These little gems can be cooked three ways in the same batch to suit everyone’s taste.

Combining buckwheat and almond meal together gives a great burst of protein.  Add to that coconut oil as a healthy fat choice and you’ve got a protein packed snack that will curb your carb cravings at morning or afternoon tea.

We used Rice Malt Syrup (see info on Rice Malt Syrup below) as a sweetener so there’s no fructose or sucrose. unless of course you choose one of the jam filled cookies.

If you’re trying to avoid added sugar in your diet, make them all with a whole almond on top and ditch the jam.

Here’s what you need:

• 2 cups buckwheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups almond meal
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cut Rice Malt Syrup
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• Cherry jam (or similar) for filling
• Dessicated coconut for topping

Here’s what you do:

Preheat oven to 180 degree C (350 degree F).

If the coconut oil is solid, gently warm in the microwave until melted.  Mix in the rice malt syrup.

Combine the buckwheat flour, almond meal, cinnamon, salt and coconut oil/rice malt in a bowl.

Using your hands, roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on a baking try lined with baking paper.

Almond Top – push a whole almond onto the top of a ball, flattening a little.

Jam Top – make an indent with your thumb or the back of a spoon and place about a 1/4 teaspoon of jam in the indent.

Jam and coconut top – do the same for the jam top above.  If you want to add coconut to on top of the jam, remove the cookies from the oven after baking for 10 minutes, sprinkle the dessicated coconut on top of the jam and return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Bake the cookies in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden and firm.

Cool on a wire rack.

Rice malt syrup – is made from fermented cooked rice and is a blend of carbohydrates, glucose and maltose.  It is 100% free of fructose and sucrose and makes an excellent alternative to honey, maple syrup, golden syrup or sugar.

Enjoy!

With your health in mind,

Catherine

(This recipe was adapted from a Donna Hay recipe)