I love a good cookie…especially one you can eat first thing in the morning!  Now you know why I named this cookie ALMOND JOY – because you can jump for joy knowing you can eat a cookie for breakfast!  You will find pure, healthy ingredients with a delicate sweetness that satisfies any cookie craving.  I like to crumble this cookie over fruit and yogurt.

A few months ago, we shared this recipe in a cooking and wellness class at our Natural Medicine Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens. There were a few kids in the audience who sure didn’t know what to expect.  Their eyes lit up when I said that their mom could give them this cookie for breakfast!

I observed one little boy eyeing his sister’s cookie as she gracefully took little bites, as he proceeded to gobble his up.  Funny, how boys are so different from girls! One was like a little rabbit nibbling as if to savor every bite, and the other was a cookie monster!

Almond Joy Cookie!

If you use the coconut granules instead of  Sucanat, it will be less sugar as well.  I actually did a taste test with kids in 2nd grade trying Sucanat verses the coconut granules.  I am happy to report it was a tie between the two.  I really expected the winner to be Sucanat knowing that it has 12 grams of sugar versus  the coconut granules at 7 grams per tablespoon.

Depending on how big you make the cookies and if you use eggs, you can pack about 5-7 grams of protein just from the flax and almonds!   I would say a worthy cookie in the good doctor’s book,  and mom approved too!

Almond Joy Cookie

• 2 cups of raw almonds (or almond flour)
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Sucanat or coconut granules (learn more)
• 1/2 cup of ground flax
• 2 eggs  (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon of almond extract
• 3 tablespoons of raw coconut oil (if the oil is solid, put in the preheated oven to melt)
• 1/4 cup of slivered almonds with 2 tablespoons of Sucanat sugar
• 1/4 cup of dark chocolate or cacao nibs (optional)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a cookie sheet or, my favorite, stone bakeware.  Grind the almonds in a Cuisanart.  If you have whole flax seeds instead of ground you can add those in the Cuisanart.  I like to keep ground flax in a container in the freezer so when I need them in a pinch I have them.

After you add ground flax, pulse till blended with ground almonds.  In a separate bowl, mix eggs, extracts, Sucanat and liquid coconut oil till creamy.  If you omit the eggs, be sure to let cookies set after you bake them as they are not as hardy.   Though, I promise you can still hold them and gobble them up.

Pour the liquid mixture into the Cuisinart and pulse all the ingredients well.  If you decide to add chocolate, add it at the end and pulse once.  This cookie doesn’t really need the chocolate as it is amazing without it.  Sometimes I will do just half the batch with chocolate.

Blend your ¼ cup slivered almonds with 2 tablespoons Sucanat and put to the side. Scoop out a walnut sized amount of cookie mixture and press the slivered almonds/Sucanat  into the cookie flattening it.  Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until golden brown.

I hope this cookie brings out your inner cookie monster!

Jumping for Joy,

Dawn

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