Double Stuffed Cookies & Cream Pancakes

 

Chocolate.

One  of the many ingredients that makes the world go round. Or at least, our individual worlds.

 

I was so excited when I saw this recipe on Pinterest and I knew I had to do a makeover low-carb version! With a bit of tweaking and inspiration from one of my favorite pancakes recipes it is finally perfected!

 

I am delighted to share this because seriously, who doesn't love a double stuffed chocolate cookie! These pancakes can be served for dessert or breakfast. Or both. They are just that good.

 

 

Just imagine. Curled up in your coziest pajamas. Sunshine coming in through the windows. A cup of coffee steaming. Fork slicing into these tender, moist and ridiculously-indulgent stack of creaminess and chocolate. Oblivious to the craziness of the world around. Just enjoying your moment or pure, guiltless indulgence!

 

Let's talk cream cheese frosting. A pile of it.

 After all. These are DOUBLE stuffed!

I just really love Cream Cheese Frosting and this recipe is a great low-carb one.

Honestly. It tastes perfect to me. Not sickening like the regular version, but with all the other amazing attributes still in tact!

 

I like my Cream Cheese Frosting with a tang so I add a bit more to this recipe but you can decrease it if you want more of a traditional sweet frosting with not much Cream Cheese flavor. You can totally alter what you need to make it right to blow YOUR socks off!

 

More vanilla? Go for it!

More sweetener? No such thing as too sweet, right?  =)

A Tablespoon or two of more or less cream cheese? Try it out!

 

In fact, there's a big romantic holiday right around the corner.

 

And these can easily be turned into

 

Red

 

Velvet

 

Pancakes!

 

 

Is anybody else excited about this prospect?

 

A date night,  or any night,  guilt-free indulgence that won't make you want to run right into your fatty pajamaies!

 

It's okay, we know you're secret. We all have them!  =)

 

You will need quite an immense amount of dye to make this a decent red color because of the quantity of cocoa needed to give these that good chocolate flavor so if you don't really want to experiment in that area you can just add some red food coloring to your frosting and zazz it up that way as well.

 

Or both if you're really feeling sassy!

 

These would also be great served with some fresh red strawberries and maybe a nice red beverage, and if you're man is into meat they go great with bacon!

Who doesn't need some salty and sweet in Love?

Interesting fact: in cooking, a bit of salt is actually the key to bringing out the sweetness in the recipe. So let me just encourage you that those salty times in your relationship

...they are there for a reason...

savor them

they help make the sweetness even more decadent!

 

 

 

I know many people are concerned about willfully ingesting red dye into their bodies after many studies have proven how harmful it is to our health. I'm more along the lines of, once and awhile as a treat is not a problem. However, if you would like to take a more pure approach to color your purty panikers, then I would suggest trying something like homemade beet coloring (scroll to the bottom of the linked post).

 

Is your mouth watering yet?

Because it totally should be.

 

 

The frosting recipe is listed after the pancakes because I like to assemble mine once they are cooled but if you're a warm cookie person you'll probably want to eat these while the frosting melts into the pancakes. I know right! Ah!

Okay I gotta focus.

So if you want to eat them warm mix the frosting up first and then mix and cook the pancakes. If you like them cooled (more like a cupcake) then start with pancakes and then make frosting.

 

 

Double Stuffed Cookies & Cream Pancakes

Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Dairy Free & THM friendly (S)

***

 

4 whole eggs,  yolks & whites, separated

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

3  Tablespoons Truvia (I use homemade)

1/2 tsp. good quality white stevia powder

3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. Salt  (I use Real Salt)

1 & 1/4 cups almond flour,  no clumps

1/4 cup golden flax meal

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup water (give or take a few Tbsps.)

Directions: Separate egg yolks and white into 2 medium mixing bowls. Whip whites with an electric mixer on high until they are stiff enough to hold their peaks when the beaters are pulled out. (Beaters should be turned out to perform this test.) Set whites aside. Proceed to whisk yolks and add vanilla, Truvia, stevia, cocoa and salt. Whip until a bit thickened and frothy. Be careful with the cocoa at first, it's light and powdery so it will erupt if it's not mixed in gently for the first few strokes. Now add almond flour, flax meal, baking soda and baking power. Mix with a spoon or spatula instead of whisk. This should be very thick. Start by adding the 1/2 cup tepid water a bit at a time and stirring in slowly or it will splash. Mix until the whole amount has been incorporated. Now gently fold in the stiff egg whites. If the batter still doesn't seem loose enough you can fold in another 1-2 Tablespoon of water. I find 1/2 cup to be about perfect every time.

Cook your batter on a non-stick griddle. Make them any size you like. (Sorry I'm not a super specific cook. I'm totally into eyeballing things.) You know they are ready to flip when little bubbles appear on top. Since the batter is brown you can't go by color as they don't get nice and golden like regular pancakes. You should start to smell them cooking a bit and there should be at least 5 bubbles on the top before you flip them. Basically , a nice crust should have developed. This takes between 1-2 minutes depending on how hot you have your griddle. I recommend setting it at 350, this would be the highest you would want to go for pancakes. Flip them and cook for about half the time on the other side. You're going for more of moist cupcake feel here, not dry and cookie - like. It takes practice but you can always leave them on the griddle a bit longer if need be, you can't moisten them up after they'd dried out. So test as you go and you may have to take a nibble or two just to be certain. It's okay, we won't snitch on you!   ;)

After that batch is cooked, lay them out on a plate in a single layer. Cover that layer with paper towel and then layer again if need be.

I got 11 pancakes out of this recipe. And mine were decently sized, as you can see!

 

Now, it's time to assemble.

Take your cooled pancakes and your fluffy frosting and arrange in any manner and ratio that suits you best! Eat guilt free indulgence that feels so sinful but is far from it!

THM S serving size, I would recommend no more than 3 at a sitting. Pair with some breakfast meat and coffee if more is desired to round out the course.

 

Double Stuff Cream Cheese Frosting

Low Carb, Gluten Free, THM Friendly (S) 

Not Dairy Free 

(for a Dairy Free frosting option go here and just use same sweetener option as listed below for low carb or THM)

 

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, softened

5 ounces Cream Cheese (1/3 less fat will also work well) room temperature

6 Tablespoons powdered Truvia

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Directions: The first step is to take out the butter and cream cheese to soften and come to room temperature. If you forgot to do this (like I often do) you can soften it in the microwave on the lowest defrost setting and watch it carefully. You want it softened but not cooked!

Secondly, let's make some powdered Truvia. In your coffee grinder, Majic/Baby Bullet or whatever small high powered blender you have pour in about 1/2 cup granulated Truvia, pre-bought or homemade, whatever your preference. Grind until it turns into a powder like powdered sugar. This may take anywhere from 2-5 minutes depending on your device. It should come out like powder but it may not be perfect smooth depending on how much power your blender has.

I often do this in large batches and then keep it in an air tight container for later use since it can be inconvient to grind it up every time you need it.

Now, in a medium mixing bowl blend butter until it's a bit fluffy. Break cream cheese into smaller chunks and add to the butter. Mix until well incorporated. Add 4 Tablespoons powdered Truvia and vanilla extract. Mix well until light and fluffy. Taste. If more sweetness is desired add the other 2 Tablespoons sweetener and mix again. Frosting is finished and ready to go!

 

 

If you're in the mood for some more guiltless treats for the weekend or are just a Red Velvet lover you can check out these Red Velvet Cake Truffles a brand new recipe posted by my friend Carolyn over at at All Day I Dream About Food. She is a creator of many amazing recipes that consistently blow my tastebuds out of the water! She finds a way to make healthy taste insanely delicious! You won't miss a thing making her recipes!

 

What do you think of this recipe? Any questions or comments please let me know! I always love hearing from my readers!

<3  Maiden Princess