Vegan Maple Almond Spice Biscotti

I made a dear friend this week. I’m ever so grateful to have shared three hours with the lovely Cara from Fork and Beans a few days ago. We had an instant connection, hit it off and I felt that I’d known her for years. There are some people you just click with immediately – no awkwardness, no small talk, and a refreshing “realness” (if that’s a word) in our conversation.

Cara is just as delightful and beautiful in person as she comes across in her blog. We met up and had a scrumptious meal at the vegetarian/vegan restaurant WaterCourse near downtown Denver. We laughed a ton, delved into personal details like we’d been friends forever, ate a bunch and time flew by.

Sadly, we talked so much and had such a blast that we forgot to take a photo! Though, I did remember to snap  photos of the vegan and grain-free biscotti I baked her for her flight home. Of course, I stole the not-so-pretty but still ever-so-tasty end pieces and had my fair share as the taste tester 🙂 I will be making these again soon in a larger batch and maybe even try flavor variations!

These little vegan cookies are slightly sweetened, lightly spiced and are full of flavor and crunch. I adapted the recipe from Elana’s orange cranberry biscotti with ease, and I was very pleased with the results. These might just be my new favorite cookie…and being that crunchy cookies are usually not my favorite, that’s got to say something right?

Bake these treats for an everyday treat or Christmas/holiday gifts – you will love them and your recipients will love you for them, plus they are grain-free, oil/butter free and much healthier than the typical holiday baked goodies 🙂

Vegan Maple Almond Spice Biscotti

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
1 Tbsp arrowroot starch
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup maple syrup (agave or brown rice syrup could be subbed with a different flavor)
1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped almonds (walnuts, pecans, macadamia, pepitas could be subbed)
1/4 cup raisins (dried cherries, currants, golden raisins, goji berries, dried blueberries or cranberries would be delish too!)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt, baking soda and spices. Pulse until ingredients are well combined.
2. Pulse in maple syrup until the dough forms a ball.
3.  Remove dough from food processor and work in almonds and raisins with your hands or a spoon.
4. Form dough into 2 logs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and cool for 1 hour.
5.  Cut the logs into ½ inch slices on the diagonal with a very sharp knife.
6. Lower oven heat to 300 F. Carefully spread slices out on a baking sheet and bake at 300° for 12-15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool, set, and become crispy – enjoy alone or with a cup of coffee or tea!

Makes 12-14 mini biscotti. Can double or triple recipe if desired.

I’ve dubbed these biscotti “crunchy cookie-crack”, care to join me?