Gelatin as an egg substitute
I’ve been experimenting with gelatin as an egg substitute for about a year, since I posted my Chewy Ginger Cookies. I love those cookies, but they contain ground sunflower seeds which don’t agree with my digestive tract. Also, I prefer not to bake with nut/seed flours due to their anti-nutrient properties.
This recipe is also partly inspired by Jennifer’s Silky Banana Bread Bites, which also use gelatin instead of eggs. I was also inspired by the guest post I shared two weeks ago for autoimmune paleo lemon cookies that also feature a gelatin egg substitute.
These not-too-sweet cookies provide a welcomed treat on a very restricted diet such as the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol, which I follow and recommend. I know how much of a comfort it is to eat any type of baked good on this healing protocol!
About the ingredients
Gelatin – Gelatin acts as the binder in this recipe and provides the chewy texture. You must use gelatin, another egg substitute will not work as I designed this recipe specifically around the gelatin. I prefer to use this gelatin from grassfed cows. Due to its amino acid profile, gelatin is uniquely healthful and supports balanced hormones (read about the benefits of gelatin here).
Coconut flour – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – coconut flour is my favorite flour! This grain free flour absorbs a considerable amount of liquid, so only a small amount of the flour is required in this recipe.
Arrowroot flour – A small amount of arrowroot flour, also called arrowroot powder, helps bind the cookies and keeps them from getting too sticky. I’ve made the recipe without the arrowroot flour before and it works okay, but the texture is not as good.
- 2 medium well-spotted bananas, mashed (about ¾ cup mashed)
- 2 Tbs. water for a not-very-sweet cookie OR 2 Tbs. maple syrup
- 2 Tbs. dry gelatin, I like this grassfed gelatin
- 30 grams (1/4 cup) coconut flour - use a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurement
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. arrowroot flour, which you can find here
- Preheat the oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Stir together the mashed bananas, dry gelatin and water OR maple syrup in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Let sit for another 5 minutes.
- Roll the dough into balls and flatten into ¼ inch thick cookies. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden around the edges.
- Cool at least 30 minutes before removing cookies from the parchment-lined baking sheets (otherwise, the cookies will tear).
- These chewy cookies are best consumed the day they are made however you can store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for a day or so.
These are amazing! I’ve made them using bananas, sweet potato puree and apple puree and all have been equally delicious. I don’t use the sweetener if I use banana, but with the apple and sweet potato I add a touch of sweetener. If you’re like me and tend to be scrambling to prep a few meals ahead of time then these work really well as a quick breakfast on the go (quality protein, fiber, natural sugars). I’ve made a big batch before and stored in an airtight container and enjoyed for breakfast for 2-3 days. Like Lauren says, these are definitely best enjoyed the day they are made, but they are still edible for a few days after if you’re okay with a soft cookie.
These look great! Could I use a flax egg instead of the gelatin? i don’t have it on hand.
I’ve never baked with gelatin before – can the dough be made in advance and frozen or refrigerated?
Has anyone successfully substitutes coconut flour? I wish I could digest it. No guesses here as I know what options are out ther but whether they work is another story. Coconut flour absorbed a lot of liquids so not easy to subsitute. Anyone? 🙂 I have a small bit of expensive tigernut flour I’d like to try in a cookie but don’t want to waste it with a fail.
Thank you for this recipe, i love these!!
you are such a brave girl and I am really proud of you!
regarding your medical condition and skipping all grains from diet, have u ever tried sprouted seeds flour? I mean, may be your entire problem is the poor digestion and absorption of phytic acid that normally protect the seeds and once you get rid of it by means of sprouting the seeds, It would be a great choice for you?
Can you use Bulletproof collagen or the green can of Great Lakes collagen? I do not have the red can of Great Lakes that this recipe calls for.
Approximately how many cookies does this recipe make?
It must be gelatin, not collagen. The gelatin has binding properties which are important for this recipe.
I love your recipes! Can these cookies be frozen? I am sure I could eat them all myself – but I try not too!
If I did want to use eggs instead of gelatin, how many would I use? I would love that extra protein!
I don’t know if eggs will substitute in this recipe, and gelatin is pretty protein-rich.