December 4 is celebrated as International Cookie Day and that is all the excuse we need to welcome the new month with everything that has to do with cookies – baking them and eating them! Nutritious, yummy and easy to make, cookies conjure childhood memories and are always a treat but at this time of the year they can take on a deeper meaning.
Whether it is after a long day of work, a fight with your loved one or on a cheat day, cookies will always be our go-to comfort food for every mood and this recipe of Cocoa Crusted Tropical Cookies is just the healthy sweet treat we were looking for. Check out its recipe below and thank us later.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup castor sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons mango pulp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1& 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1& 1/2 cup quick-cooking/regular rolled oats
1/4 cup candied mango chopped
Candy coated chocolate eggs (optional)
Method:
Preheat the oven at 175°C. Beat butter, castor sugar, mango pulp, brown sugar, vanilla extract in large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended.
Stir in coconut, candied mango and oats; drop by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet (you can dust flour on baking sheet). Bake for 8-10 minutes into preheated oven. Cool slightly; press chocolate egg onto the center of each cookie, if desired.
Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. If you wish to add eggs, then add 2 eggs by replacing baking powder.
(Recipe: Chef Ranveer Brar, Hershey India)
Benefits:
Unless consumed excessively, there are no side effects of eating mangoes which are high in vitamin C, helps cleanse skin from deep inside, treat pores and gives a glow to the skin. Their Vitamin C content helps to produce skin protein – collagen.
The fruit is essential in making hair healthy courtesy its vitamin A and keratin content that encourages hair growth and health, helps protect cells from harmful radicals owing to its several antioxidants, helps in reducing facial wrinkles and avoiding loose skin and is also rich in nutrients like Vitamin K, potassium and magnesium.
Cocoa has the capacity to stimulate the brain to release endorphins that helps elevate one’s mood. The unsweetened cacao powder is a source of magnesium and other minerals and lacks the high-calorie cocoa butter or sugars found in garden-variety chocolate.
Oats don't contain any gluten instead, have more protein and fiber than regular flour. Apart from being rich in antioxidants and being incredibly nutritious, oats can improve blood sugar control, can lower cholesterol levels and protects LDL Cholesterol from damage.
Its soluble fiber beta-glucan aids in digestion, keeps the stomach satiated, keeps hunger pangs at bay while keeping one full. Hence, they are suitable for weight loss.
