Gluten-free Almond Joy Cookies

Hi guys!  Happy Friday! Today's recipe is the marriage of a classic, beloved candy with gluten-free ingredients.  In this recipe, the classic almond joy is being incorporated into a rich cookie for an amazing treat.  Let's talk about how each of the classic components of the almond joy candy are melded together in a chewy cookie.

1.   The Coconut
Arguably the most important component of an almond joy, the coconut adds tropical flare to an otherwise boring candy.  (Yes, almonds with chocolate are delicious, but boring, IMO) The coconut in this recipe does this as well, but it also adds structure to the cookie.  This cookie needs structure because it lacks the classic heap of flour that most cookie recipes call for.

2.  The Almond
It's half the name of the candy, so the almond better be the star.  In the classic candy, the almond adds crunch and adds texture variation.  Likewise, in this cookie, the almond adds light crunch and combines with the coconut to form the base of the cookie.

3.  The Chocolate
My personal favorite part of almond joys, the chocolate holds the almond and coconut together and also gives the bar a rich, velvety mouth feel.  In this cookie recipe, the chocolate adds richness and a nice pop of color to the light cookies.  Unlike in the classic almond joy candy, dark chocolate chips are used to cut the sweetness and make the cookie not quite so sugar-laden.

So there you have it!  A lightened, gluten-free cookie that has all the flavors of one of the most loved candies.

I didn't think of today's recipe.  Instead, I tweaked this recipe from Minimalist Baker (a great blog for people who are avoiding certain foods or have food sensitivities, BTW) 

Almond Joy Cookies

·       1 ¼ cup almond flour

·       2/3 cup dark chocolate chips

·       ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

·       ½ tsp. baking powder

·       ¼ tsp. salt

·       ¼ cup brown sugar

·       1 large egg

·       3 T. butter, melted

·       ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1.      In a large mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, dark chocolate chips, coconut, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.

2.     In a small bowl, beat egg until light and fluffy and loose peaks have formed.

3.     To the egg, add the melted butter and vanilla and beat or whisk to combine.

4.     Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

5.     Loosely cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

6.     Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

7.     Scoop out 1.5 T amounts of dough and form into small disks, placing them on a cookie sheet, in 3 rows of 4 cookies.

8.     Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.  Be careful not to burn them, especially on the bottoms.

9.     Remove from the oven and let cool 5-10 minutes.

10.  Carefully loosen them with a spatula.

11.  Enjoy, storing the leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days or 1 month in the freezer.