If you’re looking for a versatile cookie with a crunchy exterior and a bit of chew, this is a winner. The flours, jam and spices can all be swapped to either fit your preferences, dietary needs, or to match the ingredients you have on hand. I’ve made this recipe with multiple flavors of jam and spice, and also swapped out the gluten-free all-purpose flour for cassava, as well as occasionally blending a portion of the oats. No flax in the pantry/refrigerator? Omit it. No fresh fruit (or time) to make fresh jam, use your store-bought favorite! The jam can also be made ahead of time and frozen until ready to bake.

YIELD: approximately 36 cookies
**CRANBERRY JAM**
1 3/4 cup fresh cranberries
2 cups water
2 T maple syrup
1/4 t ground cardamom
pinch sea salt
1 t fresh ginger juice (from fresh ginger root)
1 t vanilla extract
**COOKIE**
2 cups almond meal (or freshly processed almond, hazelnut, blends, etc.)
1 1/2 cups gf ap flour
2 T flax seed
3/4 t sea salt
2 cups gf oats (1/2 pulsed, optional)
1/2 t ground ginger
fresh ground black pepper x a few twists
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup melted coconut oil
1 t vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line sheet tray with unbleached parchment.
-Place jam ingredients (except for the ginger and vanilla) in a small sauce pot. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Once most of the liquid evaporates, and mixture becomes a jam-like consistency, turn off heat and stir in vanilla and ginger.
-While jam is cooking, combine dry cookie ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
-Combine wet cookie ingredients in a small bowl.
-Combine dry and wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
-Using a small scoop, or tablespoon, scoop cookies onto parchment paper.
-Using the back of a 1/2 teaspoon, press rounds into the center of each dough mound.
-Fill each well with 1/2 teaspoon of jam.
-Bake for approximately 22 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
*These cookies have a crisp texture upon being taken out of the oven. They can be kept in an air-tight container, and around day 2/3, the texture softens and they have a bit more of a delicious chew. They also freeze well.

SPICED PEAR MAPLE CRUMBLE

January 23, 2019 Julia Deppe

**Yield: approximately 12 servings**
***Filling***
1 cup water
1/8 t sea salt
1 lemon, juiced
4 pears, peeled, cored and diced medium
2 gala apple, peeled, cored and diced medium
(Fruit yields approximately 6 cups)
1 1/2 T arrowroot
1 1/2 T coconut sugar
1 T ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cardamom
2 t maple syrup
1 t vanilla extract
***Crust***
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup smooth almond butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 t vanilla extract
***Crumble Topping***
1/2 cup almond flour
2 T coconut sugar
1/4 t sea salt
***Glaze***
13.5 oz coconut cream
1 T coconut sugar
1 T maple syrup
1 t vanilla extract
1/8 t sea salt
***Filling Procedure***
-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 x 9” baking vessel with parchment paper. Either a square dish or pie pan work well.
-Place water, salt, lemon juice and fruit into a medium-sized saucepan. Simmer on medium-low until the fruit is partially softened, but still holds form. Stir as needed.
-While the fruit cooks, add the dry filling ingredients (arrowroot, coconut sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom) to a small bowl, and mix to combine.
-Once the fruit is partially cooked, add the dry filling ingredients to the pot. Stir thoroughly and continue to simmer until the mixture thickens.
-Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup and vanilla.
***Crust Procedure***
-Mix the dry crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the wet crust ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir wet mixture into the dry mix.
-Take approximately 2/3 of the crust mixture and press it evenly inside the pan.
-Poke a few holes in the crust with a fork.
-Bake the crust for six minutes, or until just starting to solidify and turn golden.
***Crumble Topping Procedure***
-While the crust bakes, combine the remaining 1/3 crust mixture with the additional almond flour, coconut sugar and salt.
-Mix to create a crumbly topping, and create varying size crumble by squeezing larger amounts of the ingredients together.
***Final Assembly***
-Once the crust is golden, and removed from the oven, pour the fruit mixture on top.
-Top the fruit with the prepared crumble topping.
-Set back in the oven and bake until the liquid is bubbling and the crumble is starting to turn golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.
***Glaze Procedure***
-While the dessert is baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small pot on medium heat.
-Bring to a boil, and immediately down to a simmer.
-Allow the mixture to reduce until it thickens into a caramel sauce-like consistency.
-Serve fruit crumble with glaze drizzled on top.
*This recipe is extra delicious also topped with your favorite coconut ice cream or a dollop of whipped coconut cream.