Sugar-free cookies by Nadine Brown
These small vegan cookies are a real family treat, free from refined sugars — ground almonds provide a nutty flavour and a burst of natural sweetness comes from raspberries
Ingredients
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200 g raspberries, frozen
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1 tsp vanilla bean paste
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50 ml maple syrup, plus 1 tbsp
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1 1/2 tbsp Chia seeds
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50 ml rapeseed oil
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1/2 tsp Almond extract
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190 g ground almonds
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30 g flaked almonds, finely chopped
Steps
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1
Put the raspberries in a medium pan with the vanilla pod and 1 tbsp of maple syrup. Simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes or until the berries start to break down. Stir through the chia seeds and cook for a further 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely, in which time it will thicken considerably. Spoon into a bowl and set aside until completely cool.
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2
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper or a silicone baking mat. Whisk together the remaining maple syrup in a medium bowl with the oil and almond extract. Add the ground almonds with a pinch of salt and mix well until a soft dough forms.
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3
Spread the chopped flaked almonds out on a small plate. Taking tablespoons of dough, roll into balls and then roll into the almonds. Transfer to the baking tray, spacing them 5cm apart. Using your thumb, make a hollow in the centre of each dough ball. Fill each hollow with ¼ tsp of the chia seed jam. You will have some jam left over – it will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
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4
Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack. Leave until completely cool and firm.