I’m taking a break from my regularly scheduled Cinco de Mayo programming to talk about something very important.
Cookies.
They are, perhaps the most perfect dessert created by man. Individual portions, hundreds of flavor combinations and honestly who doesn’t love a cookie? Here’s the thing though, I can’t share my recipe with you today. Gah!!! I have good reason though, I signed up to compete in Baker Bettie’s Cookie Wars and per her rules, no sharing the recipe until the contest is over.
What’s a blogger to do? I will tell you what, tell you about this awesome new club I joined!
Jennifer from Savory Simple started a great club for food bloggers called The Leftovers Club. What is it you ask? You see, as food bloggers we bake a lot and we have a lot of extra goods just sitting around. For me, my co-workers get to eat it all, but why should they get all the good stuff? The first Thursday of every month we post the recipe for a sweet or savory baked good and link up with anyone else that might be participating that month. From that lot we (me) gets paired with someone to swap baked goods. Pretty cool right? It’s my first month, so next month I get a someone to swap with. I’m excited and it’s just another cool, great thing that us food bloggers do for one another. Not to mention we finally get to try all the awesome food we bake!
I couldn’t leave you with a recipe though. As you can see from my title cashew butter was used in my cookies. Do yourself a favor, make your own. Not only will you save a lot of money, the taste is incredible – you’ll be hard pressed not to eat the entire batch right there and then.
Cashew butter, only takes 5 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted toasted cashews
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (or any neutral flavored oil)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 cup cashew butter
- 1/3 cup finely chopped unsalted cashews, plus 1 tablespoon extra for topping
- Blackberry jam to top the cookies
Instructions
- In the bowl of your food processor place the cashews and salt. Process until the cashews are broken down and they start to form a ball on one side of the food processor (you may need to stop half way through to scrape down the sides). This will take about 3 minutes.
- Break up the broken down cashews and spread it around the bowl of the food processor, replace the cover and start the motor again. From the top, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Makes about 1 1/4 cups cashew butter.
- Store in an airtight container.
- Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and airy about 3 minutes.
- Mix in the egg and beat until combined about 30 seconds.
- Scrape down the sides and add the cashew butter, mix well.
- In two parts, add the flour mixture, careful not to over mix the dough.
- Finally stir in the chopped cashews with a wooden spoon, scraping the sides and bottom to make sure all the ingredients are well combined.
- Scoop a heaping 1 tablespoon ball of dough and roll it between your hands and flatten it slightly between your palms and place on the baking sheet.
- Place dough balls 1 inch apart and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and either with your thumb or with the back or a small spoon make an indent in the center of each hot cookie.
- Spoon about a 1/4 teaspoon of blackberry jam in the center of each cookie and sprinkle with remaining chopped cashews.
- Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Here’s the list of everyone participating this month in the Leftovers Club:
Cannot wait for the recipe!!!!
Oh man. That cashew butter looks heavenly. My mother-in-law just gave me her old Cuisinart so I think I need to get my booty in the kitchen and make me some nut butters!
*claps* YAYYYY Cookie Wars!
Oh my gosh. You’ve totally inspired me to use my lemon curd making thumbprint cookies. YES! These look lovely and I think I’d scarf down the whole batch.
I love a good thumbprint and I love even MORE that these are made with cashew butter! Big yum.
Cashews are my favorite nut. Half of them would go into my mouth instead of the food processor! 🙂
Who says they didn’t? 🙂
Thumbprint cookies are awesome! Love cashew butter– can’t wait for the recipe! 🙂
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Ooops I think I meant to comment here. 🙂 I will be rooting for you–these look delicious!
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I love this! Making your own nut butter is so much better than storebought, amiright? Fingers crossed we get paired soon, and I get something delicious like this from you!
That makes two of us, of course we live so close we could just hand deliver our baked goods!
Ugh! Tell me about it! I always send left-overs to work with my husband. Especially the baked goods. I can’t have those in my house for too long. I will end up eating them all. These cookies are soooooo cute. I love them. I think my little nieces would love them too!
such a genius idea to use cashew butter! these are really lovely!
Fun fact: cashews are one of my favorite nuts soooo obviously I’ll be anxiously awaiting the reveal of this recipe! They look amazing!!
Mmmm…your thumbprints are perfectly adorable! I wish I had the time to develop a recipe for Cookie Wars. Ah well – I’ll just wait with baited breath to check out your submission along with all the other talented bloggers out there. I’ve got almond butter at home – now I want to make nutty thumbprint cookies with them!
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