Laura's Amaranth Spice Cookies

My recent M.O. (modus operandi... or method of operation, to some) first thing in the morning after getting out of bed is to throw two cookies into the toaster over just to warm them up.  Then I usually munch on those slowly while I prepare the actual breakfast.  

Now I realize *I* am calling them cookies, but to anyone used to a traditional cookie... ha!  No... they'd be like, "Um, you forgot to add the sugar."  Here's my cookie recipe, and trust me... it feels like a lustful treat.

Note the "D" in the title.  That means this is the fourth iteration of the recipe.  I recently referred to myself (silently, in my head... where the VAST majority of my conversations take place) as a "systems analyst".  Not that I really know what that means, but in looking at myself and how I react to things, I've discovered that one of my primary goals is to look at things (or systems) and analyze how I can make it better (if it needs bettering... not everything does).  

My first three cookie recipes had, not flaws as such but things I felt I wanted to improve on... in this case not for taste, but for content.  For example, the first time I made these cookies, I used a LOT more ground almonds.  The cookies were heavenly, but also so fat-content that I wanted to take it down a notch... or at least see how far I could take it down and have them still feel like cookies to me.  So here is the latest and it strikes a good balance as far as I'm concerned between wonderful treat and still not being uselessly calorie dense.



Cookie, Almond Amaranth D (350⁰ for 30 mins, 2 trays)
  • 400g cooked amaranth
  • 200g ground almonds (not almond flour... I grind my own whole almonds)
  • 82g dates, chopped up
  • 30g raisins
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 T Cinnamon
  • 27g ginger, fresh 
  • 1 T ginger, powder
  • ½ + ¼ tsp clove
  • 2 tsp vanilla
I sandwich the dollops (38 grams each) between parchment papers and smash.  The crackers I smash pretty thin because I like them crispy but the cookies I can leave with some girth.

Also, I've discovered that if I throw everything except the raisins and chopped dates into the food processor to blend... THEN add the dates and raisins and pulse a bit, I get nice chewy sweet bits in the cookies which I much prefer.

Cookie, Almond Amaranth D (350⁰ for 30 mins, 2 trays) 

Cal

Fat

Carbs

Protein

400g cooked amaranth

508

5.4

93.4

18.8

200g almonds

1139

80

53.9

40

82g dates

226

0

61.4

1.4

30g raisins

90

.1

23.8

.9

1 tsp salt

0

0

0

0

2 T Cinnamon

0

0

0

0

27g ginger, fresh (~1T)

0

0

0

0

1 T ginger

0

0

0

0

1 tsp clove

0

0

0

0

2 tsp vanilla

0

0

0

0

20 cookies

1963

85.5

232.5

61.1

3 almond amaranth cookie 

295

12.8

34.9

9.2

2 almond amaranth cookie 

196

8.6

23.3

6.1

1 almond amaranth cookie 

98

4.3

11.6

3.1

To see my recipes for anything listed here, check out my list of recipes.  Also, I'd be tickled to know anyone other than me is reading this blog so if you leave a comment, you'll make my day.

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