Easy chocolate chip biscuits

This basic biscuit recipe can be used with a variety of flavours. I’ve gone with a simple chocolate chip, but you could adapt it to include nuts or fruit, or even your favourite sweet treat.

These can be made up to two days ahead and chilled or frozen for a month, or eaten fresh from the oven. They’re perfect with a cuppa, and an easy treat to whip up for when you have company.

Makes 25

Ingredients

• 250g butter, softened
• 350g light soft brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 350g self-raising flour
• 100g cocoa powder
• 200g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate chunks, or 400g for optional dipping (choose your favourite)

Method

1. Beat butter and sugar together with an optional pinch of sea salt in a bowl until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift over flour and cocoa powder and beat into the butter mix, then fold through chocolate chips.
2. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan-forced. If the mix is at room temperature, place evenly spaced spoonfuls on baking sheets lined with baking paper, allowing 2 tablespoons for each biscuit. If the mix is fridge cold, you can roll it into 40g balls before baking. The balls can be frozen and the biscuits baked from frozen, but they’ll need a few minutes more.
3. Bake for 12-15 minutes until spread out and crusty around the outside. Leave to cool slightly and enjoy warm, or leave to cool completely and eat cold. The biscuits will keep in a tin for three days.
4. If you’re looking for a fancy option, dip each baked biscuit in chocolate. To do this, melt your chosen type of chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave. Leave to cool slightly, then dip half of each baked biscuit in the chocolate and leave on trays lined with baking paper to cool and set. The chocolate-dipped biscuits will keep for up to three days in a tin or airtight container.