Nov 22, 2015 2 min read

Spiced Maple Chestnut Clusters

These spiced maple-chestnut clusters aren’t just delicious holiday cookies. They also are your perfect crowd-pleaser holiday cookie. Why a crowd pleaser? Because they are the sort of cookie you can serve to nearly anyone who comes to your house. As in, they are both vegan and gluten-free. Don’t roll your eyes. They also happen to be delicious enough to serve to anyone, even lovers of all things dairy and gluteny.

Makes 36 cookies

• Ingredients

2 (5.2-ounce) packages peeled chestnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground dry ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon table salt

6 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 cup toasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Coarse sugar or red sanding sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a food processor, pulse the chestnuts, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt until the chestnuts are finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the maple syrup, then add the pepitas, bittersweet chocolate, cranberries and crystallized ginger. Mix well, using your hands if necessary. Roll the mixture by the tablespoonful into 1 inch balls, rolling each in your choice of sugar before arranging on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.