Crown Prince Cookie

Crown Prince Cookie

With muesli and spices

There is no such thing as a healthy cookie, but this recipe gets closer than most to having less of the good stuff we aren’t supposed to have, but with all of the flavour.
With carrot cake and flapjack vibes, muesli brings a dried fruit chew and nutty crunch along with more texture than most cookies could dream of. Spices enhance the sweet found in ingredients rather than being sweet themselves, especially cinnamon. Be generous.

Makes 12 cookies
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:
130g squash
150g muesli
100g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp mixed spice
A pinch of salt
A few grounds of black pepper
¼ grated nutmeg
75g butter
60g soft brown sugar
60g caster sugar
1 egg
Preheat the oven to 170°C


1. Peel and deseed the squash then finely grate before mixing with a small pinch of salt and leaving to one side.

2. Beat the butter and sugars together until uniform in colour and texture, then beat in the egg.

3. Give the squash a good blot with a towel to soak up any excess moisture that may have been drawn out by the salt.

4. Mix the squash with the muesli, flour and spices, then beat in the wet ingredients. Leave to stand for 10 minutes or longer in the fridge if you wish.

5. Make 40g balls, slightly flatten and bake on a tray lined with parchment in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.

6. Cool and enjoy.

Serve with a pot of tea and some sunshine.

Chef Notes:
1. The longer the mixture sits, the more the flour and oats will absorb the moisture, giving a softer cookie.
2. The spices are personal preference. Ground ginger is also delicious as is cinnamon for a more classic flavour.