I am not really sure if these are a cookie, a candy or a confection but I do know they are a delicious no bake treat that I was introduced to at holiday parties as child. I actually remember exactly where i was standing in my parents house the first time I saw them. I was curious yet not exactly thrilled to dive in.
I had actually totally forgotten about them until I started asking what cookie recipes you were looking for this holiday season. When I heard the name, I was trying hard to remember what was in them other than peanut butter and chocolate. I googled my way to some recipes loaded with sugar and butter, but I knew it could be done way healthier.
The first challenge was finding an almond butter that would be as smooth as peanut butter. Why not just go with peanut butter? Peanuts are a legume, not a nut and when I eliminated it from my diet back in 2016, I realized I didn't love how I felt during and after I ate it. An easy fix was almond butter, but the ones I usually buy are not super creamy.
I then decided to give Barney Butter a try. They do something different. They take the skins off their almonds before blending them. This results in an incredibly smooth almond butter perfect to replace peanut butter in this recipe (and I imagine many many more). Honestly, I think my hubs may actually like this one. So, if you are giving this recipe a go and not using Barney Butter, I have not yet tested that. But if you do, let me know how it goes!
What You Need:
1 cup dark chocolate chips like Enjoy Life or Hu Kitchen
3/4 cup smooth almond butter ( I used Barney butter)
1/4 cup real maple syrup (my favorite sweetener!
3.5 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Step By Step:
1️⃣ In a medium bowl, mix together almond butter, maple syrup + coconut oil until completely combined and smooth. I used a fork and a little patience.
2️⃣ Add almond flour, salt + vanilla extract.
3️⃣ Chill dough for 30ish minutes in freezer
4️⃣ Line a small plate or dish with parchment paper
5️⃣ Remove dough from freezer and using a teaspoon, roll dough into about 20 balls.
6️⃣ Freeze formed balls of dough for 30ish more minutes
7️⃣ Melt chocolate either using a microwave, double boiler or a small pan on the lowest heat setting stirring frequently until melted
8️⃣ Using a toothpick, dip the balls almost, but not completely in the chocolate (like in the photos) and return to parchment paper. You can easily smooth over the whole afterwards with your finger or the backside of a spoon.
9️⃣ Refrigerate or freeze until firm and enjoy!
If making ahead of time, store in an airtight container in your fridge.
Yields 20 cookies (or whatever you wanna call them). Recipe is easily doubled.
Honestly, these are better than I remember. Dare I compare it to Reese’s eggs or Christmas trees. 😬 😋