Cookies with Cranberries and Hemp (Almond Flour)

Coconut Cranberry Almond Cookies make an easy and healthy snack, treat or cookie at the holidays. These cookies are dairy and gluten free using almond flour, coconut oil and honey along with dried cranberries and slivered almonds.

2 cups almond flour
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp. pure honey
⅓ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup hemp or flax seeds
⅓ cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the almond flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the vanilla extract, coconut oil and honey until combined. Pour the honey mixture into the almond flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add the silvered almonds, hemp seeds and dried cranberries and mix together.

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and drop spoonful or use a cookie dough scoop of the cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are just golden.

Remove and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Cook's Notes:

Make-Ahead:
If you would like warm out of the oven cookies later, I suggest freezing the dough. It will keep in the freezer for several months.

How To Toast the Coconut:
For a slightly nuttier flavour, you can toast your coconut before mixing it into the dough. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place shredded coconut evenly on a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Put the baking sheet on the middle rack and bake for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, open the oven and gently stir the coconut with a spatula. Bake until the coconut is golden brown, about 3–4 more minutes. Keep a close eye on the coconut for the last few minutes. It can go to brown quickly. Remove from oven and cool completely.

How To Store The Cookies:
Want to know the secret to keeping your cookies fresh while storing? It’s a simple slice of white bread. The reason a slice of white bread works so well to keep cookies fresh is that it contains the moisture that your home-baked treats need to stay fresh. The cookies absorb this moisture from the bread, keeping them soft and supple like they just came out of the oven while the bread becomes stale and hard.

How To Freeze The Cookies:
I suggest using a cookie scoop to form the dough into balls. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, then put in the freezer for a few hours. Remove cookies from the freezer and put the dough balls into a ziplock-type freezer bag. To bake, place frozen dough balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Allow cooling to room temperature before baking.