Dried Persimmon (or Apricot) & Pumpkin Seed Cookies
The double sweetener addition, in this case brown sugar and honey, is the key to a perfect cookie crumb. The dried fruit and seed component of these cookies can be devised from any combination that tickles your fancy. Toasted hazelnuts are also a favoured addition, and a little chopped chocolate doesn't go amiss – insert eye wink emoji – I have added an option in the recipe for this allowance.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (50g) pumpkin seeds
- 100 g room temperature butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 small egg
- 1 cup white flour*
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup (50g) chopped dried persimmon or apricot
- 50 g chopped dark chocolate - optional
- * I also make these with gluten-free flour using ½ cup rice flour, ¼ cup buckwheat flour and ¼ cup tapioca flour (or use gluten-free flour mix)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a cookie tray with baking paper.
- First, toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until golden. Tip on to a plate to cool.
- Place the butter, sugar and honey into a food processor or mixer and blend until creamy. Add the egg and combine. Add flour, baking powder, mixed spice and salt, and briefly mix. Add the toasted pumpkin seeds, dried fruit and optional addition of chocolate. Pulse until the mixture just holds together.
- Roll the mixture into 12 walnut-sized balls and arrange, evenly spaced, on the tray. If the mixture is very soft (this may be the case if using gluten-free flour), place in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up. Gently press the balls to flatten a little. Bake for 12 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully transfer to a cooling rack.
- The cookies will keep for five days in an airtight container.