End-of-Summer Daze + Sand Dollar Snickerdoodles

The last couple weeks zipped by, as we wrapped up summer break and geared up for back to school. In between haircuts and school supply shopping, we sneaked in a few last projects from the At-Home Summer Nature Camp, including making the Watermelon, Mint & Lemon Sorbet and Herbed Nuts from camp counselor Heather of Shivaya Naturals, from A Spot in the Shade week. These were perfect accompaniments for an end-of-summer poolside picnic.We enjoyed a final Tuesday beach day with some homemade, Gluten-Free Sand Dollar Snickerdoodles (from At the Beach Week, recipe below); got hands-on at our local marine aquarium; and made some collected-seashell-sun prints using solar print paper.

Before we knew it, we were scrambling to finish summer book reports and lay out outfits for the first day of kindergarten and the 4th grade! School started on Monday and now we're adjusting to earlier & quicker-paced mornings, riding the school bus, and, for me - the return to work. It's pretty hard to shake the end-of-summer daze, but I'm getting excited for the fall session of A Sense of Place (starts Sept. 23rd) and a couple other new projects I'll share soon! 

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup organic cane sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar + 1/4 cup for topping

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon + 2 teaspoons for topping

3 cups blanched almond flour (or almond meal)

1 cup almond slivers

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, mix together the butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar until very creamy. Add the vanilla and eggs, mixing until well incorporated. Mix in the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the almond flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.

 

Mix the remaining brown sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow dish. Roll the cookie dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon rounds, then roll to coat in the sugar mixture. Place the coated dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Gently flatten down the dough balls with your hand. Press 5 almond slivers in a star shape in the center of each cookie to look like the design of a sand dollar.

 

Bake 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

 

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies