I put this recipe together by combing a few different recipes and adding some ingredients of my own and they came out better than I ever imagined. They are like a warm soft cookie on the outside with a doughy warm cake on the inside. The warming cinnamon flavours mixed with the chocolate raisins make them a perfect warm treat straight out the oven now we’re heading in to autumn.

These soft bake cookies, like many of my recipes, are definitely proof that it is worth investing in these alternative baking goods. Not only are they good for people with intolerances and allergies they also turn treats like these cookies in to something that aren’t full of all fatty ingredients. These are still meant as treats and I’m not saying they are drastically less in calorie but by swapping ingredients like butter and sugar to coconut oil and agave, you are doing your body a favour as they are GOOD sugars and fats and have healthy benefits.

If you are looking for a free from type of treat to share with friends, I’d definitely recommend these and people will be converted to a healthier way of cooking within one bite! I prefer these served warm so if you have friends coming over get the mix ready and pop them in the oven ten minutes before serving. They are also perfect served with a scoop of ice cream which will slowly melt on top of the warm cookie, for a more calorific treat!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 150ml of coconut oil (comes in a paste like form so microwave for 20 seconds in a bowl then measure out in ml, melt a small amount at a time to avoid over estimating when melted and waste)
• 100grams honey
• 100grams agave nectar
• 1 egg
• 6 Tbsp. of applesauce
• 1 Tsp. of vanilla extract
• 350grams of Doves Farm plain white flour
• 40grams of ground almonds
• 1 Tbsp. of cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. of Xanthan Gum
• 1 Tsp. Bicarbonate of soda
• 150grams of chocolate raisins (you could also use currents or choc chips)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170c and line a baking tray with tin foil. In a bowl add the coconut oil, honey, agave, egg, applesauce and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined (ensure all lumps of apple sauce or coconut oil are smoothed well in to the mix).
2. In a separate bowl add the flour, almonds, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and xanthan gum and mix with a spoon in to one combined dry mix. With a wooden spoon or spatula slowly add the flour mix and fold in to the wet mixture a small amount at a time, this should form an oily feeling dough like mix. Fold in the chocolate raisins until evenly spread throughout.
   

   The mixture will feel and look very oily and slippery so expect to get your hands messy!

3. With a tablespoon take a heaped spoon of the mix and form in to a ball with your hand, place on to baking tray and press down with spoon making a thick, flat cookie shape. These will not change shape much in oven so I try and make them in to the best shape I can before putting in oven. Sprinkle each cookie with a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon. Place in oven for ten minutes.
4. Take out and leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack or plate as they can break easily when too hot. To store, keep in airtight container in a cool dry place and they should keep for up to 3 days.

The interesting part of this recipe is you can have it raw or bake them, if you leave them raw and cool in the fridge they are very similar to cookie dough. They can be enjoyed alone or as a more indulgent treat with vegan ice cream, you could even make smaller chunks and sprinkle as a topping to many desserts. If you choose to enjoy them cooked, they are like a very moist soft cookie bite.

I have been trying to get more protein in to my diet recently so I decided to buy a protein powder to make up drinks and add to baking. With my dairy and wheat intolerances I found the powders in most health food stores by me weren’t suitable so I searched online and found  a dairy and wheat free protein powder. I added two scoops (20grams) to my mix today gaining 8.4 grams of protein. You could try adding more and making them even higher in protein and can use them as an alternative to buying a protein bar, which I will definitely be doing as they taste better than any protein bar I’ve tried!

If you’re making these try baking half and keeping half raw to compare which taste you prefer more and let me know what you think!

Baked on the left and raw on the right! Try them both ways

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 100grams of chashews
• 50grams of oats
• 40grams of wheat free plain flour (I used Doves Farm)
• I tbsp. of brown sugar
• ½ a tsps. of vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tbsp. of agave nectar
• 1 ½ tbsp. of honey
• A handful of choc chips and cranberries
• 30grams of protein powder (one scoop)

Method:

1. Set your oven to 200c. In a food processor blend the cashews, oats and flour. You may need to stop the blender and with a spoon move the mixture around then blend again as the cashews can get stuck. Once blended you should be left with a flour mix.
2. Next add the sugar, vanilla, agave and honey. Blend until mix is moist throughout and dough like, then add one tbsp. of water and blend again.
3. Remove mix from blender in to bowl and kneed with wet hands to add moisture. Add the choc chips and berries; mix them in to the dough with hands.
   

   Just like a ball of cookie dough!

4. On a lined baking tray, tear pieces of dough apart and use your hand to make little balls and then slightly press down with palms to make more of a biscuit shape. 
5. Place in oven and leave for ten minutes until they show a lighter colour and a golden outside. Allow to cool and store in an air tight container.  OR place the bites on to a plate, cover with foil and store in fridge to enjoy raw.
   

   Delicious! Try dipping in to yoghurt, smoothie or ice cream for the perfect desert!

Recipe

Ingredients;

• 40grams of sunflower spread
• 200grams marshmallows
• 200grams of Rice Krispies
• 50grams of dried fruit (eg. Currents and cranberries)
• 80grams of fresh berries and raspberries

Method;

1. Line a 12inch baking tray and grease; I used a low calorie cooking spray.
2. On a medium heat melt the sunflower spread in a large pan (remembering you will be adding the Rice Krispies to the pan later, so make sure you have enough room for this), once melted add the marshmallows and stir consistently until both are melted in together. Next, add the fresh fruit and stir until the berries have melted through leaving a distinctive pink colour to the mix.
3. Slowly add in the Rice Krispies to the pan and stir in, ensuring they are all being evenly covered by the mix and the mix from the bottom is spread throughout.
4. Pour half the mixture in to the lined baking pan and pat down firmly, then add the rest of the mixture and do the same again to ensure its firmly pressed together so you cut in to bars later.
5. Put the baking pan in the freezer for half an hour. Take out and cut in to bar immediately while it’s still a little harder and then they can be stored in the fridge.
   

   When you take it out the freezer it should be in a firm/hard block, cut in to bars now while its harder to get neater shaped bars

 

Perfect treat for children to enjoy and get more fruit in their diet to!