Hello my plant-powered buddies! You get a “2 for 1” special today. First, my recipe for Pecan Date Nibblers from LTEV (which are oil-free, sugar-free, and have a gluten-free option), AND you get to see this recipe in the making.
So, today instead of typing – I’ll let you watch me talking!
Pecan Date Nibblers
oil-free, refined sugar-free, gluten-free option
I’d been hankering for a baked cookie using dates as the primary sweetener; looking for a good pairing, I used pecans — perfect with their natural butteriness. The first batch was a winner, and these healthy, tasty little nibblers needed repeating!
1 cup whole pecans
1 cup pitted dates
1 tbsp nut butter of choice (or can substitute 1 tbsp organic extra-virgin coconut oil if you prefer)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
½ cup + 1 tbsp light or sifted spelt flour (see note for gf option)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp (scant) sea salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon or orange zest (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, first pulse the pecans until just crumbly. Then add the dates, nut butter, vanilla, and maple syrup. Pulse again until the dates are broken up into smaller pieces (but not fully processed, leave some chunkier pieces). In a bowl, sift in the flour and baking powder, and then stir in the salt, cinnamon, and zest. Add the dry mixture to the processor and pulse until the mixture starts to come to- gether. (It does not need to be fully formed into a dough, but should hold together when pressed or squeezed into a ball in your hand.) Once at this stage, stop processing. Place spoonfuls of the dough (about a couple teaspoons to 1 tbsp in size) on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool on the pan for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 12 – 14 nibblers (please note: LTEV recipe indicates 16-20 as a yield, this should be 12-15).
Allergy-Free or Bust! For a gluten-free version, replace the spelt flour with 1⁄3 cup of rice flour, 11⁄2 tablespoons of tapioca starch flour, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of xanthan gum. That easy!
Extra-Extra!: Try adding some cranberries, non-dairy chocolate chips, or rolled oats (about 2-3 tbsp of either).
Recipage link here.
Enjoy, and I’m returning with a very special idea that will require YOUR feedback. Please subscribe to my posts to stay in the loop! And, check out Ricki Heller’s Wellness Weekend while you’re waiting!
Sassy says
Odd question, but would walnuts work in place of pecans here? While everyone in my family LOVES pecans, I just cannot stand them. For me, no matter where I get them, they have a nasty aftertaste. So when making things that call for pecans, I usually substitute with walnuts. But as it’s an oil free recipe here, I’m unsure if the different nut would unbalance the chemistry of the cookie. So thinking a pecan batch for them and a walnut or other nut batch for me. If walnuts wouldn’t be suitable. Would another nut? Macadamia maybe as they were quite buttery and creamy? Thanks.
Dreena says
I think walnuts would be the perfect sub, actually! I don’t use walnuts as much because I find I can be a little sensitive to them. Also, here pecans are a little naturally sweeter for the cookies. So, you might want to taste the batter and adjust the sweetener a little if needed. Good luck!
Mirjam says
(Of course I meant your LTEV book in the post below, which I am also happy to have on my cookbookshelf)
Mirjam says
Although I’ve had your ED&BV book for a long time (and two of your other books), I actually never made these cookies until this morning. Wow, how scrumptious these are! Because they’re not that sinful, I already let myself indulge in four of them, so now I keep the lid on the box, so that there are still some left when the children are back from school. This recipe is a keeper!
Alison says
I just had to make these after watching your video. But, I only had 3/4 cup of pecans. I also had no Spelt flour. So, I used 3/4 cup of pecans and 1/4 cup macadamia nuts. I used whole wheat flour (just 1/2 cup as you suggested above). They turned out beautifully! My kids love them.
Thank you.
Dreena says
Wonderful Alison! So pleased they worked out with the substitutions – thanks for sharing that. 🙂
Robin says
This looks great. I only have a small food processor, can this be mixed by hand at some point? I don’t think all of he ingredients will fit.
Dreena says
Robin, you might give it a try in your processor, as it doesn’t make a really big batch. Try just processing the dates and pecans (you might have to do in two batches), and then transfer to a bowl to mix the rest in! Good luck, hope it works out!
Robin says
Success! I mixed in the dry ingredients with my hand in a bowl.
Dreena says
excellent! 😀
Rosalyn says
Have you ever tried coconut flour? These looks so good! I can’t wait to make them!
Dreena says
Hi Rosalyn, yes, I have used coconut flour – it’s lovely! It’s more absorbent than regular flour, so if you want to sub it here, you might need just about 1/3 cup instead of 1/2. Enjoy!
Tiffany says
Hi Dreena,
The pecan nibblers look delicious!
I want to make your Millet Amaranth porridge (from Vive le Vegan) but I’d like to adjust the recipe to one serving…How can that be done?
Would using 3T of millet and 1T of amaranth work well? Would I also divide the water and milk servings by 4?
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Dreena says
Hi Tiffany, yes, you could divide everything by 4 – might be a little easier to just cut the recipe in half and save leftovers for another day – would reheat well, covered and warmed in toaster oven or reg oven – might just need a little extra milk to soften and thin out. That help?
Tiffany says
Thank you Dreena! The porridge turned out wonderful 🙂
I recently saw this commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WrMPDNA0Dk
Its a Got Milk Ad about naming the ingredients in imitation milk. I was a little hurt because I don’t drink milk but I do consume almond milk and small amounts of soy milk. I just felt that the ad wad targeting those of us that consume such products and labeling it as artificial. I don’t think almond, soy, and rice milk are trying to imitate milk exactly but they are something new in their own right with lots of health benefits as opposed to drinking milk.
I’d love to hear your opinion…Thanks! 🙂
Ricki says
Great video, Dreena! I love the background commentary. 😀 And I am SO using your trick to get cookies off the cookie sheet from now on!!
Katrina says
Your daughter is adorable. I burst out laughing about the Aunt Jemima comment. This recipe sounds scrumptious… num num num….
jennP says
i Love this video! it’s adorable to have your daughter commenting along the way ! I will definitely try this recipe 🙂
Dreena says
Thank you Jenn for the kind feedback!
Janae @ Bring-Joy says
Dreena, I love these videos! You are great in front of the camera & you’re daughter is a pro with the camera 🙂
So excited to have this mouthwatering recipe since (as you know) I don’t have my copy of LTEV with me right now. You really are the cookie queen.
(And for the record, forgive me for saying this, but your Canadian accent is so cute! Love it.)
Dreena says
Oh thanks Janae!! That’s so kind of you. Funny, I never think I have an accent – guess we all think that!! 🙂
Dana says
Dreena- these look fantastic! What a great idea to use pecans for that buttery taste! Not sure how I missed these in my now dog-eared copy of LTEV, but I will be trying them this weekend. I don’t have any spelt flour on hand, so I might try half oat flour and half garbanzo bean flour. Thanks for sharing!
Dreena says
Hi Dana, well, there’s a LOT of cookies in that book, easy to miss a few. 🙂 Oat will work fine, I haven’t tested with chickpea flour, so not sure how they’d taste, just fyi. There’s also a gf option if you’d like to try that. Thanks for the note!
Sandy Pluss says
Yum – can’t wait to try these 🙂
And you look ABSOLUTELY STUNNING in this video 🙂
Dreena says
Awwww, thank you for that Sandy, I think you just made my morning!! wheee!
Siew Wei says
Hi may I know is it alright to substitute whole wheat flour for spelt flour?
Dreena says
Yes, you can, sometimes with wheat flour you need a little less, so 1/2 cup might be enough, rather than using the extra 1 tbsp.