Cherry Dark Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies {Gluten-Free, Paleo}

You’re in for a real treat today.

My husband, Bill, works at a summer sports camp for middle schoolers, and he brought some of these cookies to share with his co-counselors. One of them said,

“I don’t even really like cookies, but these are good!”

I’m not so sure about people who “don’t like cookies,” but I’ll take the compliment!

I’ve always loved cookies, and my first memories are of my mom’s chocolate chip cookies brought to you by none other than Nestle Tollhouse. I could do some damage on that bowl of batter…and I swear the raw eggs never made me sick 🙂

There aren’t many things more awesome than licking a bowl of cookie dough batter when you’re a kid, right?

Today’s cookies aren’t quite the same, and I didn’t eat the batter, BUT they really hit the spot when I’m looking for an upgraded sweet treat.

They’re soft, slightly tart and chewy from the dried cherries, a little crunchy from the toasted almonds and (of course!) chocolatey.

The base?

Almond butter. 

No refined flour or sugar here! But that doesn’t mean they don’t taste amazing.

Since they’re not make with any flour, they’re a bit sticky, so you’ll notice they stick together a bit if you stack them…but that’s all the more reason to grab two instead of one 😉

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup slivered almond, toasted and chopped
• 1 cup almond butter
• 1/3 cup 100% pure Grade B maple syrup
• 1 egg (free-range, cage-free preferred)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
2. Lightly toast slivered almonds in the toaster oven or on a small skillet until golden and crunchy; then, coarsely chop and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, stir together almond butter, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, salt, baking soda and baking powder until evenly combined.
4. Stir in coconut, dried cherries, chocolate chips and slivered almonds.
5. Scoop with a cookie scoop onto cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack…or eat immediately!