10 Day Durga Puja and Navratri Sweets Special: Healthy Cookies

Kicking off Navratri festivities with healthy snacky dessert recipes, we mean cookies, this is just the beginning of the mithai and desserts for the festive seasons. We have a huge selection of Navratri Sweets and we admit these aren’t suitable but consider them for the calorie-conscious or for the days when you feel like you’re on a sugar high and could use a break. You can make all these cookies ahead, store them in an airtight container, and munch them on through the 10-day Durga Puja and Navratri celebrations.

1. Gluten-free choco-nutty cookies

(Makes 12 cookies)

Ingredients

- 2 eggs

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- 240 gm unsalted almond butter

- 60 gm almond flour

- ½ tsp salt

- 200 gm coconut sugar

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 60 gm chopped walnuts

- 45 gm rolled oats

- 85 gm Cadbury Bournville Dark Chocolate

- Flaky sea salt, to sprinkle (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, use a large spoon to beat together the eggs, vanilla, and almond butter until combined.
3. Stir in the almond flour, salt, coconut sugar, and baking soda until smooth.
4. Add the walnuts, oats, and chocolate chips. Work the dough to distribute everything evenly. The dough will be thick, which is normal.
5. Scoop the dough into rounded teaspoonfuls and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet.
6. If using, sprinkle the cookies with the flaky salt.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until edges turn golden brown.
8. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately lift the side of the baking sheet up a few inches, then gently let it drop down against the counter to set the edges.
9. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. While these cookies are best on the first day, they'll keep uncovered at room temperature for two to three days.

2. Banana Dry Fruit Cookies

(Makes 12 cookies)

Ingredients

- 170 gm instant oats or rolled oats

- ½ tsp salt

- 1 tsp ground cinnamon

- 250 gm creamy peanut butter

- 60 ml pure maple syrup or honey

- 60 gm apple butter or applesauce

- 115 gm mashed banana (1 banana)

- 75 gm dried cranberries

- 70 gm pumpkin seeds

- 75 gm raisins

- Optional: 30 gm ground flaxseed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Take a big bowl attached to a stand mixer, or use a hand mixer and mix all the ingredients.
3. Mix until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined. The dough will turn thick and heavy.
4. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, portion 1/4 cup or 70 gm mounds of cookie dough and place on the prepared cookie sheets.
5. Use the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each mound into a cookie. These cookies will not spread in the oven so place them however you like.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.
7. Remove from the oven and cool cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Cover leftover cookies and store at room temperature for up to five days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

(Makes 18 cookies)

Ingredients

- 2 eggs, room temperature

- 135 gm light brown sugar

- 250 gm creamy peanut butter

- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled

- ½ tsp vanilla extract

- 25 gm Cadbury Cocoa Powder

- 1 tsp baking soda

- ¼ tsp fine salt

- 130 gm semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a large cookie sheet with raised edges, with parchment paper.
2. Take a big mixing bowl, and whisk eggs and brown sugar until combined well. Add peanut butter, coconut oil, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
3. Add cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix until combined. The batter should be thick. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Scoop the dough into heaping 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons and roll into balls. Then arrange each ball two inches apart on the cookie sheet.
5. Bake for around seven to eight minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still look soft.
6. Take out the cookie sheet from the oven and put it on a wire rack or towel on the counter.
7. Lift the cookie sheet and let it drop against the counter or the wire rack one to two times, which will help the cookies spread slightly.
8. Set aside and let the cookies cool for five minutes on the cookie sheet.
9. Then put the cookies on the wire rack to cool completely.
10. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, baking, dropping, and cooling until all of the cookie dough is used up.

Note: The cookies will keep well for five days in an airtight container. As for the extra cookie dough, you can store in the fridge for not more than two days.