Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups (240g) Super-fine blanched almond flour
  • ½ tsp (3g) Baking soda
  • ¼ tsp (1.5g) Fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (100g) Coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup (56g) Grass-fed butter, softened
  • 1 Large egg, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp (12g) Fresh orange zest
  • 1 tsp (5ml) Pure vanilla bean paste
  • 24 Whole blanched almonds

Instructions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the citrus zest and the sweetener. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the granules until the mixture looks like damp sand and smells intensely of orange.
  2. Add the softened butter (or coconut oil) to the sugar. Whisk or beat until the mixture is pale and airy. Incorporate the egg and vanilla, whisking until the texture is velvety and smooth.
  3. Sift the almond flour, baking soda, and salt into the wet mixture. Use a spatula to fold the ingredients together until no dry streaks remains. The dough should feel tacky but hold its shape.
  4. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes. This cold rest is essential for preventing excessive spread and developing flavor.
  5. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Form the chilled dough into 1-inch balls.
  6. Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them 2 inches apart. Press one whole blanched almond into the center of each gem.
  7. Bake for 12 minutes until the edges are just golden. Cool on a wire rack to allow the 'shattering' texture to set.