Gluten-free Orange Blossom Oat Flour Pecan Cookies along with and orange rinds for a delicately delicious, dare I say ‘healthy’ cookie treat!
Oat Flour Cookies
Cookies, summer or winter, are always a welcome dessert or afternoon treat with tea, coffee, or milk.
I grew up making cookies only with flour, butter and sugar, lots of sugar. As much as I love cookies, I cut back on them until I discovered many new ways to make them healthier.
Eventually, I began to replace white flour for healthier flour choices on many of my baked goods, and oat flour began an easy, in fact, better tasting flour to use.
Moreover, I found it easier to use oat flour when baking pies because they quickly contributed to a ‘no-roll’ pie crust, which takes on an almost cookie-like crust.
Oat Flour
Surprisingly, oat flour has become my new baking friend. I do so many things with it, including add it to many of my quick-bread or muffin recipes, which gives it a little texture.
Before running out to buy a pricey bag of oat flour, know that it is nothing other than oats ground to a flour in the food processor or blender.
Not all stores carry it and those that do charge nearly triple the cost of grinding it yourself.
Having done the same with many of the nut flour options I now use, again, I simply grind them to a flour, which makes for a sweet and nutty flavor in these cookies.
Sweet Pecans For A Healthier Cookie
Speaking of sweet, I have cut way back on the sugar in these cookies to a mere third a cup, which is more than enough.
You can sprinkle a little extra on top before baking but I wanted a cookie that was not too sweet. and these are perfect.
Should you want for a little more sweetness in your cookies, a little honey, pure maple syrup, or even a few pureed dates can be added to the cookie dough.
However, pecans provide a sweetness all their own, sweeter than most other nuts, so do try using less sugar when making these orange floral pecan cookies.
Orange Blossom
Markedly, my most favored flavor, hands down, over vanilla is Orange Blossom Water. Just a splash goes a long way.
Its light floral scent and flavor gives these cookies, or any dessert recipe, a unique flavor.
An alternative to orange blossom, is also rosewater, another floral essence in baked goods, used often in Mediterranean cooking.
Comparatively to these delicate cookies, you will find I have used rosewater in a scrumptious baklava ‘muffin’ I make and orange blossom in several other muffins easily found in my muffin cookbook!
Easy Orange Blossom Oat Flour Cookies
When making these cookies, the batter comes together fast in a processor, or hand mixer but a fork will work just fine too.
Once the cookie dough is mixed, it simply gets rolled into a log, onto wax or parchment paper, and placed in the fridge for an hour.
Or, you can rush it in the freezer in about 15 minutes.
Finally, the rest is fast; simply slice, bake, and serve with a little grated orange rinds on top for a fresh addition to the already delicate cookies.
How To Store Orange Blossom Oat Flour Cookies
Certainly these cookies will be eaten quickly and there may not be many leftover to store, but should you decide to double or triple the recipe, you have options.
Once the dough is whisked together, the rolled logs can remain in the fridge for up to two weeks before slicing and baking, or it can be frozen for several months.
Freshly baked cookies will last, sitting out, in a cookie jar for a few days, providing the room is not hot, or they can be stored in the fridge and set out to room temperature before serving.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter or coconut oil
- Oat Flour – bought or crush your own
- Pecans
- Sugar
- Salt
- Orange rind
- Orange Blossom Water
Equipment Needed
- Food processor or blender
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Knife
- Metal spatula
- Oven
Orange Blossom Oat Flour Pecan Cookies
Equipment
- Food processor
- cookie sheet with parchment paper
- citrus grate
Ingredients
- 12 oz Soft Butter or coconut oil
- 3 cups Oat Flour crushed oats to a flour
- 1 cup Pecans crushed to a flour
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Orange rinds
- 1/2 tsp Orange Blossom Water
Instructions
- In a food processor, mix the ingredients together into a soft dough. Roll into a log in parchment paper. Place in the fridge an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
- Slice the cookie dough to desired thickness, and place on parchment paper (or silicone baking sheet). Sprinkle orange zest on each slice, extra sugar if you like.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Since these cookies are delicate, cool completely before removing from the pan.
- Store in the fridge and leave out room temperature before serving again.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.