Almond, Oats & Ragi Chewy Cookies

Calorie per cookie – Approx 80 calories

 These tea time cookies are a combination of three extremely healthy ingredients – almonds, oats and finger millet also known as ragi.

Almonds are packed with antioxidants, they are high in Vitamin E and extremely beneficial in controlling blood sugars, which makes them much quite sort after. Oats being an excellent source of soluble fiber are a good inclusion in this recipe.Ragi too has a wide range of nutrients.  Being high in calcium, this millet is ideal to include in the diet of growing children.

This cookie recipe is made without the use of any refined sugar and it has a nice chewy texture.  The packaged biscuits available in the markets are loaded with refined  sugars and preservatives and this cookie can be a healthy replacement.

Almond, Oats & Ragi Chewy Cookies

 Ingredients:

• 75 gm Ragi flour
• 50 gm Powdered jaggery
• 50 gm Oats
• 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
• ¼ cup roasted almonds chopped finely
• 75 gm Butter (at room temperature)
• Baking soda a pinch
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• Sugar-free Dark Chocolate chunks (optional)

Method:

• Start by dry roasting the ragi flour in a thick bottom pan for 2-3 minutes. This gives the cookies a nice nutty flavour.
• Coarsely grind the oats in a dry mixer.
• Mix both the flour and add the baking soda.
• In a mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar till the mixture becomes pale and fluffy.
• To this add the vanilla extract and mix it thoroughly.
• Fold in the dry flour mixture and chopped almonds into the butter-jaggery and mix. You can also add some dark chocolate chunks (optional)
• Assemble everything into a dough (do not knead hard) and refrigerate the mixture for atleast half an hour.
• Now, preheat the oven at around 160-170 degree Celsius for ten minutes.
• Line a baking tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Make small lemon sized dough and flatten it slightly in your palm.
• Arrange these cookies on the baking tray leaving some gap between two cookies.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes or till the cookies appear slightly firm to touch.
• Remove the tray and allow the cookies to cool in the tray for 4-5 minutes.
• Now transfer them gently on to a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Store in airtight containers and enjoy them with your evening tea or with a glass of milk.