Thrifty Christmas Present ideas #2 – Homemade Banana Cinnamon Cookies

Posted by Helia on Dec 2, 2011 in Food | 5 comments

Here’s a quick foodie gift tip if you know someone with a sweet tooth… these cookies will keep for up to two months (if they aren’t snaffled immediately, of course!

Banana Cinnamon Cookies

Ingredients:

• 120g of melted coconut oil (you can use room temperature butter if you prefer)
• 250g organic plain white flour
• 200g golden cane sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 3 small mashed bananas
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Half a teaspoon of nutmeg

To decorate and pack:

• Decorative coloured icing (you can buy these from the supermarket in little tubes, ready to ice)
• A box to deliver them in (I like a nice plain cardboard box for minimalist effect)
• Greaseproof paper
• Ribbon

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (Gas Mark 4), and get a baking tray ready and lined with greaseproof paper.
2. Mash up your bananas in a bowl, then add the baking soda. Leave while you’re preparing the other ingredients.
3. Mix together your coconut oil and the sugar. I prefer to use coconut oil as it adds a little sweetness to the cookies, but you can use butter if you prefer.
4. Add the vanilla and egg; continue to mix until everything has combined together nicely.
5. Mix the bananas into the coconut oil and sugar.
6. In a separate bowl, add together the dry ingredients (the flour, pinch of salt and cinnamon and nutmeg). Combine this into your wet mixture until everything is folded together (don’t over mix).
7. Spoon the mixture onto your baking tray. Don’t worry about getting shapes perfect – part of the fun is in the homemade look of your cookies!
8. Place them in the oven and bake for approximately 12 minutes. Take them out and leave to cool on a wire rack.</li
9. Once the cookies are cool, you can decorate your cookies! Use festive motives, like snowflakes, trees or stars.
10. Once they’re all ready, line your box with greaseproof paper and place your cookies inside. Tie your ribbon around the outside, and voila!

A Christmas treat that’s good enough to eat. Make sure to keep them upright, and enjoy.