Coconut Almond Cookies

So as you can tell from the recipes listed on the sidebar, I'm not much for baking or sweets. Salty snacks tempt me far more than a piece of cake or pie. That being said, there are times that I do crave just a little something sweet to take the edge off.

I'm deeply embroiled in pantry week, so I've been pulling out all of my cookbooks and looking for some stellar recipes to use. I was looking for a cookie that was easy, but also one where I had all the ingredients already in my kitchen. I knew I wanted something vegan, but as I sadly realized I as out of Smart Balance, the list of potentials grew shorter and shorter.

I finally found a recipe in Veganomicon (which is a fantastic vegan cookbook, by the way) that sounded tasty. I quickly skimmed the ingredient list, thought, "yeah, I have all that," and proceeded to the kitchen to make it.

Well, as I started throwing it all together, I realized I was out of a few crucial elements. The first was canola oil, or any oil actually. As I realized my olive oil supply was on the slim side, I knew I didn't want to use that all up. I almost bagged the entire recipe, but then remembered the 2 jars of coconut oil I stashed away. I crossed my fingers and began making the recipe.

Whoa. These cookies are amazing! Not only are they light and crispy, they aren't overly sweet and have a lovely almond and coconut flavor. And seeing how they took me only a few minutes to throw together before they went into the oven, I can guarantee you these shall make an appearance many many times in the future.

Check back tomorrow for my first attempt at breadmaking and the reason why everyone should try this recipe.



Coconut Almond Cookies
Makes 38-40 cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 c natural almonds, ground into flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c coconut oil, warmed slightly
1/4 c agave nectar
1/4 c coconut milk or almond milk
2/3 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Put a layer of parchment paper onto 2 baking sheets and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together coconut oil, agave nectar, milk, sugar, and extracts until well combined. Add in flours and beat until a thick batter is formed. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Drop by the tablespoon onto baking sheets. Place in oven and bake for 7-9 minutes, until cookie is golden brown. With a flat spatula, remove from baking sheet and place on wire racks to cool.