Coconut Snowballs

(recipe from the Bread and Chocolate blog)

1 3/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tsp. coconut oil
1/4 cup cashews
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

Pulse 1 cup of shredded coconut and coconut oil in a food processor, scraping down the sides, until well combined.  Add the cashews, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.  Add 1/2 cup shredded coconut.  Pulse again.  Roll into 1-inch balls and coat in the remaining coconut.

Refrigerate for an hour, then serve.

Sweetness and Light Sugarplums

(recipe from PETA)

12 dried Medjool dates, pitted
8 dried apricots
1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds (I used ground cardamom)
1/2 tsp. anise seeds
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1/4 cup ground cinnamon or unsweetened cocoa powder

Place the dates and apricots in a food processor and pulse until the mixture just starts to come together.

Add the cardamom seeds, anise seeds, and walnuts and pulse again until just combined.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Pour the cinnamon or cocoa into a shallow bowl.  Form the date mixture into balls the size of walnuts and roll in the cinnamon or cocoa until completely coated.

Makes about 2 dozen sugarplums and keeps for 1 week in the refrigerator.

Fruitcake Bars

(recipe from David Lebovitz)

6 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. packed, light or dark brown sugar
2 cups walnuts, almonds, or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups dates, pitted and coarsely chopped*
1 cup dried apricot halves, coarsely chopped*
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

*Use any combination of dried fruits that strikes your fancy.  The dates really do make the recipe, but I've tossed in a scoop of dried sour cherries or cranberries, or candied ginger as well, with great results.  Just stick with the total quantities listed above.

Line an 8-inch square pan across the bottom and up the sides with two sheets of aluminum foil, making a big criss-cross with the sides overhanging.

Preheat the oven to 325F and position the rack in the center of the oven.

In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the brown sugar, walnuts, dates, and apricots.  Use your fingers to mix the fruit, and separate any pieces sticking together.

Beat the egg and vanilla in a small bowl, then mix it with the fruit and nut mixture until everything's coated with the batter.  Spread the mixture in the baking pan and press gently to even it out.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top of the bars are golden brown and has pulled away just-slightly from the sides of the pan.  Cool the bars in the pan, then lift out.

To cut the cooled bars, use a heavy sharp knife, such as a bread knife, for ensuring neat, clean slices.

Storage: The bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

(I used 1 cup dates, 1 cup apricots, and 1/2 cup dried cranberries for my fruit combination.  For nuts, half walnuts, half pecans.  I also used coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar.  These bars are so good!  Not too sweet, like a little energy nugget.)

Carrot Walnut Cookies

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

1 cup raw unsalted walnuts
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 carrots, grated
1 apple, cored and seeded, grated
1 very ripe banana, peeled and mashed
1/4 cup apple juice

Preheat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine walnuts, oats, and raisins in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger.  Add carrots, apple, banana, and apple juice and stir until combined.  Drop by rounded tablespoons an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets, making about 24 cookies.  Press down on each cookie with the back of a fork to flatten slightly.  Bake until tops and bottoms are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

(Tasty little healthy cookies!  Wholesome enough to eat for breakfast.  Quick and easy to make.)

Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies

(recipe from Kinfolk magazine)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 large egg white, lightly beaten with 1 Tbsp. of water
Coarse sanding or sparkling sugar, for rolling

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup of the pecans and the salt.

In another bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup until pale and fluffy.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until a dough forms, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the dough between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap and form each into a long log, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Wrap tightly and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Brush each log of dough with some of the beaten egg white and roll it in sanding sugar to coat evenly.  Slice the logs into 1/2-inch-thick disks and arrange them at least 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Lightly brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle with the remaining chopped pecans.  Bake the cookies until they're lightly golden on the bottom, 10 to 14 minutes.  Let them cool on wire racks.

(I made these cookies at Christmas time for giving.  They are light and delightful, and easy to make.  I even made one batch using whole wheat flour, which created a nuttier-tasting, even lighter-textured cookie.)

Pumpkin Pecan Cookies

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

Makes about 30 cookies.

2 cups pecans, toasted and cooled
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup pureed pumpkin
1 Tbsp. orange zest (from 2 small oranges)
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 3 small oranges)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped, pitted dates

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Put pecans and oats in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until a fine meal forms, about 25 times.  Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves and pulse another 20 times to combine all the ingredients.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add pumpkin, orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract and dates to the food processor.  Blend until a smooth puree forms, scraping the sides down occasionally, about 1 minute.  Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Scrape the pumpkin mixture into the well and fold all the ingredients together with a spatula.

Scoop little heaps (about 2 Tbsp.) of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Flatten the batter slightly.  Bake 20 minutes, until the bottoms are just browned.  Remove to a cooling rack and cool slightly before serving.  Store in an airtight container.

(I made these on Christmas day.  They are nice little cookies, spiced not sweet.  Everyone loved them.)