One of the cookies my mom made every Christmas were Sandies. She used to spend a few weeks prepping, making and then freezing cookies so she could pass them out to neighbors and friends. It was a tradition that I wanted to implement with my kids but I wasn’t quite as organized as my mom was – so getting sugar cookies made and decorated with my kids were all I carried on when my kids were young. Don’t get me wrong ….we had a blast BUT I never made these yummy Sandies like I thought I would.
Fast forward to when I finally learned how to be a little more organized in the kitchen, I wasn’t using the ingredients in my diet that made these Sandies taste the way they did! I mean, how do you make a powdered sugar without using sugar?? I left these gems out of my Christmas cookie equation for quite a few years until now.
I have become very comfortable with dabbling in the kitchen and have had a lot of fun creating some delicious cookies and this year I decided to recreate my mom’s recipe but using the ingredients that fit in my lifestyle. I don’t even know where her recipe originated ….and she doesn’t either. She probably has it memorized as she has made this thing for over 45 years!
I haven’t had Sandies in over 6 years but from what I remember, these are a pretty good imitation. I think that they are a good cookie – whether or not they actually resemble the real thing. I used macadamia nuts instead of pecans though. I had them on hand and it really sounded good to me! So maybe that doesn’t quite qualify these as a traditional “Sandie” but I truly did get a feel good vibe after eating one! It honestly brought me back to my childhood!
Have fun with these — and have a great holiday season ….whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I truly hope you all enjoy this time of year and end it with lots of love and laughter with friends and family <3
- 3/4 cup cassava flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp water
- 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 heaping tbsp tapioca flour
- Mix, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough, roll into ball and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in 350 degree oven for 15-18 min.
- In a small grinder (I use my coffee grinder), add the coconut sugar and tapioca flour and pulse until it is fine and powdered sugar like. Transfer to small bowl.
- When cookies are done, let them cool to touch but still warm enough to roll into sugar mixture for sugar to adhere. I use a fork so I don't make a finger mark when transferring to parchment paper to cool.
Yum, I’m going to try these! I just happen to have cassava flour in the freezer! I can’t eat eggs so this will be great…thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays!
Hi Laura!
Thank you for your message! I truly appreciate it! Happy Holidays to you as well <3