Coconut Chocolate Delights

I first started experimenting with this recipe this fall when the Girl Scouts were taking cookie orders. I wanted to come up with a gluten-free Caramel DeLite. I quickly realized that I was going about it the wrong way. Samoas have a caramel, shortbread, coconut base and these cookies have a chocolate coconut base. But that doesn't mean they're not delicious. Especially if drizzled with a little caramel!

P.S. I realize they're not super photogenic. But these are the flattened version. For the first pan, I just scooped the dough out by the Tablespoon and when photographed, they look like poo. So. Appetizing, right? Try them, they're delicious!

3/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup almonds meal
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1 egg
2 Tbs milk
3 Tbs almond butter (alternately, coconut oil and real butter work well, too)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, mix together the egg, milk, and almond butter. Add wet to dry and mix well.
3. With wet hands, shape balls and place on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake for 14-15 minutes at 350. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Makes approximately 18 cookies.

I haven't posted many recipes lately, but it's raining outside and it's my last day of spring break (remind me why I'm subjecting myself to the... difficulty... that is grad school and my TA position) and I couldn't resist baking. On days like today, when real rain and thunder is present, I don't mind the grey skies. And the beautiful thing about spring is that it can be windy and unpredictable and stormy and rainy, but when the rain falls on fertile soil and the sun comes up again, fragile shoots begin to grow.

Yes, I'm talking about these garlic shoots that sprouted out of nowhere. I forgot I buried them last November. But I'm also talking metaphorically. If I manage my time wisely and prioritize well, this will be a season of growth.