12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies (#3) - Oatmeal Cookies

For the third week of Chrismas Cookies baking, I decided to go with something very simple.
There are so many recipes for Oatmeal cookies, they certainly aren't a novelty, but they are at same time always welcome.
What makes these cookies different from all the others I've seen around, is that they're made without flour, only oats and almonds. This makes them soft and fluffy.
Also, most recipes combine raisins with oats, but since I really don't like raisins in baked stuff (I could eat a whole bag on their own, though), I added some chocolate chips to create a slight contrast.
I think they are just great in their simplicity and will go well with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk any day, but will also make a nice appearance on a Christmas tray.



Flourless Oatmeal Cookies


250 g (8.8 oz) quick cooking oats
50 g (1.75 oz) finely ground almonds
125 g (4.4 oz) sugar
125 g (4.4 oz) butter (softened)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 lemon (finely grated zest)
50 g (1.75 oz) chocolate chips

Put the oats, ground almonds, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, chocolate chips and the finely grated zest of a whole lemon in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
Rub in the softened butter with your finger tips, and then add the egg and the egg yolk, bring everything together making sure all ingredients are well combined.
Leave the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Take a TBspoon quantity of the dough and shape it into a small ball with slightly wet hands (because the dough is a bit sticky). Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and press them down with your fingers (they won't spread while baking so press them down to the desired thicknes).
Bake the cookies in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for about 20 minutes or until golden.
Let them rest a minute or two on the baking sheet and then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.


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Biscotti ai fiocchi d'avena


250 g di fiocchi d'avena
50 g di mandorle tritate fine
125 g di zucchero
125 g di burro ammorbidito
1 uovo
1 tuorlo
1 cucchiaino di cannella in polvere
un pizzico di sale
1 limone (scorza grattugiata)
50 g di gocce di cioccolato


Unite tutti gli ingredienti tranne il burro e le uova in una ciotola e mescolateli bene.
Aggiungete il burro morbido a tocchetti e strofinate con le mani per ottenere delle briciole grossolane. Unite l'uovo intero e il tuorlo, impastate bene con le mani fino a ottenere un composto compatto. Lasciatelo riposare in frigo 30 minuti.
Prelevate l'impasto con un cucchiaino e con le mani leggermente inumidite formate delle palline grandi come una noce. Ponetele su una teglia rivestita con la carta da forno e schiacciatele con le dita a uno spessore di circa 5 mm perché i biscotti non si allargano da soli in cottura.
Cuoceteli nel forno già caldo a 180°C per circa 20 minuti o non appena li vedete leggermente dorati.
Lasciateli raffreddare un minuto o due sulla teglia, poi spostateli su una griglia e lasciateli raffreddare completamente.

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Keksi sa zobenim pahuljicama


250 g zobenih pahuljica
50 g mljevenih badema
125 g šećera
125 g maslaca
1 jaje
1 žumanjak
1 žličica mljevenog cimeta
1/2 vrećice praška za pecivo
prstohvat soli
1 limun (naribana korica)
50 g čokoladnih kapljica (ili nasjeckane tamne čokolade)


Pomiješajte u zdjeli zobene pahuljice, mljevene bademe, šećer, cimet, sol, prašak za pecivo, čokoladne kapljice i naribanu koricu limuna.
Utrljajte u smjesu suhih sastojaka malo omekšali maslac, a zatim dodajte jaje i žumanjak i dobro izmijesite rukama da se sastojci povežu u kompaktnu smjesu.
Ostavite tijesto pokriveno u hladnjaku pola sata.
Zagrijte pećnicu na 180°C i obložite pleh papirom za pečenje.
Grabite tijesto žličicom i oblikujte kuglice veličine oraha (ako vam se lijepi za ruke, dovoljno je malo navlažiti ruke vodom). Stavljajte kuglice na pripremljeni pleh, pritisnite ih malo prstima ili žlicom da budu oko 1/2 cm debljine.
Pecite kekse u zagrijanoj pećnici oko 20 minuta odnosno čim vidite da su dobili zlatnu boju, možete ih izvaditi. Sačekajte 1-2 minute, a onda ih izvadite iz pleha i ostavite da se ohlade na rešetki.