Little Walnut Cookies

Adapted from the Chicago Tribune, January 16, 2011

The whole-grain goodness gives us far more fiber and nutrients with every bite. This recipe is a great lunchbox or anytime treat. The cookies are small. What's not small is the burst of flavor.

Makes 18 bite-size cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup ground NOW Real Food® Raw Walnuts*

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon non-hydrogenated margarine, room temperature

1/4 cup NOW Real Food® Date Sugar*

2 tablespoons NOW Real Food® Organic Maple Syrup*

1/2 teaspoon NOW Real Food® Organic Vanilla Extract*

2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place walnuts in a food processor; pulse until chopped very fine but still dry and powdery (or use a rolling pin to crush).
3. Stir together the walnuts, flour and salt in a small bowl.
4. Beat 1/4 cup of the margarine and the date sugar together until smooth and fluffy, then beat in maple syrup and vanilla.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture; lightly stir together to mix.
6. Form balls with a 1-tablespoon-size scoop; place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, with balls 2 inches apart.
7. Moisten your fingers with water; lightly press each cookie down.
8. Bake until the cookies are slightly browned on the bottom; about 10 minutes per batch.
9. Cool cookies on wire rack.
10. Return cookies to cookie sheet, placing them in straight lines, touching each other on both sides.
11. For icing, melt 1 tablespoon of the margarine in a saucepan over low heat.
12. Remove from heat, and whisk in the chocolate chips until they melt and the mixture is smooth.
13. Dip a fork into the icing; quickly drizzle icing over cookies to create fine lines.

Recipe tips: Do not overgrind the walnuts, or they may turn into nut butter. Date sugar, made from dried, ground dates, is a good alternative to refined white sugar. If the date sugar has clumped up, loosen it with your fingers before measuring.

Nutrition information, per cookie:
81 calories (60% of calories from fat)
6 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
0 mg cholesterol
7 g carbohydrates
1 g protein
53 mg sodium
1 g fiber

*NOW items available at your local health food store