photo: Joy A.K. Rogers
Sultry and seductive, the smoky-sweet flavor of mesquite gives these cookies a genuine Sonoran flair. Besides mesquite, the secret to this moist, light, and cake-like cookie is xanthan gum—used commercially in most flourless mixes to hold the ingredients together. This recipe makes about 50-60 cookies.
2 cups ground almonds (Trader Joe’s, health or natural food store)
1/2 cup mesquite flour*
1/4 cup rolled oats
3 teaspoons xanthan gum (health or natural food store)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup sugar (barely sweet; increase to 1/2 cup for pretty sweet—any more and the mesquite flavor will be drowned)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 sticks butter, melted (lightly grease two cookie sheets with some of this)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla—add to the eggs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss the dry ingredients thoroughly with a fork; create a well in the center. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir gently with a spoon until the dry ingredients are nicely moistened. Let the mixture set a few minutes. Spoon about a tablespoon or a bit more of the mixture onto the cookie sheets; they don’t spread much while baking. Bake about 13-14 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Refrigerates well for 3 weeks in an airtight container.
*Consistently available at New Life Health Centers. Also try the Desert Harvesters 8th Annual Mesquite Milling Fiesta & Pancake Breakfast on Nov 6, 9am-2pm at the Dunbar/Spring Organic Community Garden, 11th Avenue and University Blvd. Visit DesertHarvesters.org for more information.
2 cups ground almonds (Trader Joe’s, health or natural food store)
1/2 cup mesquite flour*
1/4 cup rolled oats
3 teaspoons xanthan gum (health or natural food store)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup sugar (barely sweet; increase to 1/2 cup for pretty sweet—any more and the mesquite flavor will be drowned)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 sticks butter, melted (lightly grease two cookie sheets with some of this)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla—add to the eggs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss the dry ingredients thoroughly with a fork; create a well in the center. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir gently with a spoon until the dry ingredients are nicely moistened. Let the mixture set a few minutes. Spoon about a tablespoon or a bit more of the mixture onto the cookie sheets; they don’t spread much while baking. Bake about 13-14 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Refrigerates well for 3 weeks in an airtight container.
*Consistently available at New Life Health Centers. Also try the Desert Harvesters 8th Annual Mesquite Milling Fiesta & Pancake Breakfast on Nov 6, 9am-2pm at the Dunbar/Spring Organic Community Garden, 11th Avenue and University Blvd. Visit DesertHarvesters.org for more information.
