Mixed Nut Florentines -Lace Cookies are a crisp, delicate, thin cookie and easy to make refined sugar free!
Trying to make recipes that each family member will enjoy for the holidays is not an easy task. Making a variety of choices so that each has their own favorite is how I manage to pull this off. Lots of baking but always worth it in the end, especially when one can make a few trays of a variety of cookies for gift giving to neighbors.
These florentines or lace cookies as they are often referred to, are a favorite of my husband. Super easy to make, but they do take some time to actually harden and crisp up.
Usually made with white refined sugar, these are made with brown rice syrup which is less sweet than even honey and lower on the glycemic index. You can also swap honey for the brown rice syrup and it will work as well. Brown rice syrup is still a type of sugar but only a small amount is used here. At least at the holiday season and cookie swapping you can feel better about indulging in a less refined cookie.
These cookies are very delicate and sticky even after of hour of cooling. Use a clean, thin spatula to remove from the baking sheet to transfer to paper towels. After another 2 hours they will be crisp, still fragile, but light and delicious almost with a maple flavor to them using the rice syrup.
I purposely left my mixed nuts somewhat larger so that my youngest would be able to see them in there and not eat any since he has a nut allergy. Finely chopping the nuts a bit smaller will make them even thinner and crisper. I have a nut free version for my son that he just loves so don't feel too badly for him!
Look at that, so crisp I was even able to balance it on a side of a glass of milk, talent right? NOT, just some good luck right there and I snapped away!
Adapted from Giada's Florentines
Mixed Nut Florentines (Gluten & Refined Sugar) Free}
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed roasted salted nuts, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons gluten free flour
- 1 stick butter
- ¾ cup powdered erythritol
- ⅓ cup brown rice syrup
- ⅓ cup Half & Half or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl stir nuts with flour and set aside.
- In a small sauce pan melt butter, erythritol, brown rice syrup and cream over medium high heat until dissolved and combined well. Bring to a boil and turn off heat.
- Mix into nuts and stir to coat. Set aside.
- Let it cool 15 minutes.
- Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, spoon mounds of mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet a few inches apart form each other as they spread.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool slightly then holding parchment paper ends slide onto a cooling rack for 60 minutes or until completely cool. (They will still be sticky, not crisp yet).
- Carefully using a spatula remove cookies and place onto paper towels.
- Allow another 1-2 hours or until crisp before removing and storing in an airtight container or freezing.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Andrea
These look so yummy! Do you think I could use whey protein and/or almond flour instead of flour?
Helene
I would love the nut free version for my nut allergic sons; I was really excited and then saw this has nuts. Thanks!!
Pat Sheek
Do you think this would work with coconut oil and coconut milk instead of butter and cream? They look heavenly.
Brenda
I'd love for you to try it out and let me know! Maybe cut everything in half and make only half a batch to test it.
Joyce
My issues are more with gluten and dairy, so it should fit the bill completely. 🙂
Joyce
This sounds great! I don't have a sugar issue, though, so I'm wondering if I could just substitute the erythritol for sugar. Would it be the same amount as the erythritol?
Brenda
Yes you could just use the same amount in sugar and reduce the brown rice syrup to 2 tablespoons or replace with molasses.
Joyce
Thank you - they look yummy!
Brenda
thank you
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom
I LOVE this. I just shared on FB for you.
Brenda
Thanks Adrienne!
Karen
These look great! Where can I find powdered erythritol? Is that an artificial sweetener? Thanks!
Brenda
If you click the link in the recipe it will take you directly to the product so you can look it over. You can find it on the shelves of most supermarkets and Whole Foods. It's not artificial like Splenda. It's actually a sugar alcohol and works well in recipes because it provides the bulk needed when table sugar is used. The other option is to find baking stevia to replace the erythritol, but I haven't tried it so not sure how it would work.