I really like these cookies! I think about them sometimes in the most inopportune times – like while walking through the fog this morning.

We were awoken by foghorns today; it went off persistently every few minutes until it forced me out of bed, and as the sun shone through the fog on my way to work I figured we were in for the most perfect of winter days; sunny, bright with crisp chilly air and brilliant blue skies.

I thought of how much I’d love to have a winter picnic… perhaps of hot cocoa and cookies, and how ideal these almond chickpea flour cookies would be.

This is probably the first cookie recipe I ever pinned, yet I only started making them quite recently, and I’ve made them several times since.

It’s delicate and crunchy, the kind of cookie you would crumble over ice cream – if you were into that sort of thing.

I like these cookies a lot!

The first time I made them was an experiment of sorts; I substituted fine-ground white cornmeal for semolina because that was what I had around at the moment, it worked so perfectly I haven’t yet used semolina like the original recipe called for.

They are a lot like these almond butter cookies, another favourite… both are almond based, gluten free and of course vegan – these however are a little airier with a subtle fragrance of cardamom.

Chickpea flour also adds sweet nuttiness and a good boost of protein, which isn’t typical of cookies.

The cookies in the photos are from a month ago when we were in the throes of the holiday season, I was eager to use my new Christmas present, a cookie press. It was a trying endeavour… some shapes more so than others but they turned out well (I think).

I feel I should caution against the temptation to taste the dough before it’s baked as raw chickpeas tastes not too pleasant.

Something wonderful happens when they’re baked though, and you can’t really tell that these cookies have chickpeas in them.

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Almond Chickpea Flour Cookies

Adapted from Sinfully Spicy
INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup almond meal (almond flour)
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour (besan/garbanzo flour)
• 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal (or semolina)
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (4oz/1 stick) butter, softened (I used Earth Balance’s Soy-Free Spread)
• 10 tablespoons powdered (confectioners’ /Icing) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Handful of almonds (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
2. Using a coarse sieve, sift almond meal and chickpea flour into a bowl, and add cornmeal
3. Add in cardamom powder and salt and mix well to combine
4. Combine softened butter and powdered sugar in another bowl and mix with a spatula until creamy, stir in almond extract
5. Add the flours to the butter mixture and combine gently to form soft dough (the dough will be slightly sticky)
6. Wrap dough with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 20 minutes or until firm
7. Knead refrigerated dough three to four times and scoop about a tablespoon each and roll into a smooth ball
8. Line the balls on parchment lined baking sheet at 2 inches apart
9. Press an almond at the center of each ball, flatten slightly (optional) and put them in the fridge again for about 10 – 15 minutes
10. Preheat oven to 300 degrees f. and bake for 15 – 20 minutes
11. Watch cookies closely and remove from oven as soon as the bottoms start browning
12. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely
13. Enjoy!

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