Sunflower Cookies

I like the savory side of sweets and have wanted to make something with sunflower seed butter for a while now. It's so earthy and distinct, but it isn't as thick as peanut butter is; while you could have it on toast for sure, it's also fun to be inventive with it and work with instead of against its runny texture.

(Looks like sunflower seeds have a decent amount of protein in comparison with other grains, nuts, and seeds, so runners and athletes might see the benefit of trying these out.)

This easy recipe was my guide -- hey, while you're there, be sure to check out the crazy end-result picture due to the addition of baking soda! I added a few things so the cookies were recognizably sunflower-y. Our niece has nut allergies, and we like that with no worries, she could enjoy a seed butter cookie with a cold glass of milk.




Sunflower Cookies

1 cup sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cane sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. Maldon salt, crushed

Topping for the cookies:

1 cup raw, hulled sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
pinch of two of Maldon salt

Mix up the first six ingredients and chill dough in the fridge for at least an hour -- more time chilling is fine, too. Once that's done, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Next, spread the raw sunflower seeds on a plate and mix the brown sugar and salt together in a bowl. Roll the dough into one-and-a-half-inch spheres, flatten with your hands, and press discs into the seeds. Transfer them seed-side-up to a silpat-lined cookie sheet and lightly sprinkle them with the sugar-and-salt mixture. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

*Since they crumble easily when they're hot, be sure to let them cool for 5 minutes or so before picking them up with a metal spatula and transferring them to racks or plates.