I was experimenting in the kitchen with some almond flour and ended up creating some magic in the form of these delicious gluten and dairy-free gems.
Even as a kid I used to love combining ingredients and testing them. And to think it all started with an Easy-Bake oven one Christmas given to me by my great aunt. If you were a young girl in the 80's (actually the Easy-Bake has been around since the 60's), then you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. One word on cooking with a light bulb: AWESOME. I was already an enthusiastic baker at five (no you cannot make these cookies with an Easy-Bake).
Ma McCarthy, of course, tried out everything I baked and loved it all. But it was often my brother who kept me honest. Back then, my creations were a bit hit and miss, but fast forward to today and I'm proud to say that my baking is not only healthy (thanks to being a nutritionist), but delicious! That said, my brother is still known to turn up his nose if my cookies are what he calls "too healthy". Little does he know I consider that a compliment!
Not only is this cookie chewy and delicious, but the ingredients make it superpower worthy, such as:
Excellent source of nutrients: Vitamin C, E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, antioxidant flavanoids
Good fat to make it satisfying and fulfilling (fat promotes the secretion of the hormone leptin which signals the "stop eating" mechanism in your brain).
A protein component to make it snack-worthy and blood-sugar balancing.
Easy on the sugar, to prevent you from crashing.
Easy to make, bake and eat - who doesn't love that?
Chewy and Delicious, Almond Coconut Power Cookies
Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups almond flour (don't pack the flour down, it's very dense and you will use too much if you pack it)
1 cup rolled oats (use certified "GF" oats if necessary, soak for 5 hours if you have trouble digesting oats)
1/2 cup of coconut flakes. Look for unsulfured to avoid "sulfites" which can promote allergies.
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sucanat sugar (lower in glycemic index and less processed than regular sugar)
3 organic eggs (Vegan option: 1 egg = 2 tbsp finely ground flax seeds, 3 tbsp water)
2 tbsp almond butter
1/4 cup organic coconut oil
Method: Combine all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and add the almond butter and coconut oil, stir together. Combine both the wet and dry ingredients until the batter has no dry bits. Form into 1 inch balls and flatten with a fork onto a greased cookie sheet. Note: If you find the batter too dry (as almond flour can vary in moisture content) you can add 1/4 almond milk as well.Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Watch the cookies carefully, every oven varies a little bit in cooking time.Makes 2-3 dozen little gems of deliciousness.
Some gluten-free diets do NOT allow oats and if you are celiac, I strongly advise you to avoid. So please use your own discretion with this recipe. You can buy Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but they are sometimes tough to find (at least that's what people tell me).
How to enJOY: These little power gems are great for breakfast with some yogurt and fruit or as an energizing afternoon snack to keep that belly from growling. I suggest you limit your serving size to 1-2 per day - I know, it will be tough because they are so good!
Have a beautiful weekend!
Joy
I am super excited to try these. I made your almond butter chocolate cups the other day and I was in heaven!!! It's so hard to just stop at just 1! Thank you for allowing me to realize that I don't have to give up my sweet treats to live a healthy lifestyle.
ReplySo glad you tried that recipe Sally. I couldn't agree with your comment more. Most people think that eating healthy means a life of chewing on rabbit food and lettuce! For anyone else you wants to try that recipe Sally mentioned, here it is: http://www.thatsfit.ca/2011/08/12/sweet-treat-almond-butter-chocolate-cups/
Hi Joy, I made these last night. Oh my! Best cookies I've ever had. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Sylvie
ReplyYay! Amazing. So glad you enjoyed them. Were they chewy in the middle?
Absolutely. Chewy in the middle. I used ground chia seeds and water instead of eggs and I added a touch of baking soda and baking powder. Next time, I might add cinnamon and vanilla. Yum!
ReplyI have a question ... what would make a good substitute for oats if someone is eliminating them from their diet? Thanks. Jennifer
ReplyHi again!! I was wondering if you could substitute the almond flour with flours like amanaranth flour? Wouldn't it be dense enough? Oh! and can you use coconut sugar for this? That's all I have - or honey? Thanks!!!
ReplyYou can definitely use coconut sugar for this recipe. I don't use amaranth flour very often so I can't advise of exact sub cause I'm not an expert. Almond flour is extremely dense, so if the flour you sub with is not, then you just add a bit more. I do not suggest you cook with honey as you will destroy all the beneficial enzymes - best to eat it raw!
[...] Another fantastic and fulfilling snack if you have time to bake, are these almond coconut power cookies. [...]
Reply[...] Chewy Almond Coconut Cookies: http://www.joyoushealth.ca/2011/08/26/almond-coconut-power-cookies/ [...]
Reply[...] for that exact reason. People love cookies in all shapes and form, so I found this recipe on Joyous Health that really interested me because not only are they easy to make, but they taste AMAZING! On top of [...]
ReplyBecause I would try to 'control' myself(!) ... how long would these keep well? Room temp, fridge, maybe freezer?
Replyhi i really enjoy reading your blog especially tips on healthy eating and recipes. i made these recently and although i didn't exactly make them gluten-free, they were nutty, chewy and delicious.
ReplyYUM! I added some cinnamon & vanilla. Also added a bit too much almond milk I think, so more flat than pictured. Still delicious. Next time might add some raisins or apricots. Or make them thumbprint style with a little apple butter. Thanks for sharing:)
ReplyI made a vegan version and they are very yummy. I can't wait to try the Almond Power Bars...:)
ReplyExcellent, what did you change? Glad they turned out!
[...] featured in my book from my blog, so I’ve included my sexy maca balls, coco bliss balls and almond power cookies- thanks for the recos. The muffins are new [...]
ReplyHey Joy! I don't have Sucanat on-hand, but do have coconut sugar. Can I use that instead? Thanks in advance :)
ReplyCan quick oat flakes be used instead of rolled oats?
ReplyYes definitely. You could also use quinoa flakes. Enjoy the recipe!
Hi! If you live where there is a Save On, you can buy the gluten free oats in their health aisle. Thanks for the yummy idea!
ReplyHi Joyous Team, I wanna try these out as they sound yums. I bought some organic gf oats. I sometimes have trouble digesting oats but I wanna try the gf to see how it goes. If I soak the oats overnight will I need more almond flour to balance out the moisture? Or instead if I wanna remove the oats what should I substitute with?
ReplyHey Rachelle, Nope! It should be okay. In the recipe, Joy suggests soaking them for 5 hours if you have trouble digesting them so you can do that and follow the recipe as listed :) We haven't tried omitting the oats altogether, but you could experiment with something like shredded unsweetened coconut? Rachel - Joyous Health Team