Chai, cherry & almond cookies
Cookies are part of life as a foodie…They are also most kids favourites so let’s enjoy them for what they are… a fab treat. They sometimes get a bad reputation but it doesn’t have to be that way. Dried fruits also get a bad rep but as long as they are used in moderation and are just that, fruits, no additives, no added sugar, just fruit, they are delicious and count towards your portions. These oat cookies went down a storm in my house.
ingredients
Makes 8-10 cookies
1 large egg
110g unsalted butter, softened
100g coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 tablespoon chai spice mix (I used Christmas chai by Steenbergs)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
150g rolled oats
35g oat flour
6 tablespoon oat flour (oatmeal)
5 tablespoon spelt flour
45g whole blanched almonds, in rough chunks or halved
45g baked / dried cherries (I used Urban Fruit Cheeky Cherry)
method
preparation: 15-20mins
cook time: 15-20mins
Preheat oven at 160-180 degrees C
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
In a large bowl, add the butter and coconut sugar and beat together (by hand or with an electric mixer) until fully combined
Add the egg and vanilla and beat well
Now add chai spices, baking powder, bicarbonate soda and salt and blend until fully combined
Finally, add the oats, oat flour and spelt flour and combine making sure to scrape bottom and sides of the bowl and fold until evenly distributed
2 tablespoons or a scoop at a time, drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet(s) until you run out, leaving about 2 inches of space around each cookie
Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes until the edges start turning slightly darker but centres are lighter still soft
Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
They are best eaten still slightly warm!
the health boost tip
These cookies are soft-ish with a delicious crunch from the almonds and full of the warming chai flavours. Cherries could be swapped for sultanas. The spices can be changed and the almonds replaced with pecan nuts or even pumpkin seeds for a nut-free version. Full of oats goodness and and with no refined sugars they’ll be the perfect week-end comfort treat with a cuppa.
