Paleo Pumpkin Cookie Bites

Try making these paleo pumpkin cookie bites for a healthy cookie alternative!

A couple of years ago our family started to take a closer look at what we were eating. Digestive issues, fatigue, and a pattern of less than healthy eating habits were the norm in our house, and we knew that needed to change. Enter paleo. While the concept is fairly well known now, a couple of years ago, before it had reached is currently level of popularity, I stumbled across an instagram account devoted to the paleo diet. This account introduced me to what paleo was, and how to start incorporating it into what we ate.

One size fits all

Now, let me put the caveat out there that I don’t believe in a one size fits all approach to healing your body through food, I think we are all made differently and each of us has to figure out what works best for our health and family. That being said, paleo was a huge chunk of the clean eating puzzle for us. Here is a good basic definition of paleo if you’re wondering what it’s all about. Starting was definitely the hardest part, but once we got some basic meals down, we started to expand our recipe repertoire.

The biggest change I’ve noticed throughout this journey is our tolerance for sugar. When you stop eating the overly sweet, artificial foods that you’re use to (especially candy and desserts), your tastes change – suddenly everything is just too sweet, too saccharin. While the options for paleo cookies and desserts at the store has exploded over the past couple of years, sometimes it’s still fun to bake your own. Below is a basic paleo cookie recipe adapted for the fall season by adding some pumpkin. Because pumpkin makes everything better, amiright?

Paleo Pumpkin Cookie Bites Recipe

• 2 cups almond flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 3 tbsp pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup maple syrup (or honey)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup cinnamon
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin spice powder. In a separate small bowl, whisk together coconut oil, pumpkin puree, syrup, vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to dry. Mix together until wet, and sticky. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes (this allows the dough to get a little more sticky and firm). In a small ball, mix cinnamon and coconut sugar. Form dough balls that are about 2 inches in diameter, roll dough into cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes (depending on oven and thickness of cookies). Cookies bites should feel firm on the top, but may be soft in the middle. They will continue to get firmer once out of the oven. Cool completely on the cookie sheet.

Enjoy!