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (to taste)
• 1 c. shredded coconut (I grind this to makes the cookies stick together better)

Vegan Substitutes:

• 1/2 c dextrose (here’s why)
• 1/4 c coconut oil
• 1/2 c peanut butter (sub 1/2 c. of any ground nuts if you need)
• 1/4 c cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (to taste)
• 1 c. shredded coconut or oats (I grind this to makes the cookies stick together better)

Why “Addiction-Free?”

Besides screwing up   your appetite, bringing joint pain into your life, and messing with your hormones… fructose is also addictive – a point I cover in Why I Don’t Eat Fructose.   If you don’t want to run out and get dextrose at your nearest beer brewing supply store or wait for it to come in the mail from Amazon, you can just sub 1/3 c. maple syrup, honey, or plain sugar.   (30, 40 and 50% fructose, respectively.)   Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though!

Happy Baking!  ♣

Related:
Super Energy Bars – a.k.a the Best Granola Bars Ever!