I'm wanting to make some Christmas cookies to take to DD and SIL's that SIL can eat. I'm going to substitute either ground almonds or coconut flour for the wheat flour, but he's also off dairy. Has anyone tried with coconut oil? Can you actually cream coconut oil with a sweetener the same way you you can butter? Am I doomed to use <gasp> margarine?

Don't use margarine - it usually has whey (dairy) in it anyway. We use a wonderful product that is clarified butter (ghee). It's very pure and has no potential allergens in it - my throat closes when I have dairy and I am fine with it because the proteins are removed. This is the one -- http://www.amazon.com/Organic-Ghee-...92616204&sr=8-8. If you add salt, it tastes just like salted butter in recipes. If you leave salt out, it tastes just like unsalted butter.

If you don't have time to get something like that, we have baked with coconut oil, but you might consider making cookies that are natural gluten and dairy free. Macaroons are great! Another option is flourless peanut butter cookies made with peanut butter, egg, baking soda and sugar.

You could use coconut oil too.

Thanks ladies ... I'll give it a try with coconut oil. I wasn't sure if it would cream with the sweetener the same way butter does, but if you both say it works, I'll go for it!

Thanks again!

This is the part that I think will not work. I think you should start with a recipe that calls for almond flour or coconut flour already. There are plenty here, or you could could look at the blog for "lcstudent", a member here.

I guess I wasn't clear on that part ... I AM starting with tested recipes as far as the "flour" part goes, and yes! I love Lauren's site ... she's a real gem for we low-carbers!!

By the way, it has recently been pointed out that different brands of coconut flour have wildly varying nutritional counts!! That gets scary ....

I know right.. I need to post something on my blog about what band I use.. I feel horrible for those that make and it does not turn out.