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Louise Thomas
Editor
“If you’re a fan of soft cookies, peanut butter and cuteness, then these are for you,” says Bake Off’s Kim-Joy, whose new cookbook is called Bake Joy.
“These are great to have around for a nibble on alongside a warm drink, or package them up as a gift for your loved ones.”
Peanut butter and oat bear cookies
Makes: around 10 chunky cookies
Ingredients:
110g salted butter, at room temperature, cubed
120g peanut butter
170g light brown sugar
1 medium egg
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
130g traditional chunky oats
100g plain flour (or use a gluten-free flour blend with a pinch of xanthan gum to make gluten-free)
1 square of dark chocolate, to decorate
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190C fan. Line a large baking sheet (or two smaller ones) with baking paper.
2. Cream together the butter, peanut butter and light brown sugar until smooth.
3. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until combined.
4. Add the oats and flour (or flour plus xanthan gum), and mix until there are no more visible bits of dry flour or oats. Avoid over-mixing! It should come together as a thick dough that will feel sticky, but isn’t difficult to shape as long as you focus on using the palms of your hands to shape/press.
5. Shape the bears by pinching off a golf-ball-sized piece (about 50g) and rolling it between the palms of your hands until smooth and round. Place on the prepared baking sheet and press down with your palm to flatten slightly. Add smaller round balls for the ears (no need to flatten these), and add an oval-shaped piece for the nose. Repeat to use up all the dough. Make sure you leave a generous space (around the size of half a cookie) between each cookie, as they spread when baking.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops have cracked and the edges have browned slightly.
7. Leave to cool on the baking sheet for around 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
8. To decorate, place a square of dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in five to 10-second bursts, stirring well after each burst. Once melted, use a chopstick or paintbrush, or any similar-shaped tool, to dip into the chocolate and use to add the eye and nose details.
‘Bake Joy: Easy And Imaginative Bakes To Bring You Happiness’ by Kim-Joy (Quadrille, £16.99, available 29 August 29).
