Some of my favorite cookies come from my grandmothers. And while I love both my grandmothers dearly, the cookies they made don’t quite fit the food guidelines I follow now. But rather than just tossing these recipes (and memories) I’ve chosen to “hack” these recipes to make them better for me like these German Inspired Thumbprint Cookies.

Much like we can make adjustments to the recipes passed down to us, we can also make adjustments to the genes passed down to us… sort of.

New science has come out that has revealed that our microbiome has a far greater impact on our health, performance and longevity than even our own genetics. According to innovative health entrepreneur and philanthropist, Naveen Jain,

“Our human DNA expresses only about 19,000 genes. The human microbiome expresses between 5 and 10 million genes.”

What does that mean? Firstly, while there is certainly more research to be done regarding our gut bacteria and its connection to our health and wellness, it looks like the environment within us has a far greater impact on our health than do our own genes. Secondly, it should inspire us to take control of our health in all areas; mind, body, spirit, and food. 

amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”;
amzn_assoc_search_bar = “true”;
amzn_assoc_tracking_id = “welldess-20”;
amzn_assoc_ad_mode = “manual”;
amzn_assoc_ad_type = “smart”;
amzn_assoc_marketplace = “amazon”;
amzn_assoc_region = “US”;
amzn_assoc_title = “My Amazon Picks”;
amzn_assoc_linkid = “8e857b10204a17cd1a0fbf5b4b949372”;
amzn_assoc_asins = “B06XCGLRNL,B00MFC5MVI,B00XQ2XGAA,B001J9LX48”;

//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US

While I believe there is no perfect diet (every body is different), I do believe in eating mostly plants and taking a Qualitarian approach to eating. When choosing the foods I consume, I focus on the quality. I am quality individual and deserve quality things, and I believe the same is true of you. And if in choosing quality ingredients, can have a positive impact on our health, performance and longevity that’s something worth celebrating.

 Celebrate being in control of your health with these German Thumbprint Cookies! (Almost) Just like grandma used to make…

German Inspired Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 3/4 cup hazelnut meal
• 1/3 cup gluten free oat flour
• 2 tablespoons ground flax 
• pinch of pink himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• dash of ground cloves
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup almond butter (should be runny)

For Chocolate Filling

• 1/3 cup Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon coconut butter (soft)
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (melted)

Directions

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and then line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine your dry ingredients (almond and hazelnut meals, oat flour, ground flax, pink himalayan salt, and baking powder) in a medium-size bowl and stir together.

In a separate bowl, stir together the almond butter and maple syrup. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until a dough forms. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes minutes.

Grab a small chunk of dough (about the shape of a ping pong ball) and roll into a separate ball. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet (repeat with remaining dough).

Next, use your thumb to press a small space in the center of each dough ball. Bake cookies for 11-14 minutes until the cookies have some color. [I over-baked a batch and they were equally delicious but had a little extra crunch!].

Meanwhile, stir together all of your Chocolate Filling ingredients. Spoon the chocolate filling into the center of each cookie until they are filled then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set. You can store these German Inspired Thumbprint Cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.