I’ve been wanting to create a treat with a maple and walnut flavor for a while (inspired by childhood memories of maple-walnut ice cream) and it’s actually been a surprisingly long time since I’ve posted a cookie recipe. I think my thought process leading up to the development of this cookie recipes went something like this:
“Maple and walnut taste good together.” “Cookies are yummy.” “Chocolate is yummy too.”
So, after a few iterations, playing with balancing flavors, I finally have an AMAZING cookie recipe to share with you! These cookies aren’t too sweet, so if you wanted to make them for non-paleo friends and family, you might prefer to use semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks instead. The chemistry is also fairly forgiving if you wanted to add an extra couple tablespoons of maple sugar (or if you want to dial down the sweetness and use a couple tablespoons less). If you want to try a nut-free version of these, I made one variation with sunflower seed flour (you’d also have to omit the walnuts, maybe sub with coconut flakes or shelled pumpkin seeds). The cookies turned the stereotypical dark green, but tasted really great. Sunflower seed flour can be purchased online but it’s also super easy to make at home (see this recipe by Paleo Parents). Store in an airtight container, fine for a few days at room temperature or in the fridge if you’re going to have them around longer than that. These cookies freeze also really well. Yield: 18-20 cookies 
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup palm shortening (you could also substitute unsalted butter, ghee or lard)
- 1/4 cup walnut oil (you could also substitute avocado oil or coconut oil)
- 2/3 cup maple sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla (you can boost the maple flavor by substituting with natural maple extract)
- pinch cinnamon
- 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (you could also substitute pecans)
- 3.5 oz bar of 80% or 90% dark chocolate, chopped into chunks (or substitute 2/3 cup chocolate chunks)
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Vigorously stir palm shortening, walnut oil and maple sugar in a bowl until well combined (or beat in a standing mixer). Add egg and again, stir enthusiastically to fully combine. Add vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients (almond flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon). Stir to incorporate. Fold in chopped walnuts and chopped chocolate.
- You can either drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto the cookie sheet or you can form 1 1/2″ balls of dough (for a more uniform shaped cookie).
- Bake 10 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet. Enjoy!
Jerri-lynn says
Could the maple sugar be replaced with maple syrup, if so would I use the same amount? Thank you
ThePaleoMom says
Not easily, since it would make the batter too liquid.
Jacqi says
Google “substitute sugar with maple syrup” there is a great guide that discusses ratios and which ingredients to adjust based on the recipe. I’d say this one could go with less oil if you used syrup instead.
PK says
Haha! I accidentally read Maple Syrup and added 2/3 cup. It definitely needed more almond flour. I added enough until I got the right consistency.. They turned out great! Then I made them again using correct sugar 🙂
sharin says
Thank you; these look Yummy! And thank you for labeling each post/picture on your blog. It makes pinning *so* much easier!
Nicole says
I just made these – they are fabulous! Thank you.
CW says
These look amazing – I hope to be able to reintroduce eggs someday so I can make them! I am one month into the AutoImmune Protocol, which I’m tackling to address psoriasis, rosacea, and to improve mood. I have been told that red meat will aggravate psoriasis, so I don’t eat much of it (but lots of fish, chicken & turkey), and do eat beef bone broth, gelatin flakes & desiccated beef liver. I was wondering (perhaps looking for encouragement – this is a tough diet), if you know of people who followed the diet and did not improve.
Thank you for the site, recipes & invaluable information!
ThePaleoMom says
Skin is the lowest priority organ for healing, so you need to heal internally a fair bit before seeing the changes externally. How long has it been? Also, that’s complete bunk about red meat aggravating psoriasis and it would be a preferred protein over chicken and turkey which have high omega-6 content.
CW says
It’s been about one month, no changes or improvement to skin yet (I don’t cheat, I’m very faithful to the cause). It’s a tricky lifestyle (AIP) to maintain, I’m desperately hoping I’ll turn a corner at some point. I had heard the red meat thing before, but was also something my naturopath recently restated (to avoid it + gluten).
kris says
I’m sorry to hear of your psoriasis. My father in law had it and applied a salve I had bought from Ebeehoney.com. It worked really well but unfortunately they had to discontinue because of FDA regulations on cosmetics. I would try that website. They may have another salve and are very responsive at answering any questions. Also many essential oils may help. Try mountain rose herbs or lotus botanical gardens. Check your local farmers markets. Aromatherapy is big and most times someone with a booth will be able to assist you with an ointment/salve. Both these companies (especially Lotus Botanical) has lots of descriptive information on their sites. We are trying to follow a paleo/gluten free diet since a family member has an autoimmune disorder. It is difficult but don’t drive yourself crazy. Do your best to eliminate the known inflammatory foods. GOod Luck.
AR says
I can identify with you. I have been Paleo for a year at the end of Oct & very strictly AIP since Jan (other than 1 brand of chocolate). I feel tons better, but still have some skin issues, joint/back pain & low energy at times. I found adrenal fatigue to be a problem in the spring & sleep has been a huge key (plus Gaia Adrenal Health & Prescript Assist). I also have been getting NAET allergy treatments that have helped my energy & mood (through all this I have found numerous allergies/sensitivities that I have likely had quite a while & didn’t know it). I can’t eat much differently yet, but feel more hopeful as the weeks go by. Don’t give up! Grains & corn are very difficult to avoid (even many brands of dates, raisins & juice are contaminated).
Thank you, Sarah, for your wonderful blog & great information you provide. (I can’t wait to be able to try more of your recipes, soon!) Blessings!
CW says
AR – thanks for the note! How long into the AIP did you get some relief?
Valerie says
Where can you find maple sugar?
Wilnellys Moore (@MooreWilnellys) says
Can I use coconut sugar instead?? I can’t find the maple sugar…
ThePaleoMom says
Probably.
Tina Thorn says
I have made these with the coconut sugar and they turned out great. I imagine they might be a tad less sweet but the results were delicious
Kelly says
Made these twice last week. the second time I had run out of coconut oil and had to use all butter. They still tasted great, but they were a very different consistency. We loved them, the whole family, although my super picky 9 year old says they are not as good as my old cookies. I think they are better! Brought them to a gathering of friends and they were chowed down right away! I may have to find maple extract for next time so they are more maple-y. Thanks!
Steffanie says
Sarah, have I told you how much I love these cookies? Seriously, since you first posted them I’ve been making a batch every two to three weeks. Today, I found I only had a tablespoon of maple sugar left. So instead of it I decided to try 1/3 C maple syrup and 1/3 C honey. I balanced it by increasing the dry ingredients a bit. I had some cashew meal that I wanted to try so I used the 2 C of almond flour called for, a 1/2 C of the cashew meal, then bumped the baking soda to a full teaspoon. Everything thing else stayed the same. They are moister in the very middle and I had to let them cool for a minute before taking them off the cookie sheet, but still very much a cookie and taste delightful. Hope that helps some of you who have a harder time getting the maple sugar.
katherine says
SUBSTITUTE CITY (and it worked:)):
1/3 cup maple syrup. 1/3 cup succanat;
all coconut oil (maybe a tsp less than a full 1/2 cup);
3/4 c dry roasted diced macadamia nuts (trader joes)
no cinnamon
Knowing I’d probably need to let them bake a little longer, I lowered the temp to 300 and baked 15 minutes.
They are softer in the middle but everyone says they’re amazing! Even the kiddo who doesn’t like nuts.
I did let them cool completely on the tray. The recipe made 18 cookies.
Natalie says
I just made these cookies and they were delicious! I did a couple of your suggested substitutions and they worked perfectly. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Violeta says
Hi can I use coconut flour or sprouted? I don’t bake anything with almond flour… Not that it doesn’t taste delicious but because after much research this isn’t the best flour to bake with. Paleo got this 1 thing wrong
Tamar England says
I do not believe that in this recipe coconut flour can be used in place of almond flour. They have very different properties when used in baking. You can read more about Paleo flours here: https://www.thepaleomom.com/2012/11/the-science-and-art-of-paleofying-part-1-paleo-flours.html You can view all of Sarah’s nut free baking recipes here: https://www.thepaleomom.com/category/recipes/paleo-baked-goods/nut-free-baking You can read Sarah’s thoughts on almond flour here: https://www.thepaleomom.com/2013/11/pros-cons-almond-flour-rebuttal-5-reasons-avoid-almond-flour.html — Tamar, Sarah’s assistant
Allison says
I live in Australia and unable to purchase maple sugar so, I used Coconut sugar (about half a cup) and added maple syrup essence instead of the vanilla, and everybody LOVED THEM!!!
Thank you for all the effort that you put into your website, I am now having a low carb diet and have stopped eating all grain, pulses, starchy vegetables and sugar (although I still have the occasional ‘treat’ if I am having a coffee or out to dinner), but I am still having raw milk and dairy products. The reason why I have chosen this diet as it is an effort to get my blood sugars down, I have diabetes and although I have only been eating this way for about three weeks I am feeling so much better and people have told me how much better I am looking!
I will be ordering both your books from The Book Depository, and have subscribed to your page (oh, and ‘liked’ you on Facebook) please keep it the GOOD WORK!!!!
Blessings from ‘Down Under’
Liese (@chyara) says
I subbed w/ Coconut Oil for the Walnut Oil, Coconut Sugar w/a few tbsp of maple syrup for the Maple Sugar… cranberry/chocolate/coconut flakes cuz i felt like it.. and had no walnuts..lol
Erika says
I used 1/3 c coconut sugar and 1/3 c maple syrup for the sweetener. I used a mix of almond flour and walnut meal for the flour, and I needed to add quite a bit more to make up for the extra liquid in the syrup. I just kept adding until the texture looked like cookie dough. I baked as per the recipe and they turned out wonderful!
Janine says
I cannot tolerate almonds. Would you please suggest a substitute flour?
Jack Cashin says
Absolutely delicious! Easy too. .I don’t usually bake deserts but that just changed! Thank you
Susi says
yum, very good I did use maple syrup and they turned out great, a keeper!
Sharon says
Just made these, used coconut sugar, and vanilla since the only maple extract was from my pre-clean days and was an artificial flavoring (threw it out). They came out tasting likeTollhouse cookies – oh my, I had more than one.
Geri says
I LOVE these cookies. BUT I have to cook them twice as long to be done. ?? What is the texture of the cookies? crunchy? soft? For those who are making these.
CarolS says
OMG I so don’t need any chocolate but these look sooooooo good!
Miriam says
What can I use to substitute the egg?
Brittany says
I love your recipes they are always super delicious. I have noticed with this recipe and the guest post caramel macchiato muffins that they spread out flat instead of staying in the round shape you show above. Is my heat too high? Im confused as to why this happens. Thanks
Linda says
I’d like to know the answer to the spreading, too. Could it be we need to refrigerate the dough so it’s cool to start with?
Catherine says
Hi, my son is intolerant to almonds, also peanuts, cashew and hazelnuts, so what can i use to replace the almond flour? thanks!
Kiersten Peterson says
If he’s not allergic, you could try using other nut flours like macadamia nut or chestnut flour. However, if you want a totally nut free cookie recipe I recommend this one or this one. -Kiersten