Paleo Bulleit Bourbon Pecan Pie Cookies
Pecans.
Dates.
Coconut.
Sea Salt.
Vanilla.
Bourbon.
Baked. Warm from the oven. Sweet and dusted with sea salt.
D E L I C I O U S.
If only you could smell the freshly baked smell of sweet dates and toasted pecans wafting from my oven. Taste the tang of bourbon swimming among the pecan-pie-like flavors. If only you could experience these incredible bars…
Oh wait! YOU CAN!
Paleo. Gluten-free. Dairy-free. Healthy enough. And made with the smooth spike of Bulleit Whiskey. Do yourself a favor and make these…
Now.
Paleo, gluten, dairy and grain-free. Makes 20ish cookies with extra filling (for eating with a spoon). Adapted from a recipe by Allergy Free Alaska and Taste of Home
For the filling:
- 1/3 cup soft dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted/heated in microwave for 20-30 seconds)
- 1 tbsp almond milk
- 2 tbsp Bourbon (or Rye) whiskey (or more if you so feel inclined! Bulleit is my preferred type. ;))
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped and separated into 1 cup and 1/2 cup amounts
For the cookie base:
- 2 cup almond flour, gently packed
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 5 tbsp coconut oil, at room temperature
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1-2 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp bourbon whiskey (again if you’d like, just enhances the flavor)
Directions:
Filling:
Cover the chopped dates in hot water to soften, and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine the maple syrup, coconut oil (melted), almond milk, and vanilla extract, stirring quickly to ensure the coconut oil mixes and does not cool before mixed.
Drain and discard the hot water from the dates, and place the dates and 1 cup of the pecans in a blender with the maple syrup/coconut oil mixture. Blend until smooth, pour back into the medium bowl and stir in the sea salt and remaining pecans. Set aside.
Cookie base:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond and coconut flour, sea salt, and baking soda. Whisk in the coconut oil until the dough resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, and almond milk. Start with 1 tablespoon of almond milk and add another tablespoon only if the dough needs more moisture to pull it together.
Roll the dough into balls (using about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough each) and place on the cookie sheet. Flatten the balls of dough and use your fingers to make a well (or indent) in the middle of the cookies.
Fill the cookies with the pecan pie filling – feel free to generously fill the cookies, the more the better!
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown.
Allow the cookies to completely cool on the cookie sheet then devour!