Cocoa-Dusted Cashew Cookies

When Anni, the owner of local-to-me The Quail & Olive, asked me to create some recipes with some of her new products - from The Nut Hut in downtown Carmel - I started with a sweet treat.

In addition to the organic dark cocoa dusted cashews from The Nut Hut, I also used the Taggiasca olive oil from the shop and sea salt, ground cinnamon, and maple syrup from the pantry section of the shop.

Ingredients

makes 14 cookies

• 1 cup flour

• 1 cup quick cooking oats

• 3/4 cup organic dark cocoa dusted cashews + 7 cashews

• 1/2 cup organic dark brown sugar

• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt plus more for sprinkling

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 2 Tablespoons Taggiasca olive oil

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the 7 cashews in half lengthwise and set aside.

Blend together flour, oats, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Chop the remaining cashews into small pieces, then mix into the dry ingredients.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, and olive oil until well-combined.

Add wet ingredients to dry, and stir until just moistened. Scoop dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and press a halved cashew into the top. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack and cooling completely.

ENJOY!