Un-Schweddy Balls

Nearly everyone has seen the infamous SNL sketch. This year, I made these cookies as gifts for family and friends, layered between waxed paper in decorative containers. Larry's little girls really like these, in spite of the "healthy" quotient. Their mama has the container in the freezer and has been doling them out as treats. She asked me for the recipe, which was impromptu, but here goes: 2/3 stick unsalted butter, softened but not melted; 1 cup coconut sugar (or use medium or dark brown sugar); 1 egg; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1/2 tsp. sea salt; 1 T. plus 1 tsp. agave syrup. Cream together. Zest 1 mandarin orange without white pithy part, or equivalent amount regular grated orange peel; squeeze juice into mixture. Use half the juice if it's a large orange. Mix all until ingredients are blended and a bit fluffier. Sift dry ingredients: 2/3 cup unbleached flour; 1/3 cup coconut flour; 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (whole wheat is okay; pastry flour has less gluten); 1/2 tsp. cinnamon; 1/3 tsp. ground ginger; 1/4 tsp. cloves; 1/3 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg. Add to creamed butter/coconut sugar mixture and stir. Add: 2/3 cup quick oats; 1/2 tsp. baking soda; 1 tsp. baking powder It should be a fairly stiff, sticky dough. Add: 1/3 cup dried cranberries (I used Trader Joe's orange-flavored, but regular are okay); 1/3 cup dried blueberries; 1/2 cup chopped pecans; 1/2 cup bulk coconut (fine shreds). Incorporate dried fruit and coconut into rest of ingredients and let dough sit about 20 minutes, as the coconut flour and dried fruits will absorb some of the moisture. Preheat oven to 350. Form into 2" to 2.5" balls using your hands. If the dough is too dry to hold together easily, add a little juice or milk. If you prefer flatter cookies, flatten with a wet glass bottom or fork. (I like the round shape because they are a little denser and creamier in the middle and the dried fruit doesn't get as hard in the oven.) Space the balls on a half sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprayed lightly (I use coconut spray, which adds another layer of coconut flavor). Bake about 15 minutes, or until the outside surface and coconut start to turn a little brown. If they were flattened, it will be about 12 minutes or so. Cool before stacking or putting in a cookie jar. To be really decadent, these could be dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate.