If you’re like me, sitting down with a cup of tea usually goes hand in hand with enjoying a biscuit or slice. But if you’re trying to cut back on sugar, finding something sweet that’s good for you can be tricky (because let’s face it, sometimes a piece of fruit or a handful of dried apricots won’t cut it). Enter, the healthy morning tea biscuit. They’re packed with healthy, wholesome ingredients, yet still taste sweet and comforting thanks to the addition of cinnamon, dates and maple syrup. This recipe makes a fairly large batch, but they will store well in the fridge so you can enjoy them over the week.

Makes 16 – 18

Ingredients

• 50g flaked almonds
• 75g medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
• 1/2 Braeburn apple, quartered, cored and roughly chopped
• 100g rolled oats
• 75g wholemeal flour (or wholemeal spelt flour)
• 50g unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 4 tbsp mixed seeds (such as pumpkin, sunflower or sesame)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• 100g coconut oil (or 50g coconut oil and 50g sunflower oil)
• 100g maple syrup (or agave, coconut or date syrup)
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 3 tsp sesame seeds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170C/150C fan-forced. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.
2. Blend flaked almonds in a food processor until finely chopped and gritty in texture. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
3. Blend dates and apple until finely chopped, then add to the almonds along with the oats, flour, desiccated coconut, mixed seeds, cinnamon and salt. Mix to combine.
4. Melt coconut oil and mix with the syrup and tahini. Add to the mixing bowl and thoroughly combine with the rest of the mixture. Using your hands, roll the mixture into 16–18 balls, each weighing roughly 40g/1½oz. Arrange on the two prepared baking sheets. Flatten each ball into a neat disc, scatter with sesame seeds and bake for about 14 minutes, or until firm and just starting to brown at the edges.
5. Leave to cool on the baking sheets. Once cold, store in an airtight box in layers, with baking paper between each layer.