1 cup whole-wheat flour, plus additional for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp coconut oil
3 egg whites
1/3 cup prepared green tea (brewed for 5 minutes), cooled to room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure almond extract
1/4 cup finely chopped raw unsalted almonds
1/4 cup finely chopped pitted dates (TIP: Opt for natural date varieties, such as Medjool and deglet noor, which contain no added sugar or preservatives)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir flours and baking powder until well combined. With a pastry cutter, cut in oil until mixture resembles the texture of coarse oatmeal. Stir in egg whites, tea and vanilla and almond extracts. With a rubber spatula, fold in almonds and dates.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into 2 9 x 2-inch logs. Place logs 4 inches apart on baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes. Leave oven heat at 350°F.
With a serrated knife, slice logs diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Remove parchment paper from baking sheet and place slices on sheet, flat side-down, in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and turn slices. Return to oven and bake for 8 to 10 more minutes, until dry and crisp. Let cool completely.
Tosca Reno's 30-minute cookies are a holiday favorite - she was even able to use the addictive sweets as a means of sneaking flax into her daughter's diet!
This intensely satisfying treat, infused with traditional Middle Eastern flavors, relies on dates for its sweetness — remember to use pit-in dates; they contain more moisture than their pitted counterparts.