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Chilean Guava & Chocolate Lunchbox Cookies

I make a variation of these cookies most weeks for school lunches. Usually I add chopped dried apricots but this week I experimented with adding some Chilean guavas we picked from my Dad's garden. Because the flesh is on the dry side they worked perfectly in the cookie dough adding a lovely aromatic flavour which I complimented with a sprinkle of finely chopped rosemary from the garden. They are a little fancy for everyday school lunches but my kids certainly approved by sneakily eating half of the first batch I made while they were cooling - you know they are up to no good when it all goes suspiciously quiet! If dairy, is OK butter can also be used in place of the peanut/nut butter.

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup dates chopped
  • 1 free-range egg
  • 3 tablespoons peanut butter or another nut/seed butter
  • 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
  • 1/2 cup ground almonds or oat flour*
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds or whole chia seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 50 g quality dark chocolate min. 70%, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup Chilean guavas dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the chopped dates into a small sieve and rinse with 1 cup boiling water to soften the dates. Set over a bowl to drain for several minutes.
  • Place the dates, egg, peanut butter, coconut, almond flour, flaxseeds or chia seeds, baking powder and salt into a food processor and pulse 6 times to combine. Scrape down the sides and pulse 6 more times until the mixture comes together. Tip into a mixing bowl and add the chocolate and guavas. Use a spatula to combine.
  • Roll the cookie mixture into walnut-sized balls and arrange evenly on a lined baking tray. Press down with your fingers to slightly squash the balls. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a cake rack. Store in an airtight container and consume within 5 days.

Notes

*To make these cookies nut-free for school lunches replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter and the ground almonds with oat flour. I love using oat flour in baking as part of the flour component to add a tender crumb. I make it myself by simply blending rolled oats as needed in a coffee/spice grinder until finely ground into a soft flour.