I have a love-hate relationship with Valentine’s Day. Hate because it’s a silly, made up, consumerism “holiday”. Love because it is really just another excuse to have a theme in my baking for a few weeks (chocolates, cookies, sweets, desserts…). At any rate, we’re getting closer to the Big V Day, so it was a good excuse to use one of my cookie stamps, and to make these Maple Cashew Butter Cookies. Very addictive and my flat smells amazing. Also, these cookies are a great alternative for those people with a peanut allergy. Cashew butter could also be substituted with creamy Almond Butter.
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup cashew butter
1 large egg
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon maple extract (alternatively, vanilla extract)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare cookie sheets with silpat or parchment paper
In the work bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Add in cashew butter, egg, maple syrup and maple extract and continue beating until smooth.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger powder. Add to butter mixture and beat until no streaks of flour remain.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls and space two inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Use a cookie stamp to flatten. Alternatively, use a fork to press a crosshatch pattern into each cookie.
Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until edges of cookies are a light golden brown. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.
