Deliciously Ella’s healthy cookies are great for whenever you need a little treat but don’t want to have a sugar crash afterwards. These healthy oatmeal cookies are sweetened with honey and raisins, so you don’t have to worry about having refined sugar in your treats. They’re great lunchbox goodies for the kids as well, as they’re filling and free from any unhealthy ingredients that you can usually find in shop-bought cookies. Because of the zest and juice of the orange and lemon, this healthy cookie recipe has a delicious zingy flavour that goes really well with the fragrant taste of cardamom. To make this cookie recipe, you’ll also need chia seeds, which are high in fibre, omega-3 fats and protein. Deliciously Ella’s healthy cookie recipe also uses plant-based milk so this recipe is dairy-free – ideal if you’re lactose intolerant or just prefer to follow a dairy free diet in general. You can pick from almond, cashew, oat, or coconut milk to make this recipe, depending on your preference. Ella says: ‘These are a great staple to have in the house. They’re not especially indulgent or impressive, instead they’re moreish little oaty bites that sate an afternoon sweet tooth or a post-dinner snack attack. The mix of orange, lemon, cardamom and cinnamon flavours them so nicely, while the honey and raisins add a perfect sweetness.’ If you’re eating these healthy cookies as an afternoon snack, Ella suggests you smother them with a thick layer of almond butter for extra creaminess… Yum!
Ingredients
- 3–5 cardamom pods, to taste (depending on how strong you want the flavour)
- 300g oats
- 6 tablespoons honey
- finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, plus juice of ½ lemon
- finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed orange, plus juice of ½ orange
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons plant-based milk
- 40g raisins
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
Use the flat side of a knife to crush the cardamom pods. Once each opens, take the seeds out and grind in a pestle and mortar.
Place 200g of the oats into a food processor and whizz for 30 seconds or so, until they form a flour.
Place the ground cardamom and ground oats in a large bowl and add all the remaining ingredients, not forgetting the remaining 100g of whole oats. Stir well until a nice sticky mix forms. It should be damp, rather than wet or runny.
Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mix into your hand, roll it into a ball, then place it on the prepared tray and flatten it down. Repeat to make 10–12 cookies.
Bake for 20–25 minutes. Leave on the tray until cold, so they firm up, then serve.
Top tip for making Deliciously Ella’s orange and cardamom cookies
Always zest unwaxed citrus fruit before juicing it; as once you’ve taken the juice out it’s almost impossible to zest the fruit shells.
