(Vegan, Refined Sugar-Free, Whole Wheat) Christmas Cookies

I am skidding into Christmas Eve feeling exhausted.  But before exhaustion set in, I made these cookies so my husband will have a treat on Christmas.   I took a recipe I have used before and modified it, and it worked well.  

Combine: 

3/4 c. honey

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. softened vegan margarine

2 T. flax meal 

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

Then add 2 cups whole wheat flour. 

Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll balls into finely chopped pecans (you'll need about a cup of pecans).  Place on greased cookie sheet 2" apart, then make impression in center of cookies.  Bake at 350 degrees--in my oven, these were done after about 5-7 minutes.  

After baking, fill each indention with a dollop of jelly or preserves.  In order to make them entirely sugar-free, I just blended some frozen raspberries and used that before I baked them.  I am storing these in the freezer until it's time to eat them. 

The original recipe is as follows:

Combine:

3/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. softened butter

2 egg yolks (reserve whites)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

Add 2 cups of flour.

Roll dough into 1" balls, roll balls into egg whites, and then roll in finely chopped pecans.  Place on greased cookie sheet 2" apart. Make impression in center of cookies and bake at 350 degrees (I bake mine for 5 minutes, but the original recipe tells me to bake it for 15!).  Fill center with jelly or preserves (stir jelly before filling cookies).  

Merry Christmas!