Vegan Lace Cookie Crisps

These were one of my favorite kinds of cookies...way back when.

But they were loaded with butter, other dairy, refined sugar...maybe even corn syrup and processed salt.

I was searching for a new cookie recipe to try out for a vegan cookie swap we have coming up and I thought... just maybe... I could recreate these.

OMG!! Success! You HAVE to try these. So easy and addicting.

I know it looks like a lot of directions but they are really simple.

I pieced this recipe together from several I found online.

Lace Florentine Cookies

Let me know what you think!

1 ¾ cup sliced almonds

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¾ cups non-refined sugar

2 tablespoon non-dairy milk (we used unsweetened  coconut milk)

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup

5 tablespoons non-dairy “butter” (we used Earth Balance)

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

·         Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

·         Pulse almonds in a small food processor until finely chopped, but not in a paste

·         In a bowl combine chopped almonds, flour, zest and salt

·         In a small sauce pan put milk, sugar, “butter” and the brown rice syrup. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Sugar should dissolve completely. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute.

·         Remove the mixture from heat and add vanilla

·         Pour the sugar mixture over the almond mixture and stir until well combined.

·         Set batter aside for 15-30 minutes to cool and thicken a bit

·         Using a ½ teaspoon, spoon tiny, rounded balls of dough onto the cookie sheet.

·         These spread! I suggest only cooking 6 balls of dough per large cookie sheet.

·         Place the cookie sheet in the center of the oven

·         I recommend cooking one sheet at a time

·         Bake for 4 minutes and (for even cooking) rotate the cookie sheet and bake for another 4 minutes

·         Remove from the oven when they are fully spread and a light golden brown

·         Put the second cookie sheet in the oven while the first sheet of cookies cools for a few minutes.

·         When you are able, transfer them to a wire cookie rack to cool completely.

·         Load up the (now empty) cookie sheet with six more balls of dough

·         I used the same parchment paper for the entire batch of dough

·         About that time the second batch should be done in the oven  and you can switch…

·         Keep alternating  until the batter is gone.

·         Store in an airtight container

Tips:

1.       Find the cooking time “sweet spot” for your oven…they are too sticky if not golden enough…and too brittle if too well done.

2.       You can drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled cookies if you like, we preferred them plain

3.       Try and eat just one!