Soft-baked Peanut Butter Raspberry Cookies

I was so excited when I found raspberries for less than $7.99 a punnet at the shops yesterday ($10 for 3 punnets at Green Bay Vege woop!)

They have got to be one of my favourite berries - as well as being supremely tasty, they boast a bunch of health benefits. They are high in antioxidants and have a high concentration of ellagic acid - a compound known for preventing cancer.

They are rich in vitamins and have anti-inflammatory benefits as well.

I combined one of my favourite flavour combos - peanut butter and jam/jelly to make a gluten-free, dairy free cookie that is low in sugar.

Ingredients:

2 Tblspns Softened (but not melted) Coconut Oil

3 Tblspns Pure Maple Syrup

1 Free Range Egg

1 Tspn Vanilla Essence

1 1/2 Cups Almond Meal

1/2 Cup PB2 (Powdered Peanut Butter)

1/2 Tspn Baking Soda

1/4 Tspn Pink Salt

10-12 Raspberries

50 gm Dark Chocolate (broken into chunks). I used Whittakers 72% Dark Ghana

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius, bake. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Whisk together the coconut oil and maple syrup in a large bowl until well combined - give it a minute or two.

Add the egg and vanilla, then whisk until all combined.

Add the almond meal, pb2, baking soda and salt (if you do not have PB2, you can just add 2 cups of almond meal instead of 1 1/2). Fold together until a dough forms.

Add the raspberries and dark chocolate (I broke my chocolate up with a mortar and pestle).

Roll dough into balls (approx 1 tablespoon in size), and space evenly on the baking paper.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown.

If you can, allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

These cookies last up to 5 days stored in the refrigerator.