Almond joy biscotti a deceptively easy treat

Published 5:30 pm Wednesday, June 24, 2026

My son is taking swimming lessons for the third year in a row and has just now gotten comfortable putting his ears in the water. My big kid wants to get to play in the yard by the lake without having to wear a life vest, and without his mama hovering and fretting the whole time, but nobody gets that freedom until they have passed their swim test, so he is motivated. I sit by the pool and watch him scoot along the wall with his friends for the hour.

They line up and take turns back floating and blowing bubbles and practicing their chicken and airplane arms as the instructor holds their heads back so their ears are submerged, and he is doing much better than last year.

Last week, he was asked to take the leap off the side of the pool into the water and dunk his head completely. He was the last in line this time, and I saw him growing more nervous as he watched each child before him stand and leap with a squeal into the pool. When it was his turn, he stood up slowly and clasped his hands together as he shook his head – he didn’t want to go. He said out loud, “I am afraid,” and the coach encouraged him to be brave and assured him that he is safe. He hesitated a couple moments more before he started to shrink back, away from the edge, but then he looked back to find my eyes and found them locked on him.

I smiled at him and told my brave little one that he can do this, and with a smile he turned to face the pool and sprang in. When he popped back up again, he wiped his eyes and looked to me and joyfully proclaimed, “I did it!”

I hope he remembers that feeling and knows that no matter what challenges are at his feet, no matter how scared he is to take the plunge, he will always be able to look back and find me watching him, always ready to remind him that he is brave and he can do hard things. There is no greater advantage in this world than having someone to lift you up to the air when you find yourself underwater, and I hope he knows he will always have that in me.

Special wins deserve special rewards, so I made some deceptively easy cookies to pack for the playground.

This almond joy biscotti is not too sweet and is better when you dunk them all the way in milk.

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cup almond flour

½ cup sugar

4 tbsp softened butter

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp cup cornstarch

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

¼ cup sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 bag dark chocolate chips (60% cocoa is best)

1 tsp coconut oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream the softened butter and sugar together for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Add the egg, sweetened condensed milk, and extracts and beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and shredded coconut.

Dump the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until a dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto the parchment and use your hands to flatten and mold the dough into a rectangle about 18 inches long and 6 inches wide.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is browning, and remove to cool.

When it has completely cooled, take a bread knife and very carefully slice diagonally into pieces about 1 inch wide.

Turn each piece on its side and return to a 350 degree oven for another 20 minutes.

Let the cookies cool completely before dipping one side in melted chocolate mixed with coconut oil.

Immediately lay them on the pan and sprinkle some more coconut flakes over the still-wet chocolate. Put the tray in the refrigerator to help the chocolate set before transferring the cookies to your cookie jar or wrapping each in plastic as gifts or party favors.