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SWEET MOUTHFULS
OATMEAL AND RAISIN COOKIES

An American favourite, these cookies are moist, sweet and very moreish.

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

110g (4oz) butter, softened

110g (4oz) caster sugar

110g (4oz) soft light brown sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla extract

250g (9oz) porridge oats

110g (4oz) self-raising flour

1 level tsp salt

110g (4oz) raisins

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4.

2 Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugars and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg, water and vanilla extract while still beating. Reduce the speed and gently mix in the oats, flour, salt and raisins to form a dough.

3 Using your hands, roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place spaced slightly apart on two baking trays (no need to grease or line).

4 Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes or until light golden brown, but still slightly soft in the centre.

5 Allow to cool on the trays for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

VARIATION

Oatmeal and chocolate: Chocolate chips can be used instead of raisins, if you prefer.

BASIC COOKIE RECIPE

This recipe is a basis for many combinations. Experiment with ingredients—flavourings, dried fruits, nuts, spices and even herbs such as lavender—to find your favourite.

MAKES ABOUT 35 COOKIES

225g (8oz) butter, softened

110g (4oz) caster sugar

275g (10oz) plain flour

Ground spices or finely grated zest (optional; see Variations below)

1 Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas Mark 3.

2 Cream the butter in a large bowl or in a food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3 Sift in the flour and spices or grated zest (if using) and bring the mixture together to form a dough.

4 Using your hands, roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place them slightly apart on a baking tray (no need to grease or line). Flatten them slightly with the back of a damp fork and bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes or until they are light golden brown and slightly firm on top.

5 Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

VARIATIONS

Poppy seed: Add 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds to the flour.

Lemon: Add the finely grated zest of 1 lemon to the flour.

Orange: Add the finely grated zest of 1 orange to the flour.

White chocolate and orange: Dip the tops of the orange cookies in 50g (2oz) melted white chocolate, then allow to set on greaseproof paper.

Spices (cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger): Add 1 teaspoon of a ground spice to the flour.

Crystallised ginger and dark chocolate: Add 25g (1oz) finely chopped crystallised ginger to the flour. When the cookies are baked and cooled, dip the tops in 50g (2oz) melted dark chocolate, then allow to set on greaseproof paper.

Double chocolate chip: Use 250g (9oz) plain flour and add 50g (2oz) sifted cocoa powder to the flour. Bring the dough together and mix in 125g (4½oz) dark or white chocolate chips.

White chocolate and dried cranberry: Add 50g (2oz) chopped dried cranberries to the flour. When the cookies are baked and cooled, dip the tops in 50g (2oz) melted white chocolate and allow to set on greaseproof paper.

RACHEL’S BAKING TIPS

*Roll leftover dough into a log shape, 2-3cm (¾-1¼in) in diameter, then leave in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to a couple of months. To bake, cut off slices, about 1cm (½in) thick, and cook on a baking tray in a preheated oven.

*Always remove cookies from their baking trays while still warm otherwise they will stick.

GERMAN SPICE AND HAZELNUT COOKIES

The fragrant spices in these cookies make them a delicious and aromatic treat.

MAKES 25-30 COOKIES

125g (4½oz) butter, softened

80g (3½oz) soft light brown sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g (7oz) plain flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp mixed spice

1 dsp caster sugar

1 dsp ground cinnamon

25g (1oz) hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4.

2 Cream the butter in a large bowl or a food mixer until soft. Add the brown sugar and beat together again until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.

3 Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices and gently bring the mixture together to form a dough. Wrap the dough in cling film and allow it to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4 Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and toss in the sugar and cinnamon. Place on baking trays (no need to grease or line) about 7cm (2¾in) apart and sprinkle with the hazelnuts. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and firm at the edges.

5 Leave for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

OAT AND VANILLA SHORTBREAD COOKIES

The oats give these cookies a wonderful crumbly texture in this delicious variation on the classic shortbread biscuit.

MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

200g (7oz) butter, softened

100g (3½oz) icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

200g (7oz) plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

100g (3½oz) porridge oats

Caster sugar, for sprinkling

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4.

2 Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

3 Sift in the flour and baking powder, then stir in the oats and bring the mixture together to form a dough.

4 Using a sheet of cling film to cover the dough, roll it into a log about 30cm (12in) long and 6cm (2½in) in diameter. Allow to chill in the fridge, covered in the cling film, for about 30 minutes until firm.

5 Remove the cling film, slice the log into rounds about 5mm (¼in) thick and place slightly apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until light golden brown and dry to the touch.

6 Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

CHOCOLATE AND COCONUT BARS

These crunchy, chocolatey treats are perfect for picnics and parties.

MAKES 16 BARS

225g (8oz) butter, softened

150g (5oz) golden caster sugar

150g (5oz) desiccated coconut

75g (3oz) crushed cornflakes (I do this in a bag with a rolling pin)

Pinch of salt

150g (5oz) self-raising flour, sifted

25g (1oz) cocoa powder, sifted

175g (6oz) good-quality dark chocolate

18 × 28cm (7 × 11in) Swiss roll tin

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Butter or line the Swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper.

2 Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the coconut, cornflakes and salt, then gradually add the sifted flour and cocoa powder and bring the mixture together to form a fairly dry dough.

3 Place the dough in the prepared Swiss roll tin and spread it out evenly (I sometimes place a layer of cling film over it and roll it with a rolling pin or empty jam jar).

4 Remove the cling film and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until dry to the touch. Allow to cool in the Swiss roll tin.

5 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, then spread over the cooled biscuit base in the tin. Place somewhere cool (preferably not in the fridge) until the chocolate has hardened, then cut into bars.

GINGER AND HONEY SNAPS

For a variation on the classic ginger biscuit, these are the perfect accompaniment to a mid-morning cuppa.

MAKES ABOUT 20 COOKIES

225g (8oz) self-raising flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp mixed spice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

100g (3½oz) caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra, for sprinkling

125g (4½oz) butter, cubed

100g (3½oz) runny honey

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Grease a large baking tray with vegetable oil.

2 Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices into a large bowl, add the 100g (3½oz) sugar and mix well. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3 Heat the honey gently in a small saucepan, then pour it into the flour and butter mixture and bring together to form a dough using a wooden spoon.

4 Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of caster sugar over a plate. Using floured hands, roll the dough into small balls, then roll in the caster sugar and place on the greased baking tray about 5cm (2in) apart. Flatten down with the back of a damp fork and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they are medium brown. If the cookies are too dark, they will taste bitter.

5 Leave on the baking tray for 2 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool.

RACHEL’S BAKING TIP

*To make fresh cookies a couple of days later, you can roll some or all of the mixture into a sausage shape, wrap tightly in cling film and allow to chill in the fridge. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Cut off pieces of dough, roll them in your hands, then in the caster sugar and bake as above. They won’t be as big but they are still delicious!

LITTLE PECAN PUFFS

These buttery and crumbly little morsels are tossed in icing sugar so they look like small puffy clouds—hence their name!

MAKES ABOUT 48 PUFFS

110g (4oz) shelled pecans

110g (4oz) butter, softened

50g (2oz) caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

110g (4oz) plain flour, sifted

25g (1oz) icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting

1 Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F), Gas mark 2.

2 Place the pecans in a food processor and grind until quite fine.

3 Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the ground pecans and flour and bring together to form a dough.

4 Using your hands, roll the dough into small, marble-sized balls, then flatten slightly using the palm of your hand and place on a baking tray (no need to grease or line).

5 Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until they are a very pale golden brown and slightly firm around the edges.

6 Sift the icing sugar into a shallow bowl or onto a large plate. Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes, then carefully remove them from the tray and, while they are still hot, roll them in the sifted icing sugar.

7 Allow to cool on a wire rack, then dust generously with more icing sugar.

BAKEWELL BARS

I love the classic combination of light almond sponge and buttery shortbread, sandwiched together with a tasty layer of raspberry jam. You can use any type of jam you wish, of course—apricot would make a delicious alternative in this recipe. You can also double the quantity to fit into a 23 × 30cm (9 × 12in) Swiss roll tin.

MAKES 12 BARS

75g (3oz) butter, softened

25g (1oz) caster sugar

1 egg yolk

175g (6oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

Half a jar (approximately 200g/7oz) raspberry jam (or make your own)

For the topping

100g (3½oz) butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 eggs, beaten

A few drops of almond essence

100g (3½oz) ground almonds

100g (3½oz) semolina

100g (3½oz) caster sugar

Flaked almonds, for sprinkling

20 × 20cm (8 × 8in) square cake tin

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.

2 First, make the biscuit base. Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and mix well, then sift in the flour and mix together to form a dough.

3 Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to the right size to fit the base of the tin and then press into the prepared tin. Spread the raspberry jam over the top, then allow to chill in the fridge while you make the topping.

4 Place the melted butter in a bowl, add the beaten eggs and almond essence and mix well. Stir in the ground almonds, semolina and caster sugar.

5 Take the tin out of the fridge and spread the almond dough over the jam, being careful not to mess up the jam too much. (I usually place the almond dough in dots over the jam, then join it all together using the back of a spoon.)

6 Sprinkle the top with the flaked almonds and bake in the oven for about 25-30 minutes or until golden and set in the centre. Allow to cool in the tin, then cut into fingers.

ALMOND AND ORANGE BUTTER FINGERS

These lovely old-fashioned, shortbread-like biscuits are moist and crumbly, with a citrus zing.

MAKES ABOUT 32 FINGERS

225g (8oz) butter, softened

125g (4½oz) caster sugar

1 tsp finely grated orange zest

110g (4oz) plain flour

175g (6oz) ground almonds

Flaked almonds, for sprinkling

1 Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3.

2 Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and orange zest and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Sift in the flour then stir in the ground almonds and bring the mixture together to form a dough.

3 Using your hands, roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and form into oval shapes. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds, making sure they are well dispersed and pressed in. Transfer to a plate and allow to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

4 Place the fingers slightly spaced apart on a large baking tray (no need to grease or line) and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until light golden brown.

5 Carefully transfer the fingers to a wire rack to cool.