While this recipe is not fat-free, I've reduced the fat with an almond butter and unsweetened applesauce combination. Wheat flour is replaced with sorghum, tapioca and ground almonds. Sugar is replaced with date paste, and I used an all-fruit jam. Any jam you love will work. I may try this recipe with apricot next time. You can use any sweetener you prefer in place of the date paste; maple syrup is nice, too. The result is a lovely, cakey, cookie which is not too sweet allowing the flavour of the jam to really shine.
1/2 cup whole almonds (3/4 cup ground)
1 cup sorghum
1/4 cup tapioca starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt (optional)
1/4 cup almond butter, room temperature
1/3 cup apple sauce, room temperature
1/2 cup date paste (or sweetener of choice), room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup shredded coconut, for rolling
1/2 cup of your favourite jam or fruit spread (I used raspberry all-fruit spread)
Pour the ground almonds into a medium bowl and add the sorghum flour, tapioca starch, baking powder and salt, if using. Mix well.
Scoop out about 1-1/2 Tablespoons of dough and form into a ball. The dough will be soft and spongy; do not compress it down. Gently roll that ball in coconut, coating all sides and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Continue until all the dough has been rolled into coconut covered balls, makes about 18.
Happy holidays and good health to you and your families in the coming year.
Beans and Rice