Chocolate Filled Almond Cookies
I make almond flour cookies so often that I got tired of constantly ordering almond flour, so I finally bought a 2 kg bag. I’m officially done trying to use almond flour sparingly. I have an almond cookie obsession, and if I’m not going to spend money on that, what am I going to spend it on? Since I had plenty of almond flour on hand, I made a bigger batch this time. I also put some of them in the freezer so that whenever I get a craving, I can enjoy them right away instead of having to make them from scratch all over again.
As you can probably imagine, I’ve made quite a few different kinds of almond cookies over the years. Among my recipes, you’ll find everything from Italian pizzicotti di mandorle and Spanish Bilbao macarons to Turkish acıbadem cookies. One thing all of these recipes have in common is that they are made with eggs.
For these chocolate-filled almond cookies, however, I took inspiration from my gluten-free vegan almond cookie recipe and left the eggs out. Here, the natural flavor of almonds comes together with the distinctive freshness of mastic gum. The chocolate filling in the center not only makes the cookies look prettier, but also adds a delicious surprise to every bite.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy the dough is to prepare. There’s no need for long kneading or resting time. Simply mix the ingredients, shape the cookies, and put them in the oven. Even shaping them is quite fun.
The mastic gum isn’t overpowering in this recipe. Instead, it adds a subtle aroma that complements the flavor of the almonds. If you’re a fan of mastic gum, you’re going to love this combination. If you don’t like it, of course, you can simply leave it out. The chocolate adds a nice contrast with its more intense flavor. If you use dark chocolate in particular, you’ll get a richer and more balanced flavor.
It’s important to wait until the cookies have cooled completely before adding the chocolate filling. This keeps the chocolate from melting and spreading, allowing it to stay neatly in the center. If you refrigerate the filled cookies for 10–15 minutes, the chocolate will set more quickly and the cookies will be easier to serve. If you’re making these during a particularly hot season, it’s also better to store them in the refrigerator.
These cookies are also a lovely option to serve alongside tea or coffee. Their elegant appearance makes them a great fit for special occasion tables as well. Since they contain neither milk nor eggs, they can be stored for a good amount of time at an appropriate temperature. And if you want to keep them for even longer, you can freeze them, just as I did.
Enjoy...
Chocolate Filled Almond Cookies with Video
Ingredients
- 500 g almond flour,
- 200 ml water, at room temperature,
- ½ cup sugar,
- 1 teaspoon baking powder,
- ½ teaspoon mastic gum,
- 50 g dark chocolate,
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil,
- Dried rose petals, for decorating.
Preparation
- In a bowl, mix the almond flour, sugar, baking powder and finely crushed mastic gum,
- Gradually add the water, mixing as you go,
- Take small pieces of the mixture, roll them into balls, and press the centers with your thumb or a round-ended object to create small indentations,
- Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C until lightly golden,
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely,
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or using a double boiler,
- Add the coconut oil and stir well,
- Once both the cookies and chocolate mixture have cooled, fill the indentations in the cookies with the chocolate mixture,
- Sprinkle with dried rose petals.
Enjoy!