We are about to start building a deck in our backyard that flows off the kitchen and will be the hub of many happy memories, watermelon stains and impromptu barbecue dinners come summer. But before we begin, we have to dig up all flora which is potentially in the way of the construction and which we can't bear to lose. To be precise, that would be three big rosemary bushes. Over nine years after taking the first set of cuttings from a rosemary plant I bought at the local market, I now have eight massive thriving bushes.
My most favourite way of using this fragrant herb is to make big batches of my absolute favourite rosemary cookies. These are probably the only cookies I will eat. I love them so much, they even feature in my book. But it was time to update them. If they are the only cookies I eat, it was time to expand my cookie eating repertoire. On a recent solo trip to IKEA to pick up a kitchen island (which was a B*!## to load in the boot of my car) I had a little coffee break and munched on a dear little cookie studded with walnuts and dates. After two failed attempts in the coming weeks, I managed to create a healthy cookie recipe that will no doubt become my go to cookie for the next few years until it is time to update again. This cookie is amped with chia goodness and is refined sugar free. It is extremely more-ish but with all the goodness in it, why should you stop at one?
Recipe
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DATE WALNUT CHIA AND ROSEMARY COOKIES
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups wholewheat flour
- 1/4 cup almond meal
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup dates, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup macadamia oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180C (convection). Line a cookie tray with baking paper.
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon. Using the palm of your hands, shape dough into 1cm thick and 5cm round cookies. Place on prepared tray leaving a space of of at least 3cm between the cookies. these don't expand and spread, but still!
- Place the tray on the middle rack in your oven and bake for approximately 18-20 minutes until cookies are golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the tray. these are crumbly but harden as they cool
- Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Substitute whole wheat flour for gluten free flour. To make these vegan, substitute the egg for - 1/4 cup apple sauce and reduce maple syrup to 1 tablespoon OR 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons water OR 1 tablespoon of macadamia oil and 1 tablespoon of water
This looks great. I am going to have to make them. Thanks for all the great content.
Hi Sneh!
Made these cookies for the second time today, me and my family love them! Just one question: do you think they could be made less crumbly by adding an egg or something else?
Thank you!
Love the cookies, very creative. I have just got my head around baking the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Now I am motivated to try more.
I once tried to grow herbs on my balcony, forgetting the fact that I don't have a green thumb at all. Unsurprisingly, they all died within three months...all except the rosemary. It's such a hardy little herb, I'm not surprised that you have such big rosemary bushes now!
I don't usually comment on food blogs, but these cookies are too great not to praise. Hearty, dense, & just sweet enough...I look forward to these with my morning coffee 🙂 Thank you for giving me a new food obsession!
Yum! These were absolutely scrumptious. Ran out of dates so I used figs and almonds. So satisfying, and this rosemary thing really grows on you...
YUM. these look divine! love how relatively guilt-free they are also! thanks for sharing another great recipe Sneh!
My very favorite cookies ever are spiced rosemary chocolate chip cookies, so I need to make these ASAP! I'm loving the healthy twist!
Yum! I also grew our rosemary bush from a cutting, I think everyone did, it makes me wonder where the first bush came from. These sound wonderful!
Hello Sneh, I have just taken a batch of these out of the oven and they are delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I do not normally cook this sort of thing...my baking tends to be more traditional (unhealthy!) but recently I have decided I need to embrace a little more healthy baking. I used our own home pressed olive oil in place of the macadamia oil. I will be making these again x
Ok, wow, no butter! These sound wild. Love the unusual flavours. Can't wait to bite into one or two, three....
Wow, definately have to try this soon! Looks soooooo delicious!!!
Oooh I am always on the lookout for healthy cookie recipes. I find them to be the perfect snack and good to prepare and take to work. Love the photos too 🙂
Yummy! Love that it's made with whole wheat flour. I can totally relate to Ikea woes!
I saw this in my rss and couldn't click over fast enough! I'm so excited to make these. It is so hard to make a tasty healthy cookie. They usually fall flat in flavor, but I love the added rosemary in this. I bet it adds so much! Pinning right now!
I can not believe you are taking your own deck reno! You are so brave and handy.
These cookies are prefect for my weekend bake, I have all the ingredient on hand and I need to use them now. They look delicious!
Healthy and delicious! These cookies are very original.
Cheers,
Rosa
What divine little cookies Sneh! I love rosemary too. I'll definitely have to try these. Good luck with the deck building. Sounds like you will have a fabulous entertaining space come summer.
Thanks Jen!! x
Hello Sneh
thanks for this great recipe.. immediately i thought.. must print out this recipe and make a batch (and take them with).. on our tour to S E Asia.. I'm certain they'll travel well?.. if I pack them into a good light sealed container, in my main luggage.. the girls would love them en route to Ha Long Bay.. or on our train journey to Sa Pa.. what do you think?.. would this plan work?.. Brisbane to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.. ? thanks heaps.. regards j
Hi Jean! Sounds like one fab trip 🙂 Yes, these would travel well. I have made these for friends to travel interstate and a blogger friend to carry overseas (although she finished them all before leaving the country lol). I have also made these and taken on road trip holidays and they are quite sturdy. They also stay crisp for a long time. Only thing I do is when I want them to last longer on trips, I substitute the egg. My favourite substitution is the oil and water mix (see my notes). x