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 look very yummy, Lauren. 🙂 What geletin do you use the green can or the red? I have both in my pantry.
It uses regular gelatin (the red can) not the collagen hydroylsate (the green can).
I am not ready to introduce cardamom into the AIP diet yet. It is important to note that it is to be eliminated in the early months but I believe that these cookies will be delicious without it.
Any substitutes for coconut flour? I”m allergic to coconut 🙁
Have you tried plantain flour or chestnut flour?
if i have all the ingredients except gelatine, is there a substitute? would love to bake right now – and not wait for a gelatine order. thanks for your wonderful ideas!
Where can you find cardamom? I have been looking for it and can’ t find it
Hmmm what happened to the cardamom in this one?
You can still add the 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom but because it’s a seed-based spice, it’s not okay for the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol. It was my mistake to include the cardamom in the recipe and call it Autoimmune Paleo.
Hi,
Thanks for your recipe – I have everything except the gelatine… I have agar agar flakes – could i use that instead?
Thanks 🙂
Dear Lauren,
Many thanks for all your beautiful recipes..
I am seriously considering buying the grassfed gelatin powder – its just rather expensive and I know that I won’t use too much of it – so I was wondering whether you could tell me how long it keeps? And should I keep it in the fridge? And do you use both (i.e. the green and the red one, or do you recommend just one of them?) Thank you!
xoxo
Sarah
I made these today, sprinkled with shredded coconut. Very yummy and tropical!
Thank you for the recipe! I made these today and they are pretty yummy…my kids all liked them too. I did add the maple syrup, which I am glad I did as my bananas were not super ripe. I also added nutmeg which made them even better. I did’nt have arrowroot powder so I used tapioca flour. A suggestion to other readers is to check with your local health food store if they carry the beef gelatin or ask them to start carrying it, that is where I found mine.