Did you ever watch Sesame Street when you were little? Well I hope so, because if you didn’t then this little blurb is going to be lost on you, so feel free to skip down to the ingredients if you like. Back to the Street – I often feel like as an adult, I morph between Sesame Street’s characters on a daily basis like nobody’s business; some days I’m a happy-go-lucky Elmo, other days (particularly at certain times of the month) I will admit to having my Oscar the Grouch moments, and then there are the times when I turn into the Cookie Monster, and there’s only one thing that will satisfy my cravings. 

You see, nothing beats a good cookie. It’s got to be slightly crunchy on the outside, but gooey in the middle, not too thick or not too thin, and preferably there really needs to be some kind of chocolate involved too. It should be chewy, not too crumbly, and at the same time not too soft.

But I think I’ve cracked it. These cookies are all of the above, and they’re perfect for those Cookie Monster days; even if you feel so “me want cookie” that you end up eating the whole lot, they’re pretty darn healthy so there’s no need to worry. They’re a great source of protein due to the chickpeas, and the oats and peanut butter are great for boosting your energy levels. What’s more, the cacao nibs not only give that lovely chocolate chip texture but are also a great source of antioxidants. How’s that for a super cookie?

According to Wikipedia, our friend the Cookie Monster’s favourite type of cookies are chocolate chip, and his second favourite type is oatmeal, so he’d totally go nuts for these. Wikipedia does also state however that before he tried his first cookie he believes his name was Sid, so perhaps you can’t believe everything you read!

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 4 tbsp cacao nibs

For the chocolate coating

• 1/2 cup cacao butter
• 3 tbsp cacao powder
• 3 tbsp maple syrup

Place the chickpeas, peanut butter, oats and maple syrup in a food processor, and blend until smooth. For an even smoother mixture, you can shell the chickpeas beforehand, just rub each one in between your fingers and their little jackets will pop off. It’s a bit of a labour of love though, so if you’re pushed for time or you simply can’t be bothered then don’t worry, the cookies will taste just as good! Pop the mixture in a bowl and stir in the cacao nibs.

Shape the cookie mixture into discs and place them on a line baking tray. Bake at 180 degrees for around 15-20 minutes, until they start to look lovely and golden on top. They will still be quite soft but don’t worry as they will harden as they cool down. Place them in the freezer for around half an hour to cool while you make the raw chocolate.

In a saucepan, melt the cacao butter on a low heat, then stir in the cacao powder and the maple syrup. One by one, dip the cookies in the melted chocolate on one side. Once you’ve dipped them all, start again from the beginning (the more layers the better as the chocolate will be thicker).

Store them in the fridge ready for your next Cookie Monster moment!

Love, Mrs H xx