Almond-Walnut Thumbprint Macaroons

In spite of its faults, the New York Times is arguably one of the best all-purpose newspaper in America and probably in the English-speaking world (I know some Londoners might argue this, but still.)
It takes itself seriously, it’s taken seriously (sometimes too much so), and it’s undeniably my favorite newspaper.
Amidst all the media that I consume, The New York Times holds a disproportionately influential place in my life.
Even if trying to read it all feels like climbing Mt. Everest sometimes. Honestly, it’s (almost) impossible to read it from the first page to the last — especially the Sunday edition.

But my love for the Times doesn’t stop at the newspaper. I must look at The New York Times online at least 50 times a day.
No kidding.
The Sports, Health, and Food, are my go-to sections. I devour them, every day.
In fact a number of topics I discuss on this blog have been reflections on an article that I read in the Times. It’s that influential for me.
And there are some great recipes too. Such a great source of inspiration.

I read about this Macaroons for Passover With a Difference last week, and my gut told me to Make This. Make This Right Now. My brain — my incredibly stubborn brain —told me I’d find it unpleasantly sweet and to avoid it.
My brain can be so lame sometimes, especially when it wins.
But on Monday night my gut told me again to make these almond macaroons. And this time I listened.

My brain is no longer allowed to make baking decisions for me. These macaroons shut it down and kicked it out of the room.
What are these macaroons, you ask? They are essentially nuts, almonds and walnuts, that have been ground into powder, mixed with (coconut) sugar, egg, and egg whites and baked into sweet and chewy cookie type of thing.
And if you’ve wondered, it’s macaroons with two O’s.
Which in my book is different from the French macarons — those colored meringue type things sandwiched together.
Maybe less pretty, but definitely nothing short of showstopping and delicious.

I didn’t make a lot of changes from Joan Nathan’s original recipe. I just swapped sugar with coconut sugar. Because you know it’s paleo and because, why not?
Honestly I think that using coconut sugar makes for a less sweet macaroon and it complements better the nuts too.
But if you don’t care for it, just use regular sugar. Your call.
Other than that, these are some awesomely delicious, 6-ingredient easy, grain-free, and gluten-free macaroons that everybody will love.
And I’m not the one who says it, it’s the Times!

Almond-Walnut Thumbprint Macaroons                                                               Print this recipe!

Adapted, just barely, from Joan Nathan at The New York Times

Ingredients
Yields about 3 dozen cookies

1 ¾ cups / 8.8 oz / 250 gr blanched almonds
1 ½ cups / 4.4 oz / 125 gr walnuts
1 cup / 7 oz / 200 gr coconut palm sugar*
1 large egg
2 egg whites
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional, but recommended)
Raspberry jam (make your own paleo raspberry jam with this recipe)

*If you don’t care about the paleo thing, brown sugar or sugar would probably work in place of the coconut sugar

Directions

Place almonds in the bowl of a food processor with a blade attached and pulse until powdered. Transfer to a large bowl.
Place walnuts in the food processor and pulse until mostly powdered.
Add the walnuts to the almonds.
Add sugar, egg, egg whites, and cardamom (if using). Mix until well combined.
Cover the bowl with a towel and let the mixture sit for at least 4 hours (8 hours or overnight for best results).
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Fill a bowl with cold water and with dampened hands scoop one scant tablespoon of dough at a time, pressing it into walnut-size balls.
Place them on the lined baking sheets and flatten them slightly. Use your thumb to make an indentation on the middle of each ball.
Bake for 15 minutes and remove from the oven.
If the indentation has disappeared (as it happens to me every time) make it again with your thumb (but dip your thumb in cold water before doing it!).
Working quickly put ¼ teaspoon of raspberry jam in each thumbprint.
Bake for further 10 minutes or until golden and firm.
Transfer to a rack and let cool before removing.

Nutrition facts

One cookie yields 77 calories, 4 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of protein.