Prep & Cooking: 20-25 mins
Makes: 1 dozen cookies
 
Main Ingredients:
1 cup softened plant-based butter or margarine
½ cup of cornstarch
1 ½ cups almond flour (sometimes labelled almond meal)
½ cup confectioners sugar (sometimes labelled icing sugar or powdered sugar)
1 cup quick oats
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans
 
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
 
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add almond meal, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla. Stir to combine. To the batter, add the chopped pecans and chocolate chips; folding in until incorporated.
 
Using two tablespoons drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheets allowing for a small amount of spreading as the cookies bake.
 
Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching the cookies closely. The edges of the cookie will be slightly golden when done.
 
Wait a for the cookies to cool before transferring to a plate or container. These cookies are a little bit crumbly but, if you give them time to cool before moving them they will hold together better.

​Prep & Cooking: 20 minutes
Makes: 24 medium sized cookies

Main Ingredients:
1 box of golden or vanilla cake mix - substitute a gluten-free mix if needed
¼ cup chopped green and/or red glacé cherries (plus additional pieced for topping if desired)
¼ cup golden raisins (optional)
¼ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup mixed peel (if you cannot find mixed peel use the zest of ½  a lemon and ½ an orange)
1 tsp rum flavouring
1/3 cup vegetable oil
¼ cup water

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix with oil, rum flavouring, and water. Stir together until all ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps.

Add in cherries, raisins, nuts, and peel. Stir to combine.

The dough should be firm and easy to roll into balls. If you find the dough sticky, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. You may have some stray nuts and fruit at bottom of your bowl that didn’t quite mix into the batter, just push the extra pieces into the top of the cookie balls before baking.

Roll dough into 1-1.5 inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. These cookies will spread and I recommend putting no more than 8 cookie balls on each sheet. Top with additional pieces of glacé if desired.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a rack or plate to cool for around 10 minutes. ENJOY!

Prep & Cooking: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes chill time
Makes: 24 cookies

Main Ingredients:
1 cup softened vegan butter or margarine
½ cup icing sugar (also called confectioner’s or powdered sugar)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or gluten free flour blend
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup chopped dried cranberries
Zest of one orange
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp orange essence (optional)

Method:
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cornstarch. Add softened butter and stir together until all ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps. Add vanilla and orange essence followed by cranberries and orange zest. Stir to combine.

Roll the dough into a log shape, approximately 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter, you will slice this log into small rounds to bake. Wrap the dough in wax paper or other easily removeable covering and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
 
Preheat oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the covering from the dough log and, with a sharp knife, slice into round no more than a ¼ inch thick.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, watching that the edges don’t burn. When the cookies are golden on the bottom remove and transfer to a rack or plate to cool for around 10 minutes.
 
Tips & Variations:

• The dough can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and frozen. Be sure to wrap it well so that it does not become freezer burned or take on other flavours. Allow it to thaw slightly before cutting and baking
• These cookies make a great gift before or after baking – take the prep work out of the equation for a friend and gift them the pre-made dough log with baking instructions

If you do not wish to cut dough rounds or want to forgo the sharp implements for a family friendly activity, the chilled dough can be rolled into balls and pressed with a fork before baking