May I present, a soft-baked, orange-kissed, almond butter cookie with a touch of sweet cinnamon. I’m calling these Almond-Butter Orange Snickerdoodles, and they are just perfect (I swear). Soft, chewy, with a hint of orange in their almond-buttery goodness, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon and coconut sugar. These cookies are very versatile, great for toddler hands to hold and nibble, or to pack into lunches, or to serve with tea or coffee.
On my quest to make delicious, allergy-free goodies for my son, this recipe was born. We had bought (and loved) the Enjoy Life brand of cookies and I wanted to make a homemade version with a similar texture. The store-bought cookies do not contain tree nuts, so if you do have an allergy to tree nuts, try substituting the almond butter with sunflower seed butter, or tahini – and the almond flour with cornmeal. These cookies are for everyone. I promise, no one will be able to tell they are gluten-free and vegan, and making them homemade will save you a nickel or two.
Soft-baked Almond-Butter Orange Snickerdoodles
Yield: 24 cookies
1/2 cup organic raw agave nectar
1/3 cup organic canola oil
1/3 cup unsalted almond butter
1/4 cup almond milk
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest (about 1/2 of a large organic orange)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut sugar, or sucanat (larger crystal sugar)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Farenheit. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the agave nectar, oil and almond butter until smooth and creamy. To this, add the almond milk, ground flaxseed, vanilla and almond extracts, and orange zest. In a separate bowl, sift together the almond, sorghum and rice flours with the xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet about 1/3 cup at a time and mix very gently until the dough comes together. Chill the dough for 15 minutes. In a small dish, stir together the cinnamon and sugar, set aside. Remove dough from fridge. Using a cookie scoop (or lightly oiled tablespoon), drop the dough on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about two inches in between cookies. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with the cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until tops of cookies are slightly cracked and sides are very light brown. Leave on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes after baking, then transfer cookies to a baking rack to cool completely. Store any leftover cookies in a sealed container or plastic bag in the refrigerator.
My lil’ hawk loved these cookies! They are refined-sugar-free, and full of protein and fiber, so I don’t feel so bad about letting him have one for a snack. Let me know in the comments if you make this recipe. I’d love to hear from you!
©mama et de bébé hawk ©Ashley Kizer 2013
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