%20are%20a%20delicious%20baked%20treat%20commonly%20served%20at%20weddings%20and%20other%20sorts%20of%20celebrations%20in%20Mexico.%20They%E2%80%99re%20a%20yummy%20cookie%20that%20is%20usually%20held%20together%20by%20flour%2C%20butter%2C%20sugar%2C%20and%20nuts.%20This%20recipe%20slots%20in%20almond%20flour%2C%20ghee%2C%20and%20maple%20syrup%20to%20make%20a%20paleo-friendly%20version%20that%20effortlessly%20rivals%20the%20original%20version.){kind=link}
Paleo-Friendly Ingredient Replacements
As Mexican wedding cookies are traditionally made by combining flour, sugar, and butter together, this recipe had to get just a little bit creative with the ingredient changes in order to make it completely paleo-friendly. It all starts by replacing the sugar with raw organic maple syrup. Table sugar is known to be a common source of inflammation within the body. The artificial sweeteners available on store shelves aren’t much healthier either, as they have been linked with a host of unpleasant side effects such as headaches, dizziness, and increased weight gain despite being marketed as low calorie sugar alternatives. (1) Maple syrup is a completely natural sweetening option that’s also nutrient-dense, offering plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The maple syrup is first creamed together with the ghee and vanilla extract. Next, you can gradually blend in the almond flour, which serves as an excellent paleo replacement for wheat flour. Refined wheat flours are another extremely common cause of inflammation. Using almond flour in its place helps to directly lower your risk of disease, as inflammation is the most common link found in deaths caused by the most chronic diseases. (2) It also adds a delightfully sweet and nutty taste to the cookies.
Traditional Mexican Wedding Cookies Made Healthier
Traditional Mexican wedding cookies also include ground nuts, and this is one area that does indeed remain completely paleo-friendly. You can choose to include either finely chopped pecans or walnuts; it’s totally up to you what you’d prefer. Either option will end up giving you a nice amount of healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. By including more of these healthy fats in your diet, you can help to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease, as they help reduce your blood pressure and overall cholesterol levels. (3)
To finish off Mexican wedding cookies, they are usually rolled in confectioner’s sugar. Obviously, that won’t do when following a paleo diet, so this recipe uses coconut flour and coconut sugar instead. After baking the cookies, just let them cool and then roll them in a mixture containing those two ingredients and you’ll be all set to enjoy your own paleo style Mexican wedding cookies.
P.S. – If you’re ever interested in having your own paleo version of a Mexican food dinner night, then you’ll want to check out these great recipes to go along with the wedding cookies:
#1 – Spicy Mexican Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup ghee, softened
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup blanched almond flour
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- pinch of salt
- For rolling
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 3 tbsp coconut flour
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a bowl cream the ghee with maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Gradually blend the almond flour into creamed mixture.
- Fold in the chopped pecans.
- Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Drop by rounded tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- In a bowl combine the coconut sugar and coconut flour.
- Roll the cookies in the coconut sugar mixture and serve.
These are just okay if you’re on a Paleo diet. but nothing like the delicate, light deliciousness of the original (bad for you) version.
I took them out of the oven at 13 minutes and let them cool, but they were still soft. I ended up baking them for at least 20-25 minutes total. They barely got brown around the edges. The recipe does not give any indication of how they should be when taken out of the oven after 10-12 minutes.
As far as sweetness goes, they really didn’t need the extra from rolling them in the coconut sugar/flour mix, but it made them look more finished. Perhaps a bit less maple syrup would fix both issues. Also, I made 1/2 the amount of it and 1/2 was still left. A waste of costly ingredients, especially if you follow the recipe.
I’m not on a Paleo diet right now, although I have been in the past, so I got into the habit of trying to limit bad carbs. In this case I would rather have the non Paleo version.