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Sourced from: Infinite Health Blog, by Dr. Davis, originally posted on the Wheat Belly Blog: 2012-08-16
If you miss peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, you’re going to absolutely love these peanut butter and jelly macaroons!
Not everybody loves the taste or texture of coconut. This issue is solved by the first step: toasting shredded coconut, then reducing them down to a granular consistency. This yields a macaroon consistency without the dominant coconut taste, replaced instead with the flavors of PB & J.
I’ve specified liquid stevia as the sweetener, but this is easily replaced by your choice of sweetener. Note that, regardless of which sweetener used, they vary in sweetness from brand to brand and the quantity required to equal the ½ cup of sugar equivalent can vary. It always helps to taste your batter and adjust sweetness.
Also, I used Swerve in this recipe, the erythritol-inulin mix that enhances texture, but its use is optional. (A good replacement would be Trader Joes inulin-based stevia powder.)
As written, each macaroon contains just over 3 grams “net” carbohydrates (total carbs minus fiber), meaning you can have several before doing any damage!
Makes 24 macaroons
3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract ¼ cup coconut flour ¼ cup dried unsweetened cherries (or other unsweetened berries) 2 tablespoons coconut oil ¼ cup natural peanut butter, room temperature 2 egg whites ½ teaspoon liquid stevia or sweetener equivalent to ½ cup sugar 2 tablespoons Swerve
Preheat oven to 300°F.
In large bowl, combine coconut, vanilla and almond extracts, and mix.
Spread mixture on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very lightly browned. Be careful not to burn. Remove and cool. (Leave oven at 300°F.)
When cooled, using food chopper, food processor, or coffee grinder, pulse coconut mixture until coconut reduced to consistency of coffee grounds. Pour back into bowl. Stir in coconut flour.
Place cherries or other berries in food chopper, food processor, or coffee grinder and pulse until reduced to small granules or paste. Remove with spatula and add to coconut mixture. Set aside.
Place egg whites in bowl and whip until frothy and stiff peaks form.
In small microwave-safe bowl, combine coconut oil and peanut butter and microwave in 10-second increments until warm (not hot) liquid. Stir in egg whites, followed by stevia and Swerve, and blend thoroughly.
Dispense dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet using a 1½-inch cookie scooper or spoons.
Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.