My dad is a fiend for salted mixed nuts, so when I came across a recipe online that looked like it could be a fit, I decided to test it out for our Christmas cookie plate. However, if you’ve ever baked with me, you’ll know that I usually end up making so many substitutions to a recipe that the end result doesn’t look like the original recipe at all. Here’s what I started with: Mixed Nut Florentines from The Sugar Free Mom. But, here is my adaptation of the recipe (and, some things I’ll change for next time):

2 cups salted mixed nuts
2 Tbsp. GF all-purpose flour
1/3 c. butter
3/4 c. coconut sugar
1/4 c. honey
2 heaping tablespoons coconut cream

Pulse the mixed nuts in a food processor until they’re finely chopped. Stir in the flour and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter, coconut sugar, honey, and coconut cream together, bringing it to a boil. Let it boil for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then turn off the heat.

Pour the “sugar” mixture over the nut mixture, and stir to coat thoroughly (it will be syrupy). Let the nuts sit for 15-20 minutes to cool, and then use a spoon to scoop out mixture onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. These *hella* spread, so give yourself plenty of room between them on the parchment paper. Bake at 350˚ for about 10 minutes, switching the racks halfway through. At this point, check the color of the sugar lace on the cookies. If it looks like it could be a little more brown, leave them in a little longer. I ended up baking mine for a total of maybe 14 minutes, but one batch ended up too dark.

Move the parchment paper on your baking sheets onto racks, and let the cookies cool for at least an hour. If they start to harden on the edges, you’ve done your job. I had some that were still soft after that time, so I put them back in the oven for a few minutes to get some more moisture out.

NOTE: The adjustment I need to make to the recipe is with the butter that it calls for. I’ve adjusted the quantity, but these still end up feeling a little greasy. You can pat with a paper towel when dry, but do not pat when fresh out of the oven – they are too soft at this point and will deteriorate. If you’ve tried this recipe and have any comments or adjustments, let me know! We will master the mixed nut florentine together.