Oaty, chewy, spicy cookies – ready in under an hour and great for tea time
Total time50 mins
Makes 18
175g butter175g demerara sugar100g golden syrup85g plain flour½ tsp bicarbonate of soda250g porridge oats1 tsp ground cinnamon100g each of ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped and stem ginger, chopped75-80g pack dried sour cherries2 tbsp boiling water1 medium egg, beaten
STEP 1Heat 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.STEP 2With 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.)STEP 3Allow 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.
