Nutrient Dense Girl Scout Cookies?! "Thin Mints"

The post entitled Girl Scout Cookies or Chemicals? that I published last week was by far and away the most viewed since I launched this blog on December 13, 2011. There has been a fair amount of follow up as result. See our conversations on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/nourishingourchildren/posts/324647750903430
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150458846005172

Laura Waldo decided to take on the challenge of creating a relatively nutritious version of the Girl Scout Cookies:

Sandrine, great post! We don’t purchase Girl Scout Cookies, but as a former Scout I do make a donation. I am always up for a baking challenge, and I think it would be fun to try to create a “healthier” version of these cookies … I’ll keep you posted.

Well, Laura did keep me posted!  That very day she created the recipe reprinted with permission below:

Sandrine,

This was my attempt at a healthier version of “Thin Mints”. I (like you) am not a chocolate fan http://nourishingourchildren.wordpress.com/2011/12/17/avoid-chocolate/, but I know so many who are. I served these last night to company and they were a hit, satisfying the chocolate lovers in the crowd. My son who is 8 gave these a two thumbs up rating. These cookies can be made with Chocolate/Cocoa, but I opted to use Carob Powder and Carob Chips … nobody could tell the difference. [Sally Fallon Morell would definitely recommend the carob.]  These cookies are not crispy like the Girl Scout Thin Mints, but they are certainly much more healthy.

The cookies are free of grains since my son has a rare form of Celiac Disease. He was sent home for care and comfort when he was 4 years old, but thanks to people like Tara Rayburn (who introduced me to Weston A. Price), and Pete and Lolin Hilgartner he is alive today and thriving. [I was delighted to read that the folks Laura mentioned are supporters of Nourishing Our Children] Without further adieu, grain free thin mints:

Ingredients:

½ Cup Pastured Butter (unsalted) softened

1 Pastured Egg

¼ Cup Raw Honey (melted if solid)

3/4 Cup Coconut Flour (sifted)

1 teaspoon Non-Aluminum Baking Soda

¼ Cup Organic Carob Powder

1 teaspoon Organic Peppermint Extract or several drops of Young Living Peppermint Essential Oil.

1 ½ Cup of Carob Chips

¼ Cup Pastured Butter (unsalted)

Directions:

Blend together the softened butter and the honey with a hand held mixer.
Add the egg and beat to make a soft batter
Mix in the flour in small increments. You want it to be soft and pliable
Mix in the carob powder until combined and add the peppermint extract/essential oil.
Roll the dough into a log and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice dough from the chilled log approximately ¼ thick and place the rounds on the parchment lined cookie sheet
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 7 – 9 minutes
Let cool completely

Chocolate Coating:

Melt carob chips and butter in a saucepan over low heat.

Dip the cooled cookies into the chocolate with a fork and place each on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper until set. You can also refrigerate the carob covered cookies to speed up the process.

Cookies can be frozen (yum) or kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Pictured above is a photo of Laura’s son Devon, whom she describes as her ”official taste tester of all things healthy”.  While these cookies are most definitely more nutritious that the Girl Scout version being that they contain pastured butter, coconut flour, and pastured eggs – they also contain honey.  So, I would still consider them a treat.

Thank you for this contribution, Laura! Have others taken on the challenge of creating a more nutritious version of Girl Scout Cookies?

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