Almond Walnut Christmas Cookies

These raw almond walnut Christmas Cookies are sure to be a hit, especially during the holiday season! The spices – ginger, cloves, cinnamon – are all reminiscent of Thanksgiving and Christmas. As a bonus, these spices have some important health qualities that are important when it comes to desserts.

There are also some other powerhouse spices in these cookies, which make them well balanced in the 6 tastes and therefore, more satisfying to your tastebuds and body – not to mention excellent for your health!

How Healthy are these Delicious Cookies? It’s Time to Indulge

Cinnamon is anti-inflammatory, helps promote healthy bacteria in your gut (those good guys that help you digest and assimilate your food) and keeps your blood sugar stable (which helps give you willpower!). It can also help with heart health and can prevent diabetes.

Cloves are great for your teeth and gums, help fight bad bacteria, like H. pylori (responsible for ulcers) and can inhibit viruses like herpes and hepatitis C.

Ginger can help with morning sickness, migraines, arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, cholesterol problems and heart attack.

Fenugreek has been found to help with weight loss, cataracts, kidney stones and gallstones. It can also prevent or reverse non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Preparation time

  • Soak nuts for 8 – 12 hours
  • 20 minutes to prepare
  • 18 hours in the food dehydrator (or 30 minutes – 2 hours in your oven).

Ingredients

  • 2 cups almonds
  • 2 cups walnuts
  • 1 cup pitted medjool dates
  • 3 TBL vanilla
  • 1 TBL cinnamon
  • 1 TBL ginger
  • 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp fenugreek powder
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp all spice

Directions

  • Soak almonds and walnuts for 8 – 12 hours. To soak the nuts, you can put them in the same glass container and fill with filtered water until the water just covers the top of the nuts. Add 2 tsp of sea salt to the water, mix it in and then put a top over the bowl. Leave this on your countertop to soak overnight.
  • In a food processor with an S-blade, put in the dates and blend the up until they are mushy. Now add the nuts and blend it up again. Add the rest of the ingredients and keep blending until the mixture is completely smooth. Add a little filtered water as needed to keep everything blending up properly. Taste the mixture and see if you like it. You can add more dates if you like a sweeter cookie. Start with 2 dates at a time and taste again if you decide to add more sweetness. You may need to add a little water to get them fully blended. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula to keep things moving.
  • If your food processor or blender is small, you can cut this recipe in half and mix things up separately, then combine in a bowl afterwards.
  • Scoop out the mixture with a tablespoon and flatten it out onto silicone baking sheets. Put the baking sheets into your food dehydrator at 115 degrees F and dehydrate for about 18 hours or longer if you like a drier cookie. I like these a little moist and chewy, so I take then out before they get too dry or hard (about 18 hours).
  • If you do not have a food dehydrator, put these on a coconut oil greased glass or stainless steel baking sheet, or on a silicone baking sheet (the silicone baking sheet does not need to be greased) and put it in your oven at the lowest temperature. Watch the oven for when you want to take them out. It should be anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the lowest temperature of your oven and how dry you want them to be. Keeping your oven on the lowest temperature will be gentler to the nut oils.
  • Store in your refrigerator for a week or in your freezer for a couple of months. They will thaw quickly if you want to make more and freeze them for convenient snacks. Just pull a few out of the freezer, put into a baggie and take on the go for a healthy snack or dessert on the run!

 

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As a coach, writer and recovered former executive, I understand the challenges of creating a balanced, healthy lifestyle when over-scheduled. In my journey to radiant health, I created a whole health system of eating, exercise, renewal and recharging -- a roadmap toward health & vitality. I empower clients to create their own whole health systems, in their own unique ways. I have seen amazing results in working with my clients!