Almond Cookies/Ginger Snaps (GF/CF/EF)

We are a sugar free family (okay, hubby is not and I sneak chocolate every now and then!). I bake with honey, mostly, and maple syrup when it's in season. I have recently worked organic cane juice into our diet (called "Rapadura" in NT). I use it in small amounts and so far we are all handling it quite well. One of the first recipes I tried with OCJ was the almond cookie and ginger snap recipes from NT. I was instantly in love with these things! Especially bc they incorporate coconut oil, which I just can't use enough of. (I'll admit, we go through almost 1/2 a gallon of coconut oil every week or so!) I couldn't believe something that tasted so good could actually be good for you! Even hubby thought they were great.

So, why are these healthy? First of all, they use soaked almond meal. Soaking nuts, including almonds, in salt water for at least 7 hours makes them easier to digest by breaking down the enzyme inhibitors they contain. This puts less strain on the digestive system and makes the nutrients more usable. They also contain coconut oil, which deserves a post all it's own to discuss it's many benefits. It's rich in medium chain fatty acids, and is antimicrobial. Along with these things, the cookies use arrowroot powder. Arrowroot is unrefined and makes a great starch in flour blends and as a thickener for sauces and soups. It is the dried root of the arrowroot plant. It is easily digested even for those with digestive issues, and is the only starch that contains calcium ash. (For more info, read pg 528 in NT.)

I will post three of the variations for these cookies listed in NT, but there are several more in there. I didn't follow the recipes exactly, so I'm posting my versions of them.

Almond Cookies
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 - 1/2 cup organic cane juice sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
grated rind of 1 organic lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Mix all ingredients well, and form into balls using about 1 TB dough per cookie. Bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes. After baking for 5 minutes, push cookies down with a fork and continue baking the rest of the time.

Ginger Snaps
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 - 1/2 cup organic cane juice sugar
1 TB water
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg (I didn't use this)
1/2 tsp salt

Follow same directions as above.

Chocolate Almond Cookies
1 1/2 cups almond meal
5/8 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 -1/2 cup organic cane juice sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Follow same directions as above.