Hazelnut and cherry carob cookies - vegan and wheat free {Christmas ideas 2013}

At the risk of sounding patronising, I always feel a little sorry for people who don't like carob. It's one of those flavours that I find so wonderful, and so satisfying, that it's hard to believe other people don't feel the same way.

(Oh, I know. You probably think the same about me and cheese, or plain avocado, or any number of foods I inexplicably Just Don't Like.)

I attribute my carob love to my mother. When my brother and I were young, she favoured it over chocolate as a lower sugar and - crucially - caffeine-free treat that was less likely to spark over-excitement in our young selves. Having acquired the taste as a child, I've retained it through to adulthood.

If you share my carob love, I think you'll share my love for these biscuits, or cookies to Americans. They have warm caramel hues, the carob pairs beautifully with the dried cherries, and they are crisp on the outside and chewy within. To top things off, hazelnut nibs are scattered throughout for texture and flavour contrast.

Crucially, if you don't like carob, you can love these too! I believe these could be the biscuits to sway your carob dislike, but if you aren't willing to take the risk, they would also be gorgeous with cocoa.

Make them as gifts, serve them up to guests, or just make them for yourself - whatever way you use them, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Hazelnut and cherry carob cookies

These are the epitome of carob delight, but you can substitute in cocoa if preferred.

Vegan and wheat free; easily gluten free if you use gluten free oats.
Recipe borne of imagination.
Makes about 16 biscuits.

Food processor desirable, but modifications are noted to allow these to be made without one.

Print recipe

Ingredients

Hazelnut paste made from 1/2 cup hazelnuts and 1/8 cup water (see directions below and note)

Dry ingredients -
1 1/2 cups oat flour (process 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp oats in a food processor, or buy commercial oat flour)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup carob powder
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt

Wet ingredients -
1 tbsp chia seeds soaked in 1/2 cup water for at least 15 minutes
1/3 cup agave (or maple syrup)

Mix ins -
1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped (process briefly in a food processor, or chop by hand, or buy pre-chopped)
1/2 cup dried unsweetened cherries, roughly chopped

Method
Preheat your oven to 180'C (355'F) and line 3 baking trays with baking paper.

To make the hazelnut paste: Process 1/2 cup whole hazelnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Add 1/8 cup water gradually while the food processor is running, and allow the mixture to come together in a sticky paste. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. The resulting paste will still be fairly thick, about the consistency of thick porridge.

If you don't have a food processor, mix 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp hazelnut meal with 1/8 cup water and stir into a finer paste.

If you make your own nut milk, 1/2 cup hazelnut pulp left over from making hazelnut milk should also stand in here.

Hazelnut paste.

Combine the dry ingredients (oat flour, oats, carob powder, coconut, baking soda, baking powder and salt) in a large bowl. 

Add the chia seeds soaked in water, agave, and hazelnut paste to the dry ingredients. Mix well to combine. The batter should be quite moist.

Add the cherries and chopped hazelnuts to the mix and stir through.

Place heaped dessertspoons of mixture onto the prepared baking pans, and then bake the biscuits for 10 - 12 minute until crisp on the top. Allow to cool before serving.

Extra notes
I used hazelnut paste made from nuts and water in the food processor. There are likely to be subtle texture differences if you use one of the suggested variations, so add more liquid or more flour if your batter seems too dry.

I imagine other flours (plain flour, commercial gluten-free flour, spelt flour) could substitute well for the oat flour, but I haven't tried that so can't assure good outcomes.

Lastly, I imagine these would also be wonderful with carob or chocolate chips thrown in!

Submitted to Ricki's Wellness Weekends.

Are you a carob fan? How about dried cherries? I love both but find dried cherries are often too expensive for regular baking (they're justifiable at Christmas!).

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