Cherry & Ginger Amaranth Oat Cookies

Yields 30

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, cubed and softened
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon dark molasses
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups whole rolled oats
  • 1 cup puffed amaranth grains
  • 1 cup dried sour cherries
  • ½ cup crystallised ginger, roughly chopped

Method

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth. Add both the sugars and beat on medium-high speed until creamed
  2. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine
  3. While the butter and sugars are creaming, Whisk the flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt together in a separate medium bowl. Set aside until needed
  4. Once the butter and sugars have been creamed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.
  5. Once fully combined, fold in the oats, dried cherries and crystalised ginger. Your dough should be quite thick and sticky. Cover and chill the dough for at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
  7. Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough, about 3 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and place well apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 13-14 minutes or golden brown. The edges will appear slightly darker than the centre of the cookie
  8. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely

Quick Individual Cherry Cobbler

So I’m a sucker for cravings. Once I get something in my mind that’s it- I won’t rest until I’ve tasted it. That was that was the case with this cherry cobbler. Sure it’s a cheat’s version- using canned pin filling. But I craved it and the quicker I got it the better. Also lets face it- using canned filling cuts down on the stove-time involved in the making off this. If you feel so inclined, go right ahead with your favorite mix of cherries that you might use for your fillings. I’m definitely not one to dictate how you should run your kitchen.

The topping here is an adaption of a regular biscuit dough that I use to biscuit top stews and casseroles. Here I’ve slightly upped the sugar for a sweeter finish, adding in some cinnamon and oats for a more rustic dessert finish.

I love the flavor combination of cherries and almonds, thinking that it’s one of the best out there. Food trivia moment- both are linked by the compound Benzaldehyde, which is the second most popular flavor and fragrance after vanillin. Baking- educational too! (Darn! now I’m thinking I need to make a Cherry Bakewell…curse you infernal cravings!

With the use of pie filling these are so quick and easy that even making them in the current warmer weather can be justified. Plus adding a scoop of your favorite ice cream on top even more so!

Makes 4

Ingredients

  • 1 can 540ml (20 oz) cherry pie filling
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 cup toasted, flaked almonds
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Jumbo rolled oats
  • 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 Tablespoon Turbinado sugar

Method

  1. Butter four 0.25L ramekins
  2. In a bowl mix the pie filling and the almond extract. Divide the pie filling equally among the ramekins
  3. Sprinkle the tops of the pie filling with the toasted almond flakes. Set them aside on a foil-lined baking sheet until later
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F
  5. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, ground cinnamon and salt. Whisk to combine
  6. Add the melted butter and milk, stirring just until moistened. The biscuit batter will be quite thick and lumpy. Drop batter by heaping scoopfuls onto the filling
  7. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the biscuit dough
  8. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until biscuits are browned and filling is hot and bubbly
  9. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!