While on my journey of creating a healthy lifestyle for myself, I was craving and trying to find a cleaner cookie recipe I liked. Unfortunately, I cannot remember where I got the recipe from, I looked it up 8 years ago and was hooked!! But I want to share it with you all!
PRO-TIP: if you want to learn about the benefits of sweet potatoes, keep reading! If you just want the recipe, scroll down to the bottom ????
Here is a healthier take on a classic sweet treat. What’s the secret ingredient? SWEET POTATOES! Yep, you read that right. Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are starchy, sweet-tasting root vegetables. They have a thin, brown skin on the outside with colored flesh inside – they can be orange in color (those more commonly known as ‘yams’), but other varieties are white, purple or yellow. You can eat sweet potatoes whole or peeled, and the leaves of the plant are edible too!
While both the white and sweet are both called ‘potatoes’ they are not actually related. Botanically, the sweet potato is part of the morning glory family.
- scientifically identified as “convolvulaceae” for their floral vines and tubular roots
Where the white potato is part of the nightshade family.
- scientifically identified as “solanaceae” for their alternate leaves, usually five-petaled flowers and many-seeded fruits
Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber (which can aid in proper digestion) and contains a variety of vitamins and minerals including: iron, calcium and selenium. They’re a good source of most of our B vitamins along with vitamin C. They are also high in a particular antioxidant known as beta-carotene (what gives vegetables and fruits their yellow/orange pigment) which converts to vitamin A once consumed. Vitamin A is needed for many processes in your body including:
- maintaining healthy vision
- ensuring the normal function of your immune system and organs
- aiding the proper growth and development of babies in the womb
- Too much Vitamin A (mainly from taking too many supplements) can be toxic, but being able to convert beta-carotene into Vitamin A in the body is essential
With all that said, here’s the recipe! All you need are a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup boiled, mashed sweet potato (‘yam’)
- 1/2 cup organic brown sugar (can substitute with coconut sugar or maple sugar)
- 1 large egg (I use organic, free range)
- 1/4 cup avocado oil (can substitute with coconut oil)
- 3 tsp bourbon vanilla extract (I like vanilla hehe)
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt (I use Celtic salt/sea salt)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (I use Lily’s baking chips)
Directions:
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whip together the sweet potato, sugar, egg, avocado/coconut oil and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Step 3: Next, mix the almond flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into the wet mixture. Then fold in the chocolate chips. Dough will be very sticky. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
- Step 4: With a spoon, place the dough in even, round scoops on the cookie sheet. Gently flatten the top of each cookie (they won’t spread like traditional cookies). Option to top with sea salt before placing in oven.
- Step 5: Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes (once it has reached 350° F). Cookies will be very soft right out of the oven, so allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Once cooled, they are ready to eat!!
This recipe can make 12 cookies per batch (I can usually get 2 batches with one large yam)
Side note: These cookies are very soft and leftovers are best stored in the refrigerator. Hope you enjoy!
