Berry Stella Cookies

• Dairy Free
• Makes 20-25 small cookies

A stunning Christmas cookie recipe. About the healthiest cookie you can make that still tastes good -  with oats, coconut, maple syrup, coconut oil, macadamias, flaxseed and berries.

1 cup zentrofan fine wheat flour or standard flour 1 cup desiccated coconut 1 cup rolled oats ½ cup macadamias ¼ cup flax seeds, ground ½ teaspoon fine ground sea salt ¾ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup maple syrup ½ cup virgin coconut oil ½ cup black currants and/or raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Pulse the macadamias in a food processor until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, desiccated coconut, oats, macadamias, flaxseed, salt and baking soda.
3. Add the vanilla extract, coconut oil, and maple syrup and mix until well combined. If using cookie cutters scoop 2 tablespoons of the dough into each cutter following the instructions above. Otherwise simply roll the scooped dough into balls and flatten them a little.
4. Lightly press and small handful of frozen berries onto each cookie and bake in the upper third of oven for 13-15 minutes, or until golden on top and bottom.

Recipe and photo by Joe Rich.  Visit his recipe journal at www.edenkitchen.com