Tuesday 8 October 2019

Crunchy Nut Cookies/Biscuits

Cookies or biscuits - whatever you call them, they're delicious.  This is actually a recipe for peanut cookies, but since Mr P. is not a fan of peanut butter, I used the macadamia and raw cacao butter from my pantry instead.  And they worked a treat!  So you can use whatever your fave nut butter is for this recipe.  And there's a funny debate - do you call it peanut paste or butter?  Depends where you grew up; I was brought up in Victoria where it was definitely butter, but other States call it paste - those crazy loons :-)      



crunchy and delicious

This recipe comes from The Australian Women's Weekly Big Book of Beautiful Biscuits.  The weekly (now monthly) magazine started in 1933, and is still going strong.  Their recipe books have been going strong for many decades too.  If you want a simple, easy, successful and tasty recipe for just about anything, you can't go wrong with them behind you.  I sound like an ad, don't I?  But no, I'm just a fan.


Makes about 30


ingredients:


3/4 cup (155g.) self-raising flour

1/4 tsp bi-carb of soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup (250g.) caster sugar

1/2 cup (50g.) rolled oats

1/3 cup (90g.) shredded coconut

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 cup (140g.) peanut butter or your fave nut butter

1 tbs golden syrup

2-3 tbs water (you may need a bit more)



Method:


Sift flour, bi-carb and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl

Chuck in the sugar, oats, coconut and lemon zest and mix well

Rub the nut butter/paste into the floury mixture with your fingers till it looks like coarse breadcrumbs

Add the golden syrup, then the water gradually, stirring to make a soft dough - you may only need 2 tbs water but add more if needed

Tip out the mixture onto a lightly-floured surface, and knead lightly till you have a smooth dough

Wrap in clingfilm, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill

Unwrap, cut into two halves and roll out each half to 5 mm (1/4 in) thickness

Use a 6cm. (2½ in) fluted cookie cutter dipped in flour to cut out shapes

Place on lightly-greased baking trays/sheets for 8 minutes @ 180C, or till golden-brown

Let cool on the trays for a few minutes, then place on wire racks



dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl


rub the nut butter into the dry stuff


pour in the golden syrup


knead lightly into a smooth dough


cut out the shapes


place on baking tray - @180C for 8 mins.


ready to eat or dunk into a cuppa


crunchy and golden brown 


These biscuits are somewhat like Anzac biscuits, the quintessential Aussie biscuit that the Diggers (First World War soldiers) used to receive from their mums and girlfriends when fighting overseas.  Crunchy so they lasted a long time:-)  Mr P. said he loves the crunchiness of this nutty version!  I'm still testing out my new gas oven, so it's a tiny bit hit and miss at the moment.  These bikkies are just a wee bit browner than I wanted, but tasted sublime anyway.  (She says modestly :-) )




  artwork © Sherry's Pickings

                                                                             

26 comments:

  1. We name it butter here..these biscuits look crisp and so tempting!

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    1. thanks angie. they were delightfully crisp and crunchy:)

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  2. Hi Sherry, I do enjoy a crunchy homemade biscuit. And crunchy peanut butter too, not that smooth muck!..
    Pinned for future reference.

    xx

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    1. yep absolutely agree debbie. it's gotta be crunchy!

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  3. Nutty anzacs look delicious to me. I didn't know people call it peanut paste - always been butter in my parts of victoria!

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    1. yep butter for me too johanna. when i moved to QLD as a youngster, i was surprised how many linguistic differences there were to the Victorian English I had been brought up on:-)

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  4. They look so good and crunchy, Sherry! This is also a great recipe for people who have peanut allergies… Here in the United States, we definitely call it peanut butter. I love the word in German: Erdnussmuss!

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  5. Sounds like a delicious cookie with the coconut and oats and I probably would go for the crunchy peanut butter.

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    1. yes i would too judi. if only hubby ate PB - sigh...

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  6. Love the look of this biscuit Sherry and I still have the Womens weekly biscuit book, most of them actually.Being a Queenslander through and through i call it peanut paste. 😀

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    1. yep hubby is a born and bred QLDer too so he says paste - silly lad:) LOve those AWW books.

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  7. Oh, I like the looks of this one. You're combining my two favorite cookies, oatmeal and peanut butter and Sherry, that's brilliant. Your crunchy nut biscuits are now on my holiday baking list.

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    1. hi ron
      these really are a delightfully crunchy little biscuit to dunk in your tea or coffee. thanks for dropping by.

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  8. Sublime works for me. These look really good -- thanks.

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  9. Peanut butter all the way! Does it say Peanut Paste on the packaging in those states?

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    1. hi lorraine
      i think it depends on the brand! Funny isn't it? i did some research on it, and apparently the peanut farmers in QLD didn't want it to be mixed up with (real) butter or some such crazy idea...

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  10. Yes, they look like Anzacs in the picture. It's quite the coincidence to see two recipes in my inbox for cacao biscuits in the same week ; )

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    1. funny how things go around in the ether! i often find i'm thinking of making something and another blogger or 2 puts up a very similar thing...

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  11. Replies
    1. so not a true blue QLDer then?:)

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    2. No. Born in NSW but raised in Qld. My New South Welsh mum always said peanut butter.

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    3. yes i was so surprised when i came to QLD. peanut paste? says I, are they mad?:-)

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  12. So interesting! I love peanut butter cookies. I've never seen such an interesting pastry-like method for making them, though. I'll bet they're delicious.

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    Replies
    1. thanks jeff. yes they went down a treat with everyone.

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