Tips for Success:

• Measuring Almond Flour: We have found that measuring almond flour can get tricky since it can be light and airy.  We lightly packed it down when measuring. When making the chocolate cookie dough, the dough should come together into a ball.  It shouldn’t be too wet or too dry.  If you pick it up, and it feels really wet, then add a Tablespoon or more of almond flour.  Just mix it right in until it comes together.  Refrigerate to allow the cookie dough to firm up.
• Silicone Baking Mats: We highly recommend using silicone baking mats to prevent the bottoms from overbrowning.  We have not tested parchment paper lined baking sheets; however, we are pretty sure that parchment paper will not prevent overbrowning.
• Baking Sheet: We used a large 14 x 20 baking sheet, then placed two silicone baking mats.  We laid them vertically on the baking sheet, so that the silicone mats stuck over the edges a little. Just form the silicone mats to the baking sheet. They will stick up a little like an “L” on the wider end.  This is fine. We place the side that sticks up like an “L” toward the back of the oven.  If you don’t have a large baking sheet, use 2 small ones, but bake only one batch at a time.
• Cookie Scoop: We used a small cookie scoop (1 ½ inches in diameter). This helped keep the cookies uniform.
• Rolling Cookie Balls: Wash your hands between rolling every 5 to 6 cookies so you can roll a smooth round cookie ball as some of the cookie dough tends to slightly stick to your hands.
• Cookie Size: After rolling and flattening the chocolate dough, the cookie dough circle should be approximately 2 ½ inches in diameter.
• Forming the Cookies: These cookies do take time to make.  You will form a chocolate cookie ball, then flatten it to about 2 ½ inches in diameter, then roll the peanut butter cookie dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disk about 2 inches in diameter, then top with another rolled into a ball and flattened into a disk of chocolate cookie dough, seal the edges.  This takes time.  We suggest making half the chocolate cookies, then stuffing them, putting lids on them, then doing the other half. This will help you gauge how many cookies you can make.  They taste amazing so they are worth the extra effort.

*Notes Continued:

*Maple Syrup and Maple Sugar:  We get tons of questions about sweetener substitutions. We totally get it. Some folks want to use all Medjool dates, while others want to use all maple syrup. We’ve tried these cookies using all Medjool dates, they turned out gummy.  We also tried using all maple syrup, they just didn’t hold up.  Honestly, the best sweetener for this cookie recipe is the combination of maple syrup and maple sugar.  Additionally, using date sugar is not recommended either as it just doesn’t have the same flavor and texture needed for this recipe. *** We also get lot questions about using coconut sugar, if your diet permits, you can substitute coconut sugar for the maple sugar. However, we have not tested with coconut sugar, many of our readers have let us know that coconut sugar works well as a substitute for maple sugar.

*Unsalted Almond Butter:  You want the almond butter softened, but not melted.  Almond butter at room temperature is best; however, if you store your opened jar of almond butter in the fridge like we do, just spoon out the recipe required amount and microwave it for 4 to 5 seconds to soften it without melting it.  You can substitute other nut or seed butters that have the same consistency as the almond butter with the understanding that the flavor will slightly change.  We do not recommend tahini as a substitute.

*Almond Flour/Almond Butter Substitutions:  These cookies were specifically designed to use almond flour and almond butter.  We do not have any substitutions to offer.

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Serving:  Makes approximately 16 cookies.

*Storage:   Use within 5 days.  Freezes we