The Very Festive Cookie

It's never too early or the wrong time of the year to introduce yourself to a festive cookie. These are gluten, dairy and grain free, full of protein, good fats, and a whole lotta flavour. Whilst our choice of flavour is absolutely optional, if you'd like to go beyond a vanilla cookie - then open your senses up to wild orange and ginger and take them to the most festive party of all.

They are VERY quick to make, so they may just become your 'visitors are coming in 15 minutes and we need something yum' cookie.  

Please note that they are also exceptionally (if not more...) delicious when rolled into cookies with little chocolate pieces throughout them, like a classic chocolate chip cookie however with the additional (optional) flavour of the orange and/or ginger. They are honestly incredible like that, however the ginger bread man just make your heart and audience extra happy. 

The Very Festive Cookie

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups blanched almond meal
• 2 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 4-5 Tbsp of granulated sweetener or part granulated and part other, such as maple syrup. If you are on a current sugar free journey, Monk fruit sweetener, granulated or not, is okay as well.
• 1/2 cup collagen
• 2 tsp vanilla essence

Optional festive flavour: 2 tsps cinnamon and 4 tsps organic ginger powder, however you may want to add 2, and work up to 4 continuing to taste the mixture. I love ginger, so 4 was GREAT for me.

Optional flavour: 4-6 drops pure, food grade orange essential oil

For topping: 40-50g of your choice of chocolate, or topping of choice! 

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius.

3. Add into your blender all ingredients apart from the topping of choice, and blend. You will need to scrape down the sides and blend until well combined and the almond meal is slightly smooth. 

4. Taste the mixture and ensure it is sweet enough for you or your audience, and if you're adding the festive additions, then ensure you have added enough to taste.

5. Line a baking tray with baking paper, roll small handfuls of the cookie dough into a ball (around 1-2 tbsp of the mixture), then with your fingers flatten it into a slightly raised cookie shape then top with your chocolate pieces, OR, sprinkle a very light amount of your choice of flour (we use a little tapioca or cassava) onto baking paper and then place on top a large handful of mixture, use whatever rolling device you have and roll out until it is still quite thick (roughly 1/2 a centimetre) as the thicker, the yummier as the softness in the middle is delicious. Using your choice of cookie cutter, place onto the dough, press down firm, and then remove the outside dough from the shape. Place on the tray, continue until the mixture is complete (or you can store mixture in the fridge and cook some more another day!). 

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes (we want them slightly soft!), remove from the oven and then let them sit until they are cool to enough to drizzle melted chocolate over if you didn't add the chocolate within the cookie! Best consumed at room temperature however any form is delicious. If you have hungry cookie monsters, pop them in the fridge or freezer to cool down faster, and continue to decorate as you wish.

7.  Whilst the cookies are cooling, gently melt down your choice of chocolate. Use anything with a small tip, like the end of a spoon, dip it into the chocolate and create your chosen art on the cookie!

8. Place them back into the fridge to set, and enjoy!