A deliciously healthy smartie cookie recipe

Ok, maybe it's not totally healthy - it does have smarties on top and I'm pretty sure they don't fall into the 'healthy eating' section these days.  However it is a pretty healthy version of the traditional smartie cookies - and if you really wanted to, you could leave the smarties off, but I think you've got to have a little bit of naughty every now and again don't you think??  The kids will love you for it!!  I'd far rather my kids eat these because I know exactly what's in them than some of the cookies you buy these days which are just full of sugar (and smarties)!!

Ingredients
125g butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
130g maple syrup
150g plain or wholemeal flour
40g oats
40g desiccated coconut
40g almonds (or almond meal)
pinch of salt
3 tsps chia seeds
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

1 packet of smarties

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Place the almonds in the thermomix bowl and whizz on speed 9/10 for 20 seconds until they become a fine powder.  Set aside in a separate bowl.
3. Add the egg, maple syrup, butter and vanilla to the bowl and mix on speed 7 for 20 seconds.  Scrape down the side and repeat for a further 10 seconds.
4. Add all the dry ingredients and mix on reverse speed 7 for 10 seconds or until combined.
5. Set the thermomix to the closed lid position and knead the mixture for 1 minute until it become a dough.
   
6. Roll into balls (whatever size you like) and flatten them slightly with the back of a spoon.
7. Press the smarties quite firmly into the top of each cookie. 
   
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until a slightly golden colour. 
   

These cookies are not very sweet which is why the smarties on top make all the difference.  I came to this recipe after a little bit of trial and error (I was actually trying to make something completely different but ended up here - as you do).

Do you ever bake with trial and error???

ENJOY x

You can also follow Mrs D plus 3 on facebook - twitter - instagram - Pinterest or sign up to my newsletter