Low-FODMAP Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

Low-FODMAP Thumbprint Cookie Recipe (gluten free, egg free)

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I love making Christmas cookies, and there's no need to give 'em up just because you're following a special diet. 

But these cookies aren't just low-FODMAP. They're better for you health-wise too. Here are all the reasons why you should add them to your cookie tray:

• They're incredibly easy - Just 5 ingredients (plus salt!)

• They're made with nutrient-packed almond meal, not flour

• They're low in sugar

• They're low-FODMAP, gluten-free and egg-free

• They stay soft and tender for a few days (thanks to that almond meal), but they also freeze great

Convinced? Sure you are...on to the recipe!

>>> Psst! New to FODMAP? Click here to get started with the FREE 7-Day FODMAP Jumpstart so you can relieve IBS fast!

Low-FODMAP Almond Thumbprint Cookies (gluten free, egg free)

Adapted from this recipe by King Arthur Flour. 
A low-FODMAP serving of almonds is 12 grams, and the whole recipe uses 96 grams. King Arthur makes a super-fine almond flour, and if you use that the cookies will have a shortbread-like texture. Since I had almond meal on hand - and it's easier to find - that's what I used and it works great.

Makes 12 cookies - Recipe may be doubled
(1 serving=1 cookie)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (96 grams) almond flour
3 1/2 tbsp  (49 g) unsalted butter, at room temp
3 tbsp (25 g) powdered sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tsp strawberry jam

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Add add all ingredients except jam to the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed until a cohesive dough forms (or mix by hand).

3. Scoop heaping teaspoons of dough and roll into 1 1/4-inch balls. Arrange on prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 to 2-inches apart.

4. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each ball of dough. Fill with 1/4 tsp jam (overfilling cookies will cause jam to boil over in the oven).

5. Bake 9 to 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies feel just set. Cookies will not brown much.

6. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely before serving. Cookies keep at room temperature for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 weeks; defrost at room temp.

Want more EASY holiday treats? Check these out!

Orange-Pecan Cookies (low-FODMAP, gluten-free)

Fudgy One-Bowl Brownies (low-FODMAP, gluten-free)

Orange-Pecan Cookies (Low-FODMAP, Gluten-Free)

Orange-Pecan Cookies (Low-FODMAP, Gluten-Free)

If you think being on a low-FODMAP diet means you'll miss out on all the food-related traditions that go along with the holidays, don't worry.

It's a myth.

In fact, you don't have to miss out on any of them. You might not be eating the exact same foods you did in years past, but that is okay.

As you learn new cooking techniques and try more low-FODMAP recipes, it will get easier to fill your kitchen with food that doesn't leave you feeling restricted and fulfills the spirit of your holiday traditions.

These cookies are the perfect place to start. Let me just stop here for a second and be really blunt: I love them. I'm usually not that impressed with health-ified desserts, but this is a major exception. 

Here's why these cookies are awesome:

• The orange zest gives them incredible flavor.

• They have just a few ingredients, which equals minimal effort and minimal mess.

• Pecans. Toasted pecans.

 If you're like me and think Christmas is a wasted without a lot of cookie baking, then you need this recipe! And if you're the chief baker and think people won't be able to cope if you don't make the same cookies you've made every year, I think you might be wrong. At the very least, throw a few new recipes at them and give them a chance to be heroic. You never know. :-)

Orange-Pecan Cookies (Low-FODMAP, Gluten Free)

These easy cookies are totally grain free, which helps them stay soft in the center and chewy at the edges. The flavor of the orange zest is the star. To get finely grated zest, I use this microplane grater.

Author: Julie-Calm Belly Kitchen             Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 25 mins (plus chilling)        Cook time: 15 mins        Total time: 40 mins
Makes 28 to 30 cookies (1 serving = 2 cookies)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (225 grams) pecans
2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated sugar
2 large or extra large egg whites
Zest of 1 naval orange
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract (optional)
½ tsp sea salt
Cooking spray or shortening

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread pecans on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake until fragrant and lightly toasted, 7 to 8 minutes, stirring them around about halfway through. Cool completely. You can do this ahead of time. If I'm not using them within a couple days, I keep them in the freezer so they stay fresh.

2. Add the cooled pecans (they must be cool or they'll get pasty) and sugar to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse several times until finely chopped with a chunky, slightly sandy texture.

3. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, orange zest, extracts and salt. Add pecan mixture and stir until combined. Refrigerate until completely chilled, 90 minutes to 2 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 350F and position racks in upper and lower thirds. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and grease the parchment with cooking spray or shortening. Scoop heaping teaspoons of batter onto parchment about 2 inches apart. You should get 28 to 30 cookies.

5. Bake until cookies are puffed and just set in the center, 13 to 15 minutes. Switch position of the baking sheets up and down and back to front about halfway through. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Adapted from this recipe at Self Magazine.

Nutrition Information
For 1 cookie of 28:  Calories: 76 Fat: 6g Saturated fat: 1g Carbohydrates: 6g Sugar:  5g Sodium: 45mg Fiber: 1g Protein: 1g

Products linked in this post are affiliate links. It doesn’t cost you any extra, but I earn a small commission if you decide to purchase. I only recommend products that I personally use and/or genuinely recommend, and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart. 

Fudgy One-Bowl Brownies (Low-FODMAP, Gluten Free)

Fudgy One-Bowl Brownies (Low-FODMAP, Gluten Free)

These brownies are rich and fudgy.

You can make them in one bowl. And they have those perfect shiny tops we all want our brownies to have.

So what else is there? They're low-FODMAP and gluten free!

Brownies are easily my favorite homemade dessert. Because chocolate. The moist, fudgy-style brownies I love call for very little flour, so subbing in a gluten-free variety is a cinch. In this recipe, I used the King Arthur Multi-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour blend. You need less than 1/2 cup.

Another key ingredient is cocoa powder, which lets you get it all done in one bowl. Instead of melting solid chocolate on the stovetop or in the microwave, you just mix the cocoa in with the butter and sugar.

There is plenty of satisfying chocolate flavor in these brownies already, but I have always, always loved chocolate chips in my brownies. In this recipe, 3/4 cup is plenty, and that amount keeps you well under the 30g low-FODMAP serving size for dark chocolate.

These are traditional, indulgent brownies

Be aware of portion size if eating a lot of dietary fat sets off your digestive symptoms. It also helps to pair a rich dessert like this with a low-fat meal.

You can also leave out the chocolate chips--they're totally optional, and the brownies are great without them. Skipping them might be a good idea if you're doing the elimination phase so you don't risk an upset stomach.

Since my birthday is this week, I went all out with the chocolate.

The low-FODMAP diet may be restrictive, especially in the early stages, but it's not a deprivation diet. I think it helps to have treats we love that still fit in with our goals. I'm also the biggest believer of indulging in moderation. Which is really helpful when you have a sweet tooth.

What are your favorite low-FODMAP treats? With the holidays coming, I'm looking for great cookie recipes, so send 'em my way!

Fudgy One-Bowl Brownies (Low-FODMAP, Gluten Free)

Adapted from Bittersweet by Alice Medrich and Smitten Kitchen

If you want to add the optional chocolate chips, I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet, but I also like the Enjoy Life brand for dairy free chips. An equal amount of chopped walnuts or pecans would be great too. If you're in the elimination phase I recommend skipping the chips and nuts, especially if your belly is sensitive to fat. These brownies are still amazing! 

Author: Julie-Calm Belly Kitchen             Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 15 mins        Cook time: 32 mins        Total time: 47 mins
Serves 12 to 16

INGREDIENTS

250 grams (1 1/4 cups) granulated sugar
140 g (10 tbsp) unsalted butter
65 g (2/3 cup) Dutch process or "dark" cocoa powder
1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
65 g (1/4 cup plus 2 1/2 tbsp) gluten free flour blend with no gums, such as King Arthur Multi Purpose
125 to 140g (2/3 to 3/4 cup) dark chocolate chips/chunks (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 8 x 8-inch baking pan (I used a light-colored metal pan) with nonstick foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on 2 opposite sides. 

2. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine the sugar, butter, cocoa, espresso powder if using, and salt. Microwave in 20 to 30-second bursts, stirring each time, until butter is melted. Stir until combined (mixture will be very grainy). Stir in the vanilla. 

3. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until combined after each one. Stir until the batter is thick and shiny. Add the flour and stir until thoroughly combined and no white streaks remain. Stir in chips if using. Spread evenly in prepared pan. 

4. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a moist crumbs, 30 to 34 minutes (mine took 32). The top should be puffed and shiny and the brownies pulling away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into 12 or 16 brownies. For a perfectly clean cut, put the cooled brownies into the refrigerator or freezer until cold (don't freeze completely). For storage, these freeze really well. You can wrap individual brownies in plastic wrap and store in a ziploc bag. Defrost at room temperature.

Nutrition Information (Cut into 12 brownies and using 125 g of chocolate chips)
Serving size: 1/12 of recipe  Calories: 267 Fat: 16g Saturated fat: 9g Carbohydrates: 33g Sugar:  25g Sodium: 195mg Fiber: 2g Protein: 2g
 

Lemon Bars with Almond Shortbread Crust (Gluten free, low-FODMAP)

Lemon Bars with Almond Shortbread Crust (Gluten free, low-FODMAP)

You know those desserts that are just pure nostalgia? Yours might be Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, rice krispy treats, pumpkin pie. For me, it's lemon bars. 

When I started getting hired as a recipe developer, one of the first recipes I created for Shape magazine was a twist on lemon bars (Citrus Squares with less fat and sugar--but still super-yummy!).

Eventually, I created an ultra-lemony version for my old food blog that I called, "Lemon Lovers' Lemon Bars." Cute, huh? I try to make them at least once a year. A firm favorite for sure.

Crusty Conundrum

If you've never tried this classic, summery dessert, here's the deal: Lemon bars are the easy, short-cut version of a lemon tart, and that tart crust most definitely isn't low-FODMAP.

So, here's what I did to make the crust for my lemon bars low in FODMAPs, gluten free and possibly even better than the traditional version. I used almond meal to make a base that is crisp-tender and more flavorful than a dough made with white, all-purpose flour. 

Magic (aka sweet rice flour) to the rescue

The almond meal is the main ingredient, but the real magic comes from sweet rice flour. This the stuff that's made from short-grain sticky rice--the kind in your sushi. It is also known as glutinous rice flour (even though it is gluten free!), and sometimes goes by the name "mochiko."

Sweet rice flour keeps baked goods really tender, but it's also a great binder (think sticky rice)! This is amazing because it helps hold gluten free flours together without making the texture too chewy (you know, so chewy that your jaw is tired by the time you're done eating?).

The lemon filling is usually thickened with all-purpose flour, but the sweet rice flour does the job in my recipe.

When I used to make my old recipe, I'd always worry so much about over baking that filling; the edges get tough if you cook it too long. But guess what? That doesn't happen with sweet rice flour. The edges of the bars are just as soft and luscious as the center.

For me, this is huge.

Holler back!

Have you had lemon bars before? How long has it been? And do you do much baking with sweet rice flour? Share your recipes and tips in the comments. I read every one!

Lemon Bars with Almond Shortbread Crust (Low-FODMAP, Gluten-Free)

With a tender almond meal crust and VERY lemony filling, these are bars make for an irresistible casual dessert.
Author: Julie~Calm Belly Kitchen             Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 20 mins        Cook time: 40 mins        Total time: 1 hour (plus cooling)
Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

For crust:
Butter for the pan
105 g almond meal (3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp)
50 g sweet rice flour (1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)
38 g powdered sugar (1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)
½ tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (84 g)

For filling:
150 g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
28 g sweet rice flour (2 tbsp plus 2 tsp sweet rice flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp plus 2 tsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1/2 cup lemon juice (from about 3 to 4 lemons) 

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 325F. Line an 8 x 8-inch (2 quart) metal baking pan with nonstick foil, leaving some hanging over the sides so you can lift the finished bars out of the pan. Lightly butter the foil (you can also use parchment paper, or just butter the pan really well!). 

Make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond meal, sweet rice flour, powdered sugar and salt. Add melted butter and stir until combined. Transfer to prepared baking pan and press into an even layer. Bake until the edges are just barely golden (center will still be pale), 20 to 24 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Wipe out the bowl you used to mix up the crust ingredients. Add the sugar, sweet rice flour and salt and whisk until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add to the bowl with the sugar mixture and stir until combined. Pour over the hot crust. Return to oven and bake until the filling is just set in the center, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into 12 bars. Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to 1 day or in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

NOTE: Baking time is for a light-colored metal pan. Dark-colored pans may require a shorter baking time.

Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1/12 of recipe  Calories: 197 Fat: 11g Saturated fat: 4g Carbohydrates: 23g Sugar:  16g Sodium: 202mg Fiber: 1g Protein: 3g