Healthy Gingerbread Cookies with Almonds & Apricots

I love anything sweet and this one was a real treat thanks to the slivered almonds and Turkish apricots. ‘Twas home-baked perfection on a chilly autumn night… especially with a mug of hot Canadian maple tea.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup Gingerbread Monkey Butter brand peanut butter (plain natural PB would suffice)
2/3 cup agave nectar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tblsp. ground flax meal + 2 Tblsp. water (2 flax eggs)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
15 dried Turkish apricots, chopped
1/3 cup slivered almonds

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make flax eggs by combining flax meal with water. Stir until it forms a gel then set aside. Combine all wet ingredients in large-sized bowl. Add flax eggs. Mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices in small bowl and add to wet ingredients. Mix well (by hand if needed) until it forms into a big ball of dough. Add chopped apricots and almonds.

Form/roll dough into small balls then press flat between hands. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and gently press the top of each cookie down with a flipper/spatula to flatten. Allow to cool for several minutes before eating.

Makes 2 dozen small cookies.