Muesli Cookies

Since returning home from our holiday, we have been trying to eat well in an attempt to lose the unwanted Christmas gift of a couple of extra kilos.  There are still times though when we do feel like something a little special, and these cookies fit the bill.

I’ve been giving Donna Hay’s Modern Classics 2 a bit of a workout over the past week. It had been awhile since I’d sat down and really read through it, and there have been quite a few recipes that have jumped out at me to try.  As always, I have made a couple of substitutions and additions to the original recipe.  To start with I reduced the sugar content, and used wholemeal spelt flour instead of plain flour.  I also just used what I had in the pantry, the recipe suggest 1/4 cup dried apricots and 1/4 cup dried apples – both chopped and 1/4 cup sultanas.  I debated whether to add the malted milk powder, but went along with it and I ended up with a yummy, chewy biscuit – which I do love.    As always my big boy was happy to be a taste tester and has also given them his tick of approval.

1/2 cup rapadura sugar (recipe suggest 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup caster sugar)

125g butter – softened

1 egg

1/2 cup malted milk powder

1 1/4 cups wholemeal spelt flour (you can use plain flour instead)

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 tablespoons chia seeds

2 tablespoons wheatgerm

1/4 cup currants

1/2 cup goji berries

1 teaspoon cinnamon

* Preheat oven to 170 degrees

* Beat together the sugar, butter and egg in a bowl until smooth – if using rapadura sugar you will see some small sugar crystals throughout the mixture.

* Add all other ingredients and mix together until combined.

* Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls, place onto baking trays and flatten slightly.  Make sure you leave room for the cookies to spread.

* Bake for 15 minutes until beginning to brown on top – cool on trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.