Burnt almond and coconut cookies

These little cookies get a delightful toasty depth of flavour from two simple tricks: toasting the desiccated coconut before mixing into the cookie batter, as well adding a crushed praline of coconut sugar. As a bonus, the cookies are gluten-free and vegan.

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 45 g (½ cup) desiccated coconut
• 7 tbsp coconut sugar
• 80 g (½ cup) blanched almonds, toasted
• 120 g (1¼ cups) ground almonds
• 4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 70 g (¼ cup) almond butter
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp flaked sea salt

Setting time: 30 minutes

Instructions

1. Line a tray with baking paper. Toast the coconut in a dry saucepan until golden brown. Remove from the pan.
2. Add 2 tbsp of the coconut sugar and 2 tbsp of water to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute or until a light brown caramel forms. Add the almonds and continue stirring until the mixture is dry and glossy. Transfer to the lined tray and stand for 30 minutes or until cool and completely set. Break up the praline, then place in a mortar and roughly crush with a pestle.
3. Preheat a fan forced oven to 180˚C. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a bowl along with the crushed praline and 60 ml (¼ cup) water and mix to form a dough. Place tablespoons of the mixture on a lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

 

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.