Agarwaen!

I've been experimenting with homemade nut butters. I was getting bored. There's more out there than crunchy and creamy peanut butter, or Nutella. I fiddled with almond butter. I still felt unfulfilled.

What to do?

Searching my cupboards, I found a bag of barely used shredded coconut flakes. The shitty kind. Yes, there is a shitty and a good kind. Generally, I prefer to purchase the large, unsweetened Bob's Red Mill flakes. But under emergency circumstances one day, I succumbed to buying the sweetened, scraggly Meijer brand shreds. You know what I'm talking about. The kind where it seems like someone got overexcited with a weed-wacker and allowed their sweet tooth to get the better of them. Those ones. And that's when it all became clear. I could get rid of some shreds, and have a delicious nut butter. Added to my grocery list: Macadamia nuts.

I processed about 1/2 cup of the coconut shreds in my food processor for a few minutes to make sure it was very fine. I then added about a tablespoon of safflower oil, about 3/4-1 cup nuts, and a tablespoon of agave, processing everything into a delightful, smooth butter. I have no exact measurements for this "recipe." I just tasted and experimented. You can make your own and adjust to your tastes. You have it in you to be inventive, clown. I'm not holding your hand on this one. Grow.

At any rate, this butter was delicious, but not something I, personally, would have wanted on toast or in a sandwich. So more thinking...What other tasty ends could there be for a nut butter?

Duh. Cookies.

And these were good cookies, kids.

Duh Cookies (or, Macadamia Coconut Butter Cookies)

INGREEDZ:

1/2 cup macadamia coconut butter

1/2 cup palm oil shortening

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

~1 1/4 cup flour

2 Tbsp arrowroot powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

HOW:

Oven. 350.

In a medium bowl, mix together the nut butter with the shortening until light and fluffy. I got to use my new mixer--a thrill! Once sufficiently lofty, add the vanilla and mix well. Next, the sugar and the syrup.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, arrowroot, baking powder, and salt. Mix these dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Scoop by tablespoon-fulls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, and bake about 10 minutes (or until edges of cookies area soft brown). Cool a few minutes before moving to wire rack.

Makes about 22 cookies.