I’m so excited to share this recipe with you! I haven’t had many treats since starting the Autoimmune Paleo (AIP) Approach almost four months ago. This recipe is a keeper – and AIP-compliant to boot!
Now I know many of you only eat pumpkin in November and December. Well, break the rules and get out of your rut — you are missing out! Pumpkin is high in fiber, as well as key vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It has even been shown to help reduce inflammation. But in this recipe, the real reason to eat it is that it tastes so good – rich and satisfying!
My inspiration for this treat was the recipe for Superpower Macaroons by Leanne Vogel at Healthful Pursuit. Her recipe just needed a few tweaks to make it AIP A-OK! Since goji berries and cacao nibs aren’t allowed on the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol, I dropped those in favor of some orange zest and cinnamon for a different – and yummy! – flavor. I also dropped the vanilla and switched out the agave or coconut nectar in favor of maple syrup, although honey would be great, too.
The three layers in my parfait are the crumbled cookies, a lightly spiced pumpkin puree, and creamy whipped coconut — a delectable blend of flavors and textures, if I do say so myself!
You will end up with about 21 macaroons, but the recipe for the parfait is given for a single serving, for which I used about one and a half cookies. (Truth: if I make more servings, I will end up eating too many sweets!) You can double, triple, et cetera the recipe as you wish.
Pantry staples, no?
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. coconut flour
- 3 T. coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut, finely shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- about 1/4 c. pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon Great Lakes Hydrolyzed Collagen (optional for added protein)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- Sweetener of choice (optional), such as 1/2 t. honey
- 1/4 cup whipped coconut cream**
Directions:
To make macaroons:
Makin’ Macaroons
(While the original recipe said it made 16, I got 21 or 22 out of my recipe.)
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line baking tray with parchment paper.
- Put coconut flour, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until completely blended.
- Add in shredded coconut, cinnamon, and orange zest, and combine on low speed.
- Press the mixture firmly into a tablespoon (the kind for measuring), then carefully remove the perfectly rounded dough and place it on the lined baking sheet.
- Bake 14-16 minutes, until edges just start to turn slightly brown, watching carefully.
- Let them cool completely, or they will crumble! (Although that isn’t a bad thing, if you are using them all in this recipe.)
Ready for the oven
Let them cool or you’ll have a crumbly mess!
Can’t you just smell the orange zest!
To make pumpkin puree:
- Mix pumpkin puree with ground cinnamon, ginger, sweetener, and the collagen, if you are using it. The spices and sweetener are up to your individual preference. The amounts I listed are just a template. Adjust for your taste – add more or less or leave them out entirely. If you aren’t used to eating pumpkin, except in pumpkin pie, you will probably want to add more sweetener.
- Using a small ramekin, parfait glass, or a jar (I used a 4 ounce mason jar, which was perfect for 1 serving), layer in half your pumpkin, half your whipped coconut cream, and about half of one crumbled macaroon. Repeat the layers, ending with the crumbled macaroon. If you like, you could dust the top with cinnamon. Serve (let’s be real, you made this for yourself, so EAT) it immediately.
Too pretty to eat – NOT!
**To make whipped coconut cream: You have some options here. Some people recommend chilling a can of full fat coconut milk in the fridge first, then when you open the can, carefully remove the solid cream from the top of the can. Beat the cream with a hand mixer. This works well, and you will get a rich, thick cream. But to be honest, I rarely remember to chill the can, and when I want to eat something, I want it RIGHT NOW! So, I usually skip all that work. I just take a can of full fat coconut milk, dump the contents of the entire can in my Vitamix, and blend it all on high for 10 seconds. The result isn’t quite as thick, but it works for me (and is much easier). And if you do let it set for a little while, the top will thicken up, especially if it is in the fridge. Since I use coconut milk a lot, I usually have some already blended in a jar in my fridge.
I wish I had made more!
I’m working on some other variations on this theme, which I will share with you soon. I think you are going to love them!
Let me know what you think about this recipe in the COMMENTS.