Little Almond Cookies

These delicate snow-dusted Mexican cookies are rich, crumbly and melt in the mouth

• Cooking Time Prep 35 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 40 small cookies

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  52

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  6g

• Fat

  3g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  0.04g

Ingredients

• 50g whole almonds
• 100g soft butter
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp dark rum
• 140g-175g plain flour, plus extra for rolling out
• icing sugar, to serve (about 100g)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 and roast the almonds for 5-10 mins until they are a pale golden colour. Cream together the butter, sugar, rum and a pinch of salt, then add the flour until the dough just comes together-it will be soft. Roughly chop the almonds and add them to the dough. Carefully roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to a 4-5mm thickness and cut out small cookies roughly 3-4cm across. Freeze the cookies on a baking sheet for 20 mins to harden.
2. Bake the cookies in the oven for about 20 mins until just set-they will still be very pale. Lay out on a wire rack and dust icing sugar on both sides while they are still warm, being careful not to break them as you turn them. The icing sugar will melt. When they are cool, sprinkle them extremely generously with more icing sugar so that they are completely white. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

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Toffee Apple Cookies

These are truly delicious - crunchy round the edges, chewy in the centre

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins - 15 mins
  Cook 12 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 24 cookies

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  148

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  17g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  0.12g

Ingredients

• 175g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 50g ground almonds
• 85g chewy toffees, roughly chopped
• 85g/3oz ready-to-eat dried apple chunks, roughly chopped
• 225g self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/gas 5. Using an electric whisk, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
2. Stir in the egg yolks, ground almonds, toffees, dried apple and flour. Mix well together then roll into walnut-sized balls.
3. Place well apart on two non-stick or lined baking sheets and flatten slightly with your hand. Brush with milk and bake for 8-12 minutes until golden. Leave to firm up for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

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All-American Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Irresistible All-American chocolate chunk cookies

• Cooking Time Takes 40-50 minutes
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 12 big cookies

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  381

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  36g

• Fat

  24g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  27g

• Salt

  0.42g

Ingredients

• 300g plain chocolate (about 55% cocoa solids)
• 100g bar milk chocolate
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 85g butter, at room temperature
• 100g peanut butter, crunchy is best
• 1 medium egg
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 100g self-raising flour
• 100g large salted roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4/fan 160C.Gather together and weigh all the ingredients.
2. Chop 200g/7oz of the plain chocolate into rough, irregular chunks. Chop the milk chocolate in the same way, but keep separate.
3. Break the remaining plain chocolate into a large heatproof mixing bowl. Melt in the microwave on medium for about 11?2 minutes (or over a pan of simmering water).
4. Stir the chocolate until melted, then tip in the sugar, butter, peanut butter, egg and vanilla and beat with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Stir in the flour, all the milk chocolate chunks, the nuts (no need to chop) and half the plain chocolate chunks. The mixture will feel quite soft, and drop easily from the spoon if you shake it.
5. Drop big spoonfuls in 12 piles on to 2 or 3 baking sheets, leaving room for them to spread (you may need to bake in batches). Stick the remaining chunks into the cookies (2-3 pieces in each).
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they are tinged very slightly darker around the edges. The smell will let you know they are ready. They will be soft in the middle, but will crisp up as they cool. (Cook for longer and you'll have crisper cookies.) Let them cool and firm up for a few minutes on the baking sheet (they'll break if you move them while still hot), then lift off with a wide spatula on to a cooling rack. They will keep crisp in an airtight tin for 3-4 days.

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Almond & Lemon Curd Buttons

Hidden inside these crumbly biscuits lies a heart of lemon curd, giving an unexpected burst of flavour

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes about 20

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  225

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  22g

• Fat

  15g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  10g

• Salt

  0.21g

Ingredients

• 250g butter, softened
• 140g golden caster sugar, plus extra
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• zest 2 lemons
• 300g plain flour
• 100g ground almonds
• a little milk, to seal
• about 3 tbsp lemon curd
• flaked almonds, for the top

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Beat the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, zest and a pinch of salt in a large bowl until smooth, then fold in the flour and ground almonds. Shape into 2 rounds, flatten them, then wrap in cling film and chill until firm, about 30 mins.
2. Roll out 1 piece of dough on a floured surface to about £1 thickness, then stamp out rounds with a 7cm cutter. Brush all over with milk, then spoon 20p-size blobs of lemon curd into the middle of half of the rounds.
3. Carefully lay the remaining rounds on top of the lemon curd, then gently press around the edges with your fingers to seal. Scatter with a little caster sugar and the flaked almonds. Bake for 15 mins until light golden. Repeat with remaining pastry, then squish any offcuts together and re-roll. You can freeze the biscuits before baking, but add up to 5 mins more to the cooking time.

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Bumper Oat Cookies

Oaty, chewy, spicy cookies - ready in under an hour and great for tea time

• Cooking Time Ready in 45 - 50 minutes
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 18

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  236

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  37g

• Fat

  10g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• 175g butter
• 175g demerara sugar
• 100g golden syrup
• 85g plain flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 250g porridge oats
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 100g each of ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped and stem ginger, chopped
• 75-80g pack dried sour cherries
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• 1 medium egg, beaten

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan160C/gas 4. Line several baking sheets with baking parchment or non-stick sheets. Warm the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large saucepan over a medium heat until the butter has melted. Stir in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, oats, cinnamon, dried fruits and ginger, then the water and finally the egg. Leave to cool until easy to handle.
2. With dampened hands, shape the mixture into 18 large balls, then flatten them onto the baking sheets-allowing plenty of space for spreading-and bake for 15-20 mins until golden. (This will give a soft, chewy cookie. For a crisper one, reduce the heat to 160C/fan140C/gas 3 and bake for a further 5-10 mins.)
3. Allow the cookies to cool on the trays briefly, then lift onto to a cooling rack. Will keep in an airtight container, separated with baking parchment, for up to 1 week.

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Coconut & Chocolate Macaroons

A delicious macaroon with the tropical taste of fresh coconut

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Makes 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  206

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  30g

• Fat

  10g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  26g

• Salt

  0.03g

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 200g coarsely grated fresh coconut (about 1 coconut in total)
• 150g bar dark chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff then gradually add the sugar, whisking continuously until thick and glossy. Sift in the flour, then fold into the egg whites with the coconut until completely combined.
2. Using an 8cm pastry cutter, squash spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper or silicone plastic sheets-you may need to do this in two batches. Bake for 15-18 mins until golden around the edges and just starting to brown on top. Leave to cool, then transfer to a rack.
3. While the macaroons are cooling, melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a pan of hot water and leave to cool slightly. Cover the smooth side with chocolate and leave to set in the fridge. The macaroons will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.

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Anzac Biscuits

These iconic biscuits were originally made to send to the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) serving in Gallipoli

• Cooking Time Takes 35 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 20

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  118

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  13g

• Fat

  7g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  0.28g

Ingredients

• 85g porridge oats
• 85g desiccated coconut
• 100g plain flour
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g butter, plus extra butter for greasing
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the oats, coconut, flour and sugar in a bowl. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the golden syrup. Add the bicarbonate of soda to 2 tbsp boiling water, then stir into the golden syrup and butter mixture.
2. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the butter and golden syrup mixture. Stir gently to incorporate the dry ingredients.
3. Put dessertspoonfuls of the mixture on to buttered baking sheets, about 2.5cm/1in apart to allow room for spreading. Bake in batches for 8-10 mins until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

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Blueberry & Pecan Oaties

Make double the quantity of this fruity cookie dough and freeze, so delicious home-baked biscuits are always close at hand

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings 12 cookies

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  274

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  36g

• Fat

  14g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  20g

• Salt

  0.27g

Ingredients

• 175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 85g porridge oats
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 140g butter, chopped
• 70g pack dried blueberries (or use raisins or dried cranberries)
• 50g pecans, roughly broken
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

1. Tip the flour, baking powder, oats, sugar and cinnamon into a bowl, then mix well with your hands. Add the butter, then rub it into the mixture until it has disappeared.
2. Stir in the blueberries and pecans, add the egg, then mix well with a cutlery knife or wooden spoon until it all comes together in a big ball. Lightly flour the work surface, then roll the dough into a fat sausage about 6cm across. Wrap in cling film, then chill in the fridge until solid.
3. To bake, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/ gas 4. Unwrap the cookie log, thickly slice into discs, then arrange on baking sheets. Bake for 15 mins (or a few mins more if from frozen) until golden, leave on the trays to harden, then cool completely on a wire rack before tucking in.

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Birthday Biscuits

These ring biscuits are perfect for parties and work well in any shape, get the kids to help

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Make 24

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  149

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  24g

• Fat

  6g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  16g

• Salt

  0.01g

Ingredients

• 250g plain white flour
• 85g golden caster sugar
• 175g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed
• 2 tbsp lemon curd
• 250g white icing sugar
• 1 tbsp strawberry conserve (we used St Dalfour)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the flour, sugar and butter into a food processor. Whizz until the mixture forms crumbs, then pulse a little more until it forms a ball.
2. Spread a large sheet of baking parchment over the work surface and turn the dough onto it. Dust with a little flour, then roll out to about the thickness of two £1 coins. Stamp out 24 rounds using a 5cm round fluted cutter, then cut out the middles with the end of a piping nozzle. Carefully peel the rest of the mixture away from the stamped shapes. Lift onto baking sheets and bake for 10 mins until pale golden. Cool on a wire rack.
3. Put the lemon curd into a bowl with 2 tbsp boiling water and mix until smooth. Sieve in 175g of the icing sugar; stir together to make a smooth icing. Put the strawberry fruit spread in another bowl and add 2 tsp boiling water, mix, then sieve in the remaining icing sugar.
4. Spoon the lemon icing over the biscuits, then drizzle or pipe over the pinky icing. Leave to set for at least 20 mins. Will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight tin, longer if left un-iced.

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Gooey Chocolate Cherry Cookies

If you like American-style cookies, you'll love these pale, chewy delights. Plus, they can be baked from frozen

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 14 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 20 large cookies

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  186

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  23g

• Fat

  11g

• Saturates

  6g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  14g

• Salt

  0.13g

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 85g light muscovado sugar
• 85g golden caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 225g self-raising flour
• 50g plain chocolate, 50-70% cocoa, roughly chopped
• 50g white chocolate, roughly chopped
• 85g natural colour glacé cherries, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Beat the butter, sugars and egg until smooth, then mix in the flour, chocolates and cherry pieces and ½ tsp salt. Spoon onto non-stick baking sheets in large rough blobs-you'll get 20 out of this mix. Make sure they are well spaced as the cookies grow substantially as they bake. The raw dough can be frozen.
2. Bake for 12-14 mins until just golden, but still quite pale and soft in the middle. If baking from frozen, give them a few mins more. Cool on the sheets for 5 mins, then lift onto racks with a fish slice and leave to cool completely.

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