Raw “Hot Cross Bun” Cookies

While working away on a special request hot cross buns recipe, I got the idea of making something special on the side -- sort of inspired by the deliciousness and rave reviews of my raw carrot cake recipe :) . And so I ended up with these little raw "hot cross bun" cookies. They may not be quite a hot cross bun {or even look like much, most especially thanks to my superb cross pipping abilities ;) -- hey, it was very late at night... and very impromptu... I didn't think I'd be sharing these on the blog but they tasted so good I thought it would be silly of me not to... So be kind! :) }, but they're jam packed with all the right hot cross bun flavors, and they are seriously delicious!

If you're looking for a quick and simple, healthy, and allergy-friendly holiday treat, I say these cookies are it. Plus they'd be extra fun to make with little helpers ;)

You can vary the flavors slightly -- add in some citrus zest, or use other dried fruit {I cheated and added in some dried cherries in place of some of the raisins -- delicious!}. Vary the nuts as you like -- brazil nuts, almonds, or pecans would be great. Seeds would work splendidly too. If you're nut-free, use dried white mulberries in place of the walnuts. If you don't have coconut butter, pre-soak some cashews and blend them with a tiny bit of sweetener and some coconut oil and that would work for the cross part too {although the coconut butter "cross" is really yummy!}. Anyways, you get the idea -- it's a make it with what you've got in your pantry kind of a recipe {which is precisely what I did...} :)

Raw "Hot Cross Bun" Cookies

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• Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 9 cookies {or more}
• Category: Cookies
• Method: Raw
• Cuisine: Dessert

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Description

A raw, gluten-free, vegan, allergy friendly holiday cookie based on classic hot cross buns.

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Ingredients

Cookie:

• 1 cup walnut pieces {or other nuts, or dried white mulberries for a nut-free version}
• 6 soft medjool dates
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, softened
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• ⅔ cup raisins {or other dried fruit -- pre-soak if these are very hard}
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/16 tsp allspice and nutmeg
• dash of salt

Cross:

• 3 tbsp coconut butter, warmed a little so it's soft
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, softened
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/16 tsp cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Place all cookie ingredients in a food processor and process into a crumbly sticky mixture. Roll into little balls {I got 9, but the amount will vary depending on the cookie size you want}, place on a tray/plate lined with parchment paper and press down lightly to flatten. Place the tray in the freezer for about 15 minutes for the cookies to set.
2. Prepare the cross mixture by placing all ingredients in a mini food processor or blender {I used my magic bullet, though an immersion blender would work great too}. Blend into a smooth mixture. Transfer into a pipping bag or a sturdy zip lock bag.
3. Once cookies are chilled, remove tray from the freezer. Snip of the corner of your piping bag and pipe out the crosses over each cookie. Because the cookies are chilled the cross mixture will set pretty quickly. Store in the fridge or enjoy straight away!