Almond Butter Maple Cookies

I loooove the combination of any kind of nut butter and maple syrup.  I sometimes drizzle some maple syrup on my PB toast for breakfast!  These cookies sounded like they'd be delicious, healthy, and not too sweet.

I added 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum to this recipe, since it is gluten-free.  I have read that 1 tsp of xanthan gum should be used per 1 cup gluten free flour, but I have experienced gummy-textured cookies in the past with those measurements, so I decided to try half that amount this time.

I used buckwheat flour in place of wheat, but I think it "competes" too much for flavor with the almond butter.  It makes it hard to know what kind of cookie it really is.  Something to note for next time...

Almond Butter Maple Cookies

Source: Alive Magazine, February 2011 issue

1/2 cup almond butter

1/2 cup maple syrup, No.2 or No. 3

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I used buckwheat flour)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl combine almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and oil.

Add Dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in almonds.

Refrigerate dough for at least an hour.

Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls, place onto cookie sheet lines with parchment paper, and flatten to about 1/3 inch (0.8 cm). Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown.

Yields 12 large cookies.