HAZELNUT & CACAO COOKIES

PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES MAKES 14

These cookies are dairy-free and sugar-free. ½ cup (80g) firmly packed

fresh dates, pitted

2 cups (200g) ground hazelnuts

1½ cups (225g) wholemeal spelt flour

¼ cup (50g) chia seeds

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of sea salt flakes

¼ cup (50g) virgin coconut oil,

at room temperature

½ cup (170g) rice malt syrup

1 free-range egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup (50g) cacao nibs

(see tip on page 37) dutch-processed cocoa, to dust

1 Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan. Line two oven trays with baking paper. 2 Place dates in a small heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water; stand for 5 minutes. Drain.

3 Process dates, ground hazelnuts, flour, seeds, cinnamon, salt, coconut oil, syrup, egg and vanilla until well combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in cacao nibs.

4 With damp hands, roll 2-tablespoon measures of mixture into balls, place on tray; flatten with the palm of your hand into 6cm rounds. Using the back of a damp fork, mark each cookie.

5 Bake cookies for 15 minutes or until a cookie can gently be pushed without breaking. Leave cookies on trays to cool.

Serve dusted with cocoa.