This recipe is adapted from Elana’s Pantry first cook book, which I love.
These cookies may sweep you off your feet, literally. As you can see I am a fan of chocolate and chile too. Strong and bold flavors are my cup of tea. Part of my Lebanese and Mexican heritage.
This is when I discovered that umami needs to be present in my pastries. I don’t like anything plain or what I call very simple flavors that are sugar coated which is a huge problem in most bakeries. Sugar can kill flavors and does not let the real ingredients shine through. On our last visit to Huckleberry in LA I realized that as much as I wanted to love the bakery (in essence I do) everything had a sugar crust that killed the individual elements of their baked goods. Sad story.
Luckily I grew up with chile, spice, bold Lebanese flavors, acid notes from labne and sumac and eating chamoy so it is in my blood and veins to create a savory sweet experience that satisfies every inch of your palate.
These cookies also became viral with my online classes that started my Noble Baking concept. Thousands of people have made them and sell them all over the world.
RECIPE
Serves: 18
- 2 ¾ cups (344 grams) blanched almond flour such as Honeyville or HEB (note: to measure almond flour: please spoon and compact the almond flour lightly)
- ½ cup (42 gr) raw cacao such as Terrasoul or cocoa (cacao is healthier)
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda (at high altitude use ¼ teaspoon or 1 gr)
- ½ teaspoon (2 teaspoons) Himalayan or fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon (12 gr) vanilla extract or paste such as Nielsen Massey
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- ½ cup grade A maple syrup
- ½ cup chocolate chunks or callets 70 % - 85 % such as Valhrona, Guittard, Cacao Barry
- 1 tablespoon or more to taste: dried jalapeño (not ground) such as Penzeys Spices
- Maldon salt to sprinkle on top before baking
- Preheat convection oven to 330 F regular oven 340 F. Prepare 2 baking trays with Silpat. I love perforated trays as they also work as cooling racks and they fit into a rack perfectly.
- In a large bowl, mix almond flour, baking soda, sea, salt. Add vanilla, oil and maple syrup.
- Add chocolate and jalapeño, mix well.
- Shape cookies with a medium scoop #24, put onto the prepared trays with enough room as they do expand. Flatten cookies lightly with your hands. Bake in pre heated oven until crisp on the sides and soft in the middle.
- Cookies will continue to bake as they cool on the tray. Let cool completely on baking tray before removing with a spatula.
- Cool on perforated baking trays or cooling racks.
- Store in individual cellophane bags or in plastic domes, they don’t keep well in Tupperware or plastic containers (they become soft and moist).
- Cookies keep for 3 days in optimal conditions.
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