A  long time ago, when I was in my 20's, I worked at a little bohemian, fair trade, health-minded, community oriented, independently owned, artsy, eclectic and very lovely cafe. There, I met THE MOST interesting, motivated, kind and smart folks that I have ever come across; both customers and fellow work-mates. 

Among the many treats that we baked and sold out of that cafe, cashew butter cookies were, by far, my favourite. We baked them from fresh cookie dough that was purchased from a little local vegan bakery (which is now a much bigger producer of lovely vegan treats). As they warmed in the oven, they filled the cafe with the comforting aroma of sweet, roasted cashews. A perfect mid-afternoon snack. We'd only make one tray of cookies per day, so folks would flood through the door at 3pm sharp, hoping to get their hands on one before they disappeared until the next afternoon.

This recipe is my little homage to that time in my life. To that little cafe that played a big role in who I am today; my interests in healthy, accessible & simple food, my love of holistic nutrition and the importance of community.

Cashews are wonderfully nutritious. They're very high in monounsaturated fats, which are good fats, providing cardiovascular protection and general antioxidant benefits. They're also high in important minerals like copper, magnesium and zinc and vitamins like E, K and B6.

Now, while I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE raw cashews and especially raw cashew butter, roasted cashew butter is a must for this recipe. I didn't have any on hand for this post, so I simply whipped some up myself. Just lightly toast raw cashews at 325F for about 12 - 15 minutes and process in a food processor until smooth. You can check out this tutorial if you're like me and get a bit anxious and sweaty at the thought of making your own nut butter.

Note: 2 cups of cashews will make 1 cup of cashew butter.

Flaxseed Eggs

Before getting started with the recipe, get the ground flax soaking.

To make 2 flaxseed eggs:

Combine 4 tbsp of ground flax with 6 tbsp of water. Let this sit for about 10 minutes so the flax can absorb the water and become gelatinous & thick.

The Cookies

Combine your beautiful, freshly roasted & processed cashew butter with 1/2 cup of coconut oil. 

With a hand mixer, beat on high for a minute or two, until everything is soft and well combined.

Pop your eggs into the butters...

And add 1 cup of coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is awesome.  It's considered paleo-friendly and resembles cane sugar in both texture and flavour. It's lower in fructose than other sugars, easing the effect on the liver and, when consumed is small amounts, less likely to be stored as fat. Coconut sugar's also high in inulin, a type of fibre that is gut-friendly and can slow the body's absorption of glucose.  This makes it a great sugar for these cookies, as they're already high in fibre and good fats, so the addition of a liver-friendly, gut-friendly, lower glycemic sweetener gives them an overall boost!

Stir to combine.

Combine 1 3/4 cups of brown rice flour with 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp sea salt.

As far as gluten free flours go, brown rice happens to be my favourite. It's the closest in texture and flavour to white wheat flour, making homemade cookies, quick breads and most recipes calling for white flour very close to the 'real thing'. Brown rice flour is a very affordable and simple substitute.

Add this to the wet mixture...

And stir until combined.

Roll the dough into balls and press with a fork.

Bake at 350F for 15 - 18 minutes, until they become slightly golden in colour.

These cookies are wonderfully soft. The flaxseed eggs make them melt in your mouth and chewy; the cashews make them subtly sweet and rich. 

Allow them to cool almost completely before digging in.

Cashew Butter Cookies

• 2 flaxseed eggs (4 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water, soak for 10 minutes until thick)
• 1 cup roasted cashew butter (if making your own, roast 2 cups of raw cashews at 325F for 12 - 15 minutes & process in a food processor until completely smooth)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1 3/4 cups brown rice flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

1. Make your flaxseed eggs, allow them to thicken while you carry on with the recipe
2. Combine the cashew butter and coconut oil in a medium mixing bowl, beat on high for about 1 - 2 minutes, until soft and well combined
3. Add 2 flaxseed eggs, stir to combine
4. Add coconut sugar, stir to combine
5. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the brown rice flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
6. Add the dry mixture to the wet, stir to combine
7. Form the dough into balls and place on a parchment - lined cookie sheet
8. Press the balls with a fork
9. Bake at 350F for 15 - 18 minutes
10. Allow cookies to cool completely before handling

Enjoy!