The recipe I share with you today is something other than what was intended. It was originally going to be a peanut butter cookie but I ended up using almond butter instead. I also expected it to look like a traditional cookie once done. My first try came out flat, which wasn't a bad thing but they were too soft to pick up without falling apart. Flavor wise they were perfect, although a little too sweet. I tried again using less sugar and baking them a little longer to see if that would help stiffen them up. The result was cookies that reminded me of lace cookies, or something close to that, hence the original title. Once cooled a few minutes, they were sturdy. Perfect! So voila, we have 4 ingredient almond butter cookies. or almond butter thin cookies. And even more so, my baking experience wasn't a total loss. After a few attempts with ingredients and baking times, I finally have a recipe that I can stand behind. They have a nice density and chew, good texture and not too sweet. A little crispy on the edges with a nice chewy middle. And with only four ingredients, well technically five if using the flax egg, this is such an easy recipe to make. And they pair perfect with a nice glass chilled glass of non-diary milk or lemon water. I have been thoroughly enjoying all this cookie testing! I hope you will enjoy this cookie...not too soft, not too crisp...just perfectly in the middle. And, for what they are with only 4 ingredients...I'm completely satisfied with the outcome. If you appreciate a clean cookie, you may really enjoy these too! 

Just a note: I tried making these with peanut butter hoping it would be the same results but didn't care as much for the outcome with this recipe. It was a more traditional looking cookie that was soft and tender with a velvety texture. Maybe that is something you might like to try! I hope to have a peanut butter cookie recipe soon as I know not everyone has almond butter available and I want a go-to peanut butter cookie recipe! 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Start by making your flax egg. In a small bowl, place flaxseed meal and water/milk, stir and set aside to set, about 15 minutes ideally. Or if using banana, mash well in a small bowl and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine nut butter, sugar, vanilla and flax egg/banana. Mix well until dough is stiffened and hard to mix, about 1 minute. Line baking sheet with a silpat, parchment paper or lightly grease with oil. Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out rounded scoops, place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Using a fork or your index and middle finger, gently press to flatten, making a crisscross pattern. Your dough will seem oily and stick to the fork, it's normal with the almond butter, just be patient..you'll be rewarded soon. Feel free to sprinkle a little sugar or salt over each cookie. Place baking sheet on middle rack and bake 12 - 15 minutes. (edit: I tried different baking sheets with different results. Cooking time will vary from sheet to sheet. The sheet shown was baked for 15 minutes, other sheets require lower cooking times or the edges will brown more than you may like.) Remove from oven and let cool.

These are best stored covered on a couple paper towels, the paper towels will help soak up some of the natural oils.

Makes approx. 14 cookies (that's if you don't eat the batter!).

Notes:

For this recipe I used Trader Joe's Raw Almond Butter, Creamy and Crunchy, both worked well. Keep in mind that other brands of almond butter may contain added sugars...adjust the sugar slightly by reducing a tablespoon or so if you like. Also, keep in mind that your cookies may vary in shape depending on what type/brand of almond butter you use.

Try subbing in 1/3 of a banana for the flax egg. I did a few trials with this method and had great success!

As noted above, I tried making these with natural peanut butter hoping it would be the same results but didn't care as much for the outcome with this recipe. Of course, you can try if you like and find you like it. They were soft, tender with a velvety texture.

If you want a more traditional cookie (like the ones below), add 3 level tablespoons flour (oat, spelt, whole wheat pastry or all purpose gluten free) to the mix and bake for 12 - 13 minutes. The addition of the flour will help soak up some of the natural oils making these a crisper cookie with a nice chew. I used chunky almond butter for the cookies below. Again delicious! (If you want a traditional looking cookie without the flour, try using refrigerated almond butter and mix the batter once the oven is ready. I didn't test this out yet with the almond butter but I have a feeling it will work great!)