Recipe: Almond Maple Crunch Cookies

EATERS DIGEST MARCH ’16 FEATURE

It all started because I was craving a good old Anzac biscuit. If you’re not familiar with this Aussie biscuit institution, then imagine if you will, a golden, chewy-yet-crunchy, oaty, buttery, vanilla-golden-syrupy (Aussie light treacle) kinda happiness. It’s the kind of happiness denied to dairy and gluten-free eaters like me. I wanted to create something that felt at least a little like an Anzac biscuit, minus the key ingredients—butter, oats and flour.

What I created was not a gluten-free Anzac biscuit—make no mistake. It was a rich, golden, maple and almond delight that has all the aromatic hallmarks of the Anzac, but more body and more crunch. It’s almost entirely made of protein too, so it makes a seriously great energy snack. Authentic Canadian maple syrup is the only sweetener, and there’s no dairy in sight.

Believe me, you want in on this—I’ve been making a batch a week and I’ve got orders rolling in from family and friends all over the country. Now the suckers can make their own. Here goes …

 

Ingredients: (makes 20 medium size cookies)

2 cups almond meal

1 cup quinoa flakes (hello oats)

1 cup gluten free flour (I use brown rice or besan flour)

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup flaked almonds

½ cup melted coconut oil or Nuttelex (Aussie vegan margarine) (works best with some of each)

125ml Canadian maple syrup

½ teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons vanilla essence

Optional: 3 tablespoons cocoa or carob powder (cocoa maple flavour pictured)

 

To Make:

 

Pre-heat oven to 150 Celsius.

Cover two baking trays with baking paper.

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.

Gently warm oils in a small pot—add maple syrup and vanilla essence.

Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon to a thick dough.

Roll cookie dough into balls between your palms and flatten with closed fingers.

Place on trays. Decorate with flaked almond pieces.

 

Bake at 150ºC/300ºF for 30-40 minutes, checking and rotating cookie trays.

Allow to cool and voila—enjoy!

 

Recipe & photography by Carla Versitano

Tags | Almond, Anzac, Cookies, Gluten free, Maple