Spelt and Oat Cookies

On the of the beauties of home baking is the sheer range of wondrous and fantastical treats that be created using relatively conventional ingredients and straightforward processes. However to fully appreciate the baking wonderland it is necessary to at least occasionally stray from the path of familiarity and try something a little different. For better or worse you will at the very least learn from your experiences, grow as a baker and maybe even discover a new flavour or texture experience that you love.

Spelt flour is still a relatively uncommon ingredient, but a welcome addition to the home bakers arsenal. It has a lovely nutty, almost sweet flavour, which works beautifully with delicate spicing and fruit. Personally I have found the texture to be a little heavier than when using plain flour, but considering the far stronger nutritional profile, this is more than forgiveable. In my last recipe I showcased spelt in a 'healthy' sponge cake recipe, and here I've used a little of of what I had left to make some terrific teatime cookies. They are a delicious alternative to traditional cookies and perfect for dunking!

Prep time: 15 Mins
Baking time: 14 Mins
125g Jumbo Oats
100g Spelt Flour
1/2tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Cinnamon
115g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
175g Light Muscovado Sugar
1 Large Egg (Beaten)
A handful of Dried Vine Fruit

As frequent fliers will be aware I have to bake these in batches due to my troublesome oven! Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a large flat baking tray with baking paper. In a bowl combine the oats, flour, baking powder and cinnamon. These are the dry ingredients.

In a separate large bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg. Add the dry ingredients and mix until evenly combined, then fold through the dried fruit. You can add more or less fruit depending on how fruity you feel (I usually feel pretty fruity).

Take a small amount of mixture, roll into a loose ball (around the size of a golf ball) then place on the baking paper. Repeat, ensuring each ball is well spaced apart as they will spread during baking. Bake in the centre of the oven for around 14 minutes, until each cookie is a light golden and just starting to darken at the edges. Remove from the oven and slide the paper onto a wire rack. You can then repeat for the rest of the mixture, which should give you around 15-16 cookies. Once the cookies have cooled until just warm, peel from the paper and there you go, you're all finished.