It’s nice to have a recipe that kids and adults alike can enjoy and feel good about eating. These cookies make the cut. They are made from real, whole ingredients to fuel growing kids (and adults trying not to grow!).
We don’t eat too much refined sugar- the kids consider a fruit plate dessert. Like mom, Naomi loves dark, bitter chocolate. I used an 88% cocoa content dark chocolate in these cookies; some kids may prefer a 50% to 60% variety. The cookies themselves are slightly sweet and could even stand up to semi-sweet chocolate.
Usually, we pack these cookies in lunch boxes for a “dessert” or as an afternoon at-school snack… if they last that long. Often, they disappear, warm and gooey, as soon as they emerge from the oven.
It is a well-known fact that Asher is our “cookie monster.” Cookie” was his first word! No chocolate chip cookie in our state is safe. This nutritious recipe is packed with all the “good stuff” and tastes scrumptious!
I will admit that Gideon still prefers his little, organic crackers. Still, he ate one of mom’s cookies happily! The little guy cruised and crawled with cookie power all morning long.
The discs of goodness are packed with protein and fiber from seeds and ground almonds and are subtly sweet, soft and chewy. Flax seeds provide a nice textural element, almond extract echoes the nutty flavor of the ground almonds, and cardamon provides a note of warm spice. The flavor profile of these little rounds is, well, “well-rounded”
These cookies are gluten-free. Even if you enjoy gluten (and why shouldn’t you?), this recipe will still fit the bill. Due to a medical diagnosis, mom is not able to eat gluten. As a result, our family eats more whole foods (such as fruits, vegetables) than ever. It’s a treat to have a delicious, indulgent recipe in the arsenal that everyone in our little crew can enjoy.
Kid Power Cookies
Yield: a baker’s dozen (13 cookies)
Dry Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups finely ground unsalted, blanched almonds- or almond meal
1 Tablespoon ground flax seeds
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (optional)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Wet Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil or light olive oil
2 Tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
2 Tablespoons agave nectar
Add-ins:
1/4 heaping cup finely chopped dark chocolate, (I used Endangered Species 88%)
1 Tablespoon whole flax seeds
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350•F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients with whisk until well-combined.
- Whisk in the “add-ins.”
- In a medium bowl, use the same whisk to mix the wet ingredients until a uniform batter appears.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing until completely combined.
- Use a melon ball scoop to rounds of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave space between each cookie.
- Press the rounds of dough down with clean fingers or a fork to form flat disks.
- Bake for about ten minutes, just until the cookies are no longer doughy. The cookies will not brown or expand during the baking process.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack lined with paper towels. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
©Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward, shannaward.com (2013-2015). Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without expressed and written permission from this blog’s author, Shanna Koenigsdorf Ward, and/or owner is strictly and completely prohibited.
Curls and carrots 
Nice to see you back. I’ve missed your posts and your growing family. Hope your relocation went ok. It’s always difficult.
Thank you so much for the warm words!
Yay! You’re back along with your gorgeous models 😀 Look at how big Gideon is now! Wow! How time flies! How have you been? I hope the move went well and that you are all settled. I am sick with a flu at the moment. Having theses delicious and healthy cookies (and apples) will definitely make my day. 🙂 Glad you are back, Shanna. Best wishes to you and your family. Take care! 😀
Thank you, Anna! Feel better soon!
Thank you, Shanna.
Yes, welcome back, and with a deliciously healthy cookie recipe for our little guys :). I’m sharing this one on my foodie Facebook page for a Sunday Afternoon.
Thank you. What is your foodie Facebook page?
There’s a link in the right margin on my blog, but the address is http://www.facebook.com/cookupastory
Prepare yourself for a like and follow, Sharon. 😉
What a beautiful healthful snack for the kids. Those cookies sound delicious.
Thank you!
Looks delish. Nice to see you back at the blog! I’m avoiding baking right now since we don’t need anything, but being coped up in the house during this ridiculous hurricane/storm is driving me insane!
I hope you stay safe and dry! 🙂 Thanks for your note, Gretchen.
I thought I had lost you on my Reader, Shanna. I have made a change in my posting, using shorter written texts and photos!
The children are growing quickly while I had a new grandson last month. 🙂 Kids keep us feeling joyful.
I liked your cookie recipe and happy to hear you are back!
Thanks, Rachel, I’ll check out what I’ve missed on your blog since our move to the midwest. 🙂
Looks good! 🙂
Thank you!
Cookie was his first word!! Cute! These look great, wish I could pack them for the lunchbox but our school has a strict no nut policy.
Maybe you could try coconut flour, which is naturally sweet and has a nice texture in cookies. Thanks for stopping by!
These sound amazing Shanna! Wow, your kids have grown (its been ages since I’ve had a proper ‘visit’ to my favourite blogs, thank goodness my wrist is recovering now!). As gorgeous as ever! Despite the fact that my husband and I don’t have kids yet, I am pretty sure we would devour these cookies as healthy lunchbox snacks 😉
Thank you, Laura. I can’t wait to catch up on your blog!
Welcome back, my sweet friend! And what great tasty healthy cookies to come back with! yes, please! 🙂
I am making them tomorrow morning! Yummm! Lovely photos too! x
Thank you, Sophie, for trying the recipe. Please provide expert feedback. Keep up the great work!
I made them a few times until now & each time, they are just perfect! 👍🏻
That’s awesome 🙏😀🍪
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Beautiful family! I hope you’re enjoying Indiana!😊
We are loving Indiana, Linda. Thanks for your nice note! 🙂
These look delicious ~ and fantastic photos too!
Randall, you are very kind. Your photos and blog – WOW. Thanks for stopping by!
Shanna! Welcome back, we missed you! Great pictures and ahww your children so cute! We are definitely going to try this recipe, thanks for sharing 😀
Thank you! Looking forward to continue to catch up on TwinDays! 🙂
I’m definitely going to try these this weekend. I’m a cookie monster like your son, but also a dietitian, so it’s nice to have some guilt free indulgences around…
Thanks, Laura. I can tell you love colorful and beautiful food from your blog. 🙂 My kids love cookies; I try to give them whole food-based cookies… if I have time to bake special treats. Your blog is just gorgeous and delicious – Shanna Food, for sure.
Now those are a treat everyone should love.
Thank you!
Great to see your presence in the blogosphere Shanna! And you moved?? Wow. Midwest? Hope your family has settled in and you find time to put up some posts for us to enjoy. Amazing you would find time for anything with three little ones! Always love to see what you’re cooking…and these cookies look so wholesome and delicious. Go check out this blog…I love it…and you will too! http://www.cookingwithtoddlers.org
Thanks for the visit. Lots of cooking, sometimes blogging. 🙂 I’ll have to catch up on your blog!
Oh my! The kids are growing up too fast!
Yes, and our grocery bills are also rapidly growing, haha. 🙂
Looks tempting
Thanks!
Your kids are growing so fast! 🙂 Nice to see your posts again, Shanna! It’s such a super healthy cookie recipe, I think it’s good not only for kids.. 😉