cashew butter cookies (gluten free & vegan)

I'm going over to my neighbor's home (Luke and Natalie's) for dinner tonight - and all I have to prepare is dessert! It's so lovely.. if felt like I had all this time to just relax and make dessert.. but now of course, I'm blogging and with only 30 minutes before I have to leave - I haven't even showered. Yes. It's dinner time and I still haven't showered.

This recipe was inspired by Cupcake Punk's cookies.. I didn't have to go buy any ingredients for these.. I just happened to have everything already.. so - don't be afraid to substitute ingredients for things you already have!

Oven! 350.
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (a short tsp)
1 tbsp apple sauce
5 BIG dates, pitted (or a couple more if they're a normal size)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup cashew butter
3 tbsp nut milk (I used hemp)
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
nuts for garnish (I used walnuts)

1. In a big bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a food processor, blend the rest of the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
3. Then add the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix again.
4. On a non-stick baking sheet, or on parchment paper place 1 1/2 inch balls of dough.
5. In the middle of each one, push in the (insert favorite nut here), and bake for 12-15 minutes depending on the oven.
6. Remove and LET COOL.. otherwise they'll fall apart. Basically, you're waiting for the coconut oil to harden back up.. because there is no gluten in these cookies.. they're pretty fragile until they've cooled for a little bit. I'm not talking hours - but if you can wait 20-30 minutes you'll be much happier.

Makes about 15 cookies.

Oh! And I forgot to mention.. these cookies taste freaking awesome.