How to Make Easy, High-Protein, Fruit-Sweetened Cashew Cookies (Diabetic Friendly, No Butter, Air Fryer or Oven)

These cookies are simple to make, taste good, and are good for you! The cookies are loaded with fiber and protein thanks to cashew meal (just grind up some cashews in a food processor or blender--it's cheaper than buying "meal") and chickpea (besan) flour. The cookies are soft, cake-like cookies, and they are topped with cashews, which gives them a nice crunch on top. Rather than from refined sugar or syrups, the cookies get their sweetness primarily from dates, which contribute extra fiber, vitamins, and minerals to the cookies. If you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy," the cookies are a great option. I like to make the cookies in the air fryer, and you can also bake them in a conventional oven. The cookies make great snacks or simple desserts. Enjoy!

High-Protein, Fruit-Sweetened Cashew Cookies (Diabetic Friendly) -- Makes about 16

1/2 cup of canola oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/4 cup of milk

1/2 cup of date puree (barely cover chopped, pitted dates with boiling water, let them

    cool, and mash the dates with any remaining water with a fork to a puree or paste)

2 cups of chickpea (besan) flour

1 cup of cashew meal (grind cashew pieces in the food processor)

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/2 cup of chopped cashews (preferably toasted)

1/2 cup of chopped, pitted dates

In a large bowl whisk together well the oil, eggs, vanilla, milk, and date puree. Add the besan flour, cashew meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, chopped cashews, and chopped dates to the mixture and mix everything well. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let it stand for at least an hour (3-4 hours is fine, too, if you have things to do!). When you are ready to cook, stir the mixture again.

Air Fryer: Cut small pieces of baking parchment to fit your air fryer basket. Drop 1 1/2-2 tablespoon scoops of dough onto the parchment, leaving a couple of inches of space between the dough mounds. With damp fingers, flatten the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle cashew pieces on top of the dough, pressing them into the dough a little with your fingers. Air fry the dough at 300 degrees (yes, that's correct) for about 8 minutes or until golden brown and mostly firm to the touch. Let the cookies cool a little before removing them from the parchment to cool completely.

Oven: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with baking parchment. Drop 1 1/2-2 tablespoon scoops of dough onto the parchment, leaving at least a couple of inches of space between the dough mounds. With damp fingers, flatten the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle cashew pieces on top of the dough, pressing them into the dough a little with your fingers. Bake the dough for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and mostly firm to the touch. Let the cookies cool a little before removing them from the parchment to cool completely.