Many of you have been private messaging me for my Almond Cookie Recipe so here it is!

These Almond Cookies are carb free, refined sugar free, gluten free, saturated fat free, keto friendly and can be made vegan. They are delicious and a great snack that you can prepare ahead. They freeze extremely well and taste so good straight from freezer.

Homemade snacks are always more nutritious and healthier than the healthiest store bought bars, so it’s worth a few minutes on the weekend to prep.

These are quick ‘n easy, 20 mins start to finish, one bowl and super simple! I even have a variation for those on the elimination diet who can’t have eggs or chocolate, see below.

Left: With blanched white almond flour   Right: With almond meal

Ingredients: (Triple recipe, yields about 45 cookies.)
3 organic pasture raised eggs (If you’re vegan you can use flax egg – 3 Tbsp flax seeds with 7.5 Tbsp water, stir and let sit for 15 mins to thicken. Then you can skip flax seeds below.)
9 tsp blood orange olive oil (I use infused olive oil from Berkeley Olive Grove for an orange flavor kick, but if using regular olive oil, just add the zest of one orange to the batch.)
1/3 cup maple syrup (this is enough so it’s not too sweet, but you can add more if you like)
6 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup cacao nibs
1/3 cup mini brown vegan chocolate chips
1/4 cup  ground flax seeds (optional…will add more fiber, I always add this)
1/4 cup hemp seeds (optional…will add more omega 3 healthy fats, I always add this)
2 bags Trader Joes just almond meal OR 7 cups blanched white almond flour
(If making for kids, you’ll want to use the blanched white almond flour instead of almond meal; it’ll taste less whole grain like for a child – they’ll love it.)

Optional additional ingredients:
1/2 cup shredded coconut (if you like coconut, this is fun to add, I  personally don’t as coconut isn’t great for A blood types)
1/4 cup mini white chocolate chips (it gives a nice color but because it has sugar & dairy, I leave it out)

Directions:
– Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray cookie sheet with coconut oil non-stick spray or use parchment paper and then you don’t need to spray it.
– In medium bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork until frothy. Add oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract and mix well.
– Add baking soda, cinnamon, cacao nibs, chocolate chips, flax seeds, hemp seeds (and coconut and white chocolate chips if using those).
– Add almond meal or almond flour, wash hands with soap and mix with your hands until it is well combined into a soft dough.
– Form 1 – 1.5″ balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten each ball slightly into a cookie (these cookies won’t spread as they bake). (If using almond meal, it may help to wet your hands while forming balls if dough feels dry for easier forming.)
– Bake at 325 F for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom.
– Allow cookies to cool on a rack for 10-15 mins and then store in the freezer.

Yields:
40 – 45 cookies

Super easy, 1 bowl, healthy, 20 min recipe and so yummy straight from the freezer!

*Updated 7/14/19:*
Variation with Raspberries instead of Chocolate:

If you’re on the elimination diet or you prefer not to have eggs or chocolate, simply:
1) Replace the egg with flax egg as noted in recipe above .
2) Replace the cacao nibs and chocolate chips with 1.5 cups frozen organic raspberries.
Note : Add the raspberries at the very end once the dough is formed and mix in. These might need 18-20 mins of baking time at 325 as they’re more moist than the chocolate version that only needs 12-15 mins.

The raspberries add a totally fresh, tart, sweet and summer flavor and color that you might love, even on no diet, just for something different in exchange for the chocolate. My friends love this version even more than the chocolate ones:)