Healthy amaranth cookies (gluten free, dairy free and egg free) made with amaranth flour, naturally sweetened with dried figs and rolled up into pretty pinwheel cookies. These amaranth cookies are not overly sweet and are safe for those with food allergies.
Vegan Amaranth Cookies: An Allergy Friendly Recipe
These amaranth cookies are another one of those allergy friendly recipes that can be healthy, tasty and appealing to kids, they’re: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, refined sugar free, peanut-free, soy free and vegan.
Plus these amaranth cookies are easy and fun to prepare!
Baking gluten free and without dairy and eggs is not simple especially when you want to use only healthy wholesome ingredients.
But It’s possible, you don’t have to use xanthan gum, fancy egg replacers, refined sugars or artificial colors to obtain good looking pinwheel cookies.
And guess what, my toddler loves these amaranth cookies.
How These Amaranth Pinwheel Cookies Came to Light
When it comes to the taste and texture, these gluten free, vegan pinwheel cookies are naturally sweet (due to dried figs), sort of buttery (fat from coconut cream) and slightly crumbly.
You could add a pinch of cinnamon as well for the smell, otherwise the vanilla works just fine.
First when I thought about making pinwheel cookies I didn’t know that these amaranth cookies will come out so good.
Since these amaranth cookies have non-traditional ingredients, the chance that they will crumble was really high.
So I had to make sure there is enough fat (that’s not coming from dairy), binding properties (that’s not from eggs) plus a nice taste and texture (that’s not from gluten).
Amaranth Cookie Batter
The dough is pretty similar to the one I made for these Gluten Free Dairy Free Egg Free Cut Out Christmas Cookies with only a few flour changes.
I used coconut cream (I didn’t want to use the highly processed “vegan butter”), flax seeds and a blend of gluten free flours (amaranth + oat + cassava) to make this amaranth cookie batter.
First, I combined with a hand mixer – the coconut cream, stevia extract powder, vanilla extract and salt. Then I added the flax seeds (ground) and mixed again to incorporate (so they absorb the liquid from the cream). Then I added the flours, baking soda, the lemon juice and mixed again.
Then I used my hands to knead the dough, flattened it into a disk, between two sheets of parchment paper. Topped with fig filing and rolled up the amaranth cookie dough into a log. The last step: cut it into pinwheels and bake!
Vegan Amaranth Cookies With Fig Filling
For the filling you could use any fruit jam in this recipe, but I opted for a raw homemade fig jam, it has no added sugar or preservatives.
There is no cooking involved here, all you have to do is soak some dried figs and blend them in a food processor. You can add some lemon juice if you want otherwise it’s delicious as it is!
Why Amaranth Flour Cookies
- Most of my baked goods are usually made with gluten free flours like oat flour, tigernut flour or rice flour, hence I wanted some diversity. And since amaranth has twice the calcium as milk and is a rich source of bio-available protein, I decided to use it more often.
- In terms of texture, amaranth flour makes a great alternative to white flour, especially when baking gluten-free.
- Amaranth has a high nutritional value (rich in magnesium, zinc and iron). It is high in fiber and protein.
- It has higher calcium than most other grains.
- Amaranth has a low glycemic index value, which is great for diabetics when consumed in moderation.
Tips for Making These Amaranth Fig Cookies
- When using amaranth flour in baked goods, you can substitute 10% to 40% of the regular flour with amaranth flour.
- The other change you need to make to the recipe is a slight increase in water.
- Add a starchy flour in order to bind everything together better.
See the video below for further instructions in how to make these swirl amaranth cookies without gluten, dairy or eggs.
Amaranth + Fig Swirl Cookies – Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Eggless (Vegan), Refined Sugar Free
Ingredients
Fig Filling
- 16 dried figs , soaked - (organic, preservative free)
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tsp vanilla extract - (organic)
- 1 lemon wedge - (juice)
- ½ Cup walnuts - (organic), optional
Amaranth Cookie Batter:
- 1 Cup coconut cream ( without the water)
- Pinch of stevia extract powder
- ⅛ Tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract - (organic)
- ¼ Cup ground flax seeds - (organic)
- 1 Cup amaranth flour
- ½ Cup oat flour - (gluten free, organic)
- ⅓ Cup cassava flour - (organic)
- ½ Tsp baking Soda
- ½ Tsp lemon juice
Instructions
To Make the Fig Filling
- First soak your figs for at least 2 hours, prior to making the dough.
- Add dried figs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, the lemon juice and blend in a food processor. Add 1 Tbsp of water if the mixture is too dry.
To Make The Amaranth Cookie Batter
- In bowl, beat together with a hand mixer: the coconut cream, stevia extract powder, vanilla extract and salt. Add the flax seeds (ground) and mix again to incorporate (they will absorb the liquid from the cream). Mix until creamy then add the flours, baking soda, the lemon juice and mix again.
- When crumbs start to form, use your hands to knead the dough for 1 – 2 minutes until the dough forms.
- Divide dough in half and shape into two balls. Wrap each one in plastic wrap. Let dough rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- When ready, flatten the dough ball into a disk. Place the disk between two sheets of parchment paper on a flat surface and use a rolling pin to roll out into an ⅛” thickness, and the shape of a rectangle. No need to be precise, you can cut the uneven wedges at the end.
- Remove the top layer of parchment paper. Top with half the fig mixture, covering dough with thin layer.
- Roll up dough into log. Use the bottom sheet of parchment paper to lift and roll the dough up. Place in fridge to chill for 1 hour. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
To Bake These Amaranth + Fig Pinwheel Cookies
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. When the dough is chilled, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using sharp knife, slice the log approx. a ¼” thick circles. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 30 minutes. I bake them at a higher temperature (380F) because I like my cookies, golden brown and not dry. Usually baked goods made with gluten free flours end up dry and cracked if cooked at lower temperatures.
- Remove the pinwheel cookies from oven and place on cooling rack to cool completely.
Video
Amaranth Cookies (Fig Pinwheels) – Gluten & Dairy free, Eggless, Refined Sugar Free
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6d5iwGHV0I[/embedyt]Notes
Recommended Products
Amaranth Flour
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Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
If you really want to make healthier food choices and bake healthier desserts then you should try these amaranth cookies (fig swirls) – they make a wonderful gluten free / dairy free treat that even kids will love.
If you make this recipe, I’d like to hear from you! Leave a comment or snap a photo and share it on Instagram with the tag #healthytasteoflife.
More Cookie Recipes:
Healthy Oatmeal Cookies With Blueberries And Peach (Eggless, GF, DF, V) Recipe
Vegan Oatmeal Cookies With Applesauce – 4 Ways | GF
Carol
Saturday 22nd of December 2018
I love pinwheel cookies, and I love them even more when they are made with healthy ingredients, the amaranth flour and the fig jam is a wonderful idea. Thank you for sharing!
HealthyTasteOfLife
Saturday 22nd of December 2018
Thank you Carol, I hope you like them!
Rea Rufer
Friday 23rd of November 2018
I like your awesome website design and your food content. I am a cook and enjoy cooking and baking on the weekend when time allows me to make cakes.
HealthyTasteOfLife
Sunday 25th of November 2018
Thank you, I'm glad you stopped by :)