Maple Brown Sugar Cookies (grain-free : Primal : gluten-free : unrefined sweeteners)

The flavor of maple syrup partners well with brown sugar and butter in these tasty cookies.  Everyone in our family loves these cookies, and I like having such a healthy, homemade treat on-hand for the kids. Since two of us like our cookies with nuts and two like them without, I added nuts to the second half of the batter before scooping up the cookies for baking.

Maple Brown Sugar Cookies
Makes 40-50 cookies

• 1&1/2 cups (3 sticks) softened butter
• 3/4 cup organic Grade B maple syrup (cold from the fridge)
• 3/4 cup sucanat
• 1 cup plus 3Tb coconut flour
• 4 eggs, preferably from pastured hens
• 1 Tb plus 2 tsp organic vanilla extract, or use homemade
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2/3 cup chopped crispy pecans (optional)

1. Set your oven racks so that none are in the bottom third of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 325 F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the salt, baking soda, and coconut flour. Whisk well to combine and break up any lumps of coconut flour.
3. In another bowl (or stand-mixer), beat the butter, maple syrup, and sucanat together for a few minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. If you are using a stand-mixer, make sure you scrape the sides and bottom a couple times with a spatula to get everything incorporated well.
4. In a small bowl or pourable glass measuring cup, combine the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Don't worry about stirring this up.
5. Pour the eggs into the sweet butter mixture one at a time while the mixer is running.  Let each egg get incorporated before adding another one. (Note: the batter may look curdled during this process, but don't worry about it!)
6. While the mixer is running, add the dry ingredients a little at a time.  Since coconut flour does not contain gluten, there is no worry of over-mixing it.
7. Stir in the optional pecans. 
8. Scoop the cookies onto greased cookie sheets (or line the cookie sheets with exopats, which are wonderful since the cookies never stick and are less likely to burn).  I like to use a 1-Tb scoop for consistently pretty cookies, but you could just use a spoon. Press/flatten the cookies slightly using your fingers or the back of a spoon.
9. Bake the cookies at 325 F for about 15-18 minutes (or a few minutes longer if you are cooking them on stoneware). They are done when they are golden brown on top and a little darker brown on the edges.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes.  Then use a spatula to move them to a cooling rack.
11. Once cool, store these cookies in an airtight container.  They can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer if you won't be eating them all in the next few days.  They are nice and chewy straight from the fridge, and even soft enough to eat straight out of the freezer!  Storing them in the freezer will also remove the pressure of having to eat them all in a week or so, as they will last for months in the freezer. 

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