Date Pecan Rosemary Cookies with Chia Seeds and Dark Chocolate Chips {Leftovers Club}

I’ve been craving some healthy cookies lately.  You know, the ones that when you bite into them, they satisfy both your sweet tooth and your taste for nuts, grains and seeds.  With Leftovers Club coming up, I figured it was a good time to make them.  Hopefully my partner Elizabeth can also dig the healthier sweets, because last time we were partners I sent her these rich, decadent dark chocolate blackberry brownies.  But if there’s one thing you’ll learn about my cooking it’s that it runs the full gamut and you’ll rarely get the same thing twice!

I pinned this recipe a while back because the rosemary reminded me of my all time favorite cookies, spiced rosemary chocolate chip.  These ones have some unique ingredients already, but I do think that you could add the cayenne if you want that little kick.

I made a few modifications, some due to cupboard contents (pecans instead of walnuts) and some due preference (coconut oil in stead of macadamia oil).  Oh, and I added dark chocolate chips, because everything is better with dark chocolate chips.  I love cooking and baking with coconut oil because it gives things a natural sweet, rich flavor.  Until recently I also thought of it as one of the healthiest cooking oils, which isn’t surprising given its widespread hype as a superfood.  However, I recently learned in my Intro to Nutrition course that it’s by the highest in saturated fat than any other fat oil, with twice as much per tablespoon as lard or butter!  That said, it is free of cholesterol and has a different fatty acid profile than animal fats, but it still something to keep in mind before you cook everything you eat in coconut oil.

Regardless, I still consider these healthy cookies!  They are naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dates and have a kick of protein and fiber thanks to the nuts and chia seeds.  The texture is crunchy and complex, and the rosemary (fresh off our bush!) is a flavor I love in cookies, especially with dark chocolate.

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Date Pecan Rosemary Cookies with Chia Seeds and Dark Chocolate Chips

Adapted from Cook Republic

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Line a cookie tray with parchment paper.
2. Whisk all dry ingredients (flour through rosemary) together in a large bowl.
3. Whisk wet ingredients (vanilla through egg) together in a small bowl.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon.
5. Fold in dates, pecans and chocolate chips.
6. Using the palm of your hands, shape dough ping pong ball sized cookies and flatten slightly. Place on prepared tray leaving a couple of inches between them.
7. Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes until cookies are golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the tray.

Makes 16 Cookies

Johanna