Beat the butter and sweetener with electric beaters until creamy alternatively just use a fork. Add the egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture and beat until combined. Finally add the remaining ingredients and continue to beat until combined. Bring the mixture together and create a smooth ball with the dough.
To Create Cookie Dough Rolls and Slice The Cookie Rounds
Cut the dough ball in half. Shape each half into a cylindrical shape. Place a length of cling wrap on the bench and place one cylinder along the middle of the wrap. Using your hands, start to create a smoother shape, cookie size in diameter, compressing the dough to remove any pockets of air. The dough will be slightly sticky especially if it is warm.
Roll the cylinder up in the cling wrap and continue to roll and shape it into a nice round shape. Square off the ends and twist the cling wrap on the ends to seal. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough.
Place the dough the fridge (or freeze) for approximately 30 minutes or until the dough is firm. If the dough isn't too sticky, you can slice the round of dough immediately.
To slice into biscuit rounds, simply unwrap dough and using a sharp knife, slice off cookies approximately 5 mm/0.2" thick, ready to bake. Smooth off edges with hands to get the desired shape. Heat from your hands will soften the cookies so don't over handle.
Cookie Cutter Method
Ensure your cranberries have been cut quite small and chop your almonds smaller to help with ease of cutting out cookies. Roll your dough out between 2 sheets of baking paper to about 5 mm/0.2 mm thick. Remove the top sheet of paper and cut your shapes out of the dough. Use a spatula to slide the cookies off the paper and onto your baking paper ready for baking. If the cookie dough is too soft, refrigerate for 30 minutes or until it firms up slightly.
To Bake
Place cookies onto baking paper with space in between. Bake for about 15 minutes or until cooked through, at 155 C/310 F fan forced. Allow cookies to cool on the tray before moving onto a cooling rack to cool down completely. Take care as they are delicate when they are warm. Adjust oven temperature if the cookies are browning too much.
Cookies will crisp up slightly as they cool. These cookies are best eaten fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can dust them with icing/confectioners sweetener or drizzle with low carb icing sugar mixture to decorate.
Decoration Options
-Sift a tiny amount of low carb icing sugar mix/confectioners sweetener or powdered sweetener on top for a simple finish. -Dip part of the cookie in melted dark chocolate or drizzle the chocolate on the tops for variation. -Make sugar free icing by blending 4 tablespoons of confectioners sugar with a tiny amount of water or lemon juice to get a pipeable consistency. Pipe or drizzle the icing mix onto the cookies and allow to firm up before storing (or eating!)
Notes
Note that you can use a different sweetener but erythritol is best to get a crispy crunchier finish to baked goods like cookies. If using a stevia or monk fruit blend, add 2-4 tablespoons depending on your taste. You may need to add a little more almond meal if you do this as the ratio of wet to dry ingredients will have changed.To use an alternative sweetener such as sugar or coconut sugar, use approximately 1/3-1/2 cup or add to taste.