Foodie Friday: Pear & Pecan Spelt Cookies (Vegan / Dairy-Free recipe)

Make the most of the last of the season's juicy conference pears with this deliciously healthy Pear & Pecan Spelt Cookie recipe, and it's perfect for those that are taking part in Veganuary!

There's been a bag of organic Spelt Flour sitting in my cupboard since before Christmas, and I finally decided to pull it out and use it when I spotted this recipe in an old copy of Healthy magazine. Spelt is one of those ancient grains that has regained popularity over the past few years and is now readily available in most supermarkets. I've always wanted to try baking something with it and this cookie recipe sounded like an ideal way to try it out for the first time. 

You can often substitute Wholemeal Flour for Spelt Flour on a 1-1 ratio, as Spelt Flour has similar characteristics, but a much nicer taste in my opinion. It's much sweeter than Wholemeal and has a subtle nuttiness that lends itself particularly well to biscuit and cookie recipes like these. This recipe is suitable for vegans and also free from refined sugar, but it still contains gluten as Spelt Flour isn't gluten-free (this seems to be a common misconception). 

These cookies are wonderfully filling and feel like a little healthy treat that you can enjoy as a quick breakfast-on-the-go, or why not pack one in your lunchbox to beat the afternoon slump!

Ingredients:

(makes 8-12 cookies)

• 1 ripe Pear, peeled & cored
• 100g Wholemeal Spelt Flour
• 50g Rolled Oats
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
• 50g Pecan Nuts, roughly chopped
• 60ml Maple Syrup
• 60ml Coconut Oil
• Vegan Chocolate Sauce optional to drizzle - (I used Sweet Freedom Choc Shot Liquid Chocolate)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4. Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
• Peel and core the Pear, then grate into a bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. 
• Spoon small dollops of the mix onto the baking sheets, flatten lightly with the back of the spoon and bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden.
• Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
• Once cooled completely, drizzle over a little Vegan Chocolate Sauce if desired. 

Storage: These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy!

Have you tried baking with Spelt Flour?

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