Delicious Mini Zesty Date Cakes

Ingredients:

Zesty Date Filling

1. 1 cup pitted dates
2. ⅓ cup water, plus extra
3. ½ tsp finely grated orange zest
4. Generous pinch of salt (optional)

Cookie Crumble

1. ¾ cup almond flour
2. ¾ cup gluten-free oats
3. 1 ½ Tbsp coconut or raw sugar
4. ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
5. ½ tsp ground cinnamon
6. ¼ tsp sea salt
7. 3 Tbsp coconut oil
8. 3 Tbsp almond butter

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan combine dates and water.  Cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid and reduce heat to low. Mash dates with fork or potato masher.  Add 1 Tbsp more water if needed. Continue to mash and stir until very thinks and spreadable paste forms, about 5-10 minutes.  You should have about ¾ cup. Remove pan from heat. Stir in orange zest and pinch of salt if desired. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease 12 cup mini muffin pan.  
3. In a food processor fitted with metal blade, combine almond flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Pulse until crumbly. Add coconut oil and almond butter. Pulse until mixture begins to hold together. If too crumbly, add 1 Tbsp water and continue whirling.  Mixture should be like a dense cooking dough. You should have about 1 ¼ cups.  
4. Taking half the cookie crumble dough, press equal amounts into bottom of each muffin cup.  Gently press down to firmly pack. Divide date paste equally among cups and smooth out to evenly cover bottom layer of dough.  Divide remaining dough among cups, evenly covering date paste. Gently pat down.
5. Place baking sheet with a silicone muffin pan in center of preheated oven.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until tops of cakes are relatively crisp. Remove tray and place on a rack to cool.  Cool pan completely before removing date cakes.