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Spicy Oat & Cranberry Biscuits

Don’t shun biscuits as “should not have” treats! Biscuits are not only tempting – they can play a part to provide essential daily nutrients and fibre. These biscuits can occasionally stand in to replace breakfast cereal and make ideal snacks for travelling!

1½ cups (375 ml) rolled oats
1 cup (250 ml) wholemeal flour
¾ cup (175 ml) cranberries, snipped in half
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
¼ tsp (1 ml) each, ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves
½ tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
125 g (1/2 cup) butter, slightly softened
1/3 cup (75 ml) white sugar
1/3 cup (75 ml) brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla essence

  1. Place dry ingredients, up to salt in a bowl and stir to combine.
  2. Place the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and cream well. Add egg and vanilla and beat again. Add dry ingredients and mix (by hand works well!) until a stiff dough is formed.
  3. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, knead gently and shape into roll about 30 cm in length. Wrap the roll in cling wrap and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180 ºC and line a medium size baking tray with baking paper.
  5. Slice the roll with a sharp knife into 1 cm slices and place slightly apart onto the baking tray.
  6. Bake 15 – 18 minutes or until the biscuits are firm and lightly browned.
  7. Cool on the baking tray for a few minutes and place on a cooling rack.
  8. Store in airtight containers.
Yields ± 30 biscuits.
 
Notes
– To resemble granola, add ¼ cup (60 ml) coarsely chopped walnuts or mixed nuts to the dough.
– Replace the cranberries with coarsely chopped raisins or sultanas or crystallized ginger.
– The biscuits are just sweet enough to be pleasing, but for those who prefer to use even less sugar, reduce both the white and brown sugar to about ¼ cup (60 ml).
 
Recipe by Carolié de Koster.