Gluten Free Clouds of Cardamom

I was invited to a Ladies Holiday Tea at Alice’s home. She asked all of us to bring a favorite batch of holiday treats to share. I will have to say I was a little stressed because since Josh and I have gone gluten free I haven’t made very many cookie recipes. I have had a lot of success with almond flour. Most of the things I have baked have been a hit around here. Since I’m really not a baker, or I should say baking requires more attention to detail than I’m willing to give it. I was left racking my brain for what to bring.

Then I remembered a cookie recipe that I’ve made a few times from Padma Lashmi’s Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet and I decide that this was the perfect opportunity to make it GAPS friendly as possible.

The first batch I made I used 1/3 ghee and 2/3 coconut oil and I didn’t use the coconut flour. I thought it was a little on the flat side. When made with wheat flour these cookies are a little more like mexican wedding cookies. I discussed with Colleen to see what she thought. We both thought that the oil was making it flatten since the almond flour has it own oils and doesn’t absorb the way wheat flour does.

On the batch I brought to the party I used 1.5 cups of blanched flour and .5 cup of almond meal from Trader Joe’s. You could use any combination of the almond flours. I don’t think you have to have the coconut flour, which you can pick up at Whole Foods, but if you don’t I would use a little less ghee. Experiment and let me know what you come up with.

I peel green cardamom and powder it in a coffee grinder. I find that the flavor is fresh and more aromatic than when you buy pre-ground powder, but each his/her own.

If you wanted to make this fully GAPS friendly you could dust in dried honey powder instead. It’s on the expensive side, but it may be worth it. You could also make these vegan by using only coconut oil, just use a little less.

Ingredient Resources: Blanched Almond Flour, Coconut Flour