Cashew Toffee Cookies

After making the toffee cashew cookies and then a gluten free variation, I realized that both versions contained chocolate! I needed to make a chocolate free version, and I wasn’t sure quite what to do. I could have made the browned butter toffee cashew cookies and left out the chocolate chips, but I did have this recipe that didn’t call for chocolate, so I went with this one. I didn’t have quite a full cup of cashews and probably didn’t have quite enough toffee bits, but it was close. For the chocolate-free version, make sure you use the toffee bits that don’t have chocolate (usually called English toffee bits).

These again were easy to make, and the slight variation in the quantity of cashews and toffee bits didn’t seem to make a difference. I have never made a recipe that called for 1-1/8 cups flour, so that was certainly different. The recipe asks that you refrigerate the dough for several hours or overnight, and I didn’t have time to do that. I chilled the dough for about an hour, and hoped for the best.

My cookies did brown a bit more than expected and they spread some, which I think is likely because they didn’t get as chilled as they needed to be. I have thought of making another batch, refrigerating the dough more appropriately, but I’m not sure I will get to that. Probably not! While I would have liked these to look a little better, the flavors were lovely and it’s hard to go wrong with cashews and toffee, and you don’t notice at all that there’s no chocolate.

Cashew Toffee Cookies
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 1/8 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup toffee bits
1 cup chopped cashews

In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Mix on medium until light, then stir in the vanilla and egg. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the toffee bits and chopped cashews with a spatula.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough into the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden. Cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Small Town Woman