A few days ago I roasted cantaloupe for a warmed fruit salad recipe, and it put me into a bit of a roasted cantaloupe mood. So last night I decided to try making a batch of cookies using my new favorite melon. I was reading a recipe for lemon thyme cookies, and wondered if the flavors would pair well with cantaloupe. Luckily they did, and the cookies I came up with were moist and delicious. Plus, they’re totally vegan and gluten free!
Ingredients:
Cantaloupe
4 or 5 springs of thyme
2 lemons
1 c coconut flour
1/2 Tbsp xanthan gum
1/2 Tbsp potato starch
1 Tbsp sorghum flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 Tbsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c pitted and chopped dates
1/4 c coconut oil
1/2 c (possibly up to 3/4 c) coconut milk
1 Tbsp agave
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Pinch of nutmeg
Directions:
1. Start by preheating your oven to 370 degrees fahrenheit, and preparing your cantaloupe by removing the seeds and slicing into medium cubes. Place the fruit pieces on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and roast for about 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Let cantaloupe cool, then transfer to a food processor and pulse until smooth.
3. Pour cantaloupe sauce into a glass bowl. Clean out food processor then add pitted dates, juice from lemons, coconut oil, agave, vanilla, and 1/2 c of coconut milk. Pulse until smooth.
4. Combine date liquid, with cantaloupe sauce, thyme leaves, nutmeg, and the zest of 1 lemon in a bowl.
5. Add coconut flour, xanthan gum, potato starch, sorghum flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
6. Mix until you have a firm cookie dough. You may need to add a bit more coconut milk at this point, just make sure your dough doesn’t become too wet.
7. Make balls out of a hefty 2 Tbsp of cookie dough, then flatten onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, then let cool before serving.
