patriotic tahini cookies with superfood frosting
The search for the perfect paleo cookie is over. Crisp on the outside, gooey on the inside, this paleo tahini cookie is my new obsession. It's fairly perfect on its own, but for the 4th of July I added patriotic fruit and frosting with mucuna prurient, a plant extract used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Mucuna prurient contains L-Dopa, a naturally occurring amino acid that the body uses to manufacture dopamine. Dopamine is a vital brain neurotransmitter that regulates mood, hormones and sex drive, among others. And since it has an almost smoky caramel flavor, it's a welcome addition to most sweet treats. Enjoy and happy 4th to all!
makes around 20 cookies
Ingredients
for the cookies
1 1/2 cup hazelnut flour (or almond flour)
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
for the frosting
7 Tbsp coconut oil, melted and still warm
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp mucuna pruriens (or substitute with your favorite superfood powder, it will just give you a different color)
2 tsp vanilla extract
toppings: blueberries and sliced strawberries
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda and sea salt. In a separate bowl mix the tahini, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Roll out the dough until 1/4 inch thick. Place in freezer for 20 minutes.
- Prepare frosting by mixing ingredients until well combined and chilling in fridge for 15 minutes.
- Cut cookies into desired shapes and place on parchment lined baking sheets, arranging cookies evenly about 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies for about 8 minutes, or until bottoms are golden.
- Top with frosting, blueberries, and sliced strawberries.
- Enjoy!
xx Shira
Adapted from Food & Wine