Date, Walnut and Lemon Cookies
EMBRACE THE AUTUMN WITH SOME BAKED TREATS FROM SPLENDA
With Autumn fast approaching, the nights are slowly drawing in and the air has taken on a subtle chill. What better way to celebrate the seasonal change than to get cosy with some baked treats. Fresh from the oven, these delightful goodies will warm you from the inside, whilst indulging your taste buds at the same time!
Date Walnut and Lemon Cookies
Makes 14
Ingredients
75g lightly salted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
150g dates
75g walnuts
1 tablespoon clear honey or golden syrup
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
100g fine oatmeal
25g self-raising flour
3 tablespoons of sweetener
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
extra oatmeal, for dusting
Method
These little cookies are golden on the outside, yet slightly soft in the centre – perfect for a reasonably healthy snack to serve with tea or coffee. They’d also work well with other firm-textured dried fruit such as figs, or with any other nuts.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Grease a large baking sheet. Whizz the dates in a food processor until chopped into small pieces. Add the walnuts and blend again until chopped.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan with the honey or syrup and lemon zest. Tip in the dates and walnuts, oatmeal, flour, sweetener and vanilla and stir until mixed. Add the egg and beat to a thick paste.
Take spoonfuls of the mixture and shape into balls. Flatten onto the baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart. Sprinkle with extra oatmeal and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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