It’s that time of year again and before everyone starts bombarding each other with their favourite hot cross bun recipes, we’d like to make a suggestion. Let’s do things a little differently this year. Instead of jumping on the hot cross bun bandwagon, let’s make some hot cross bun inspired cookies instead!

Now that’s got your attention, hasn’t it? What could be better than the smell of freshly baked Easter cookies wafting through the house and the melt-in-mouth flavours as you bite into one of those cookies, followed by a glug of strong coffee, tea, or creamy hot chocolate? This is the stuff Easter dreams are made of. Well, that and epic Easter egg hunts that is!

Now that the idea has been conceived, we can’t leave you hanging, can we? Without much further ado, let’s get elbows deep into one of the most fun Easter biscuits recipes we have ever tried!

 

Easter cookies

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoFAW2SJM98

 

How to make chewy hot cross bun Easter cookies

Most people aren’t aware that there are Easter biscuits recipes out there that celebrate Easter-esque hot cross bun flavours. If you weren’t in the know before, now you are!

Top tip: these cookies make for the perfect Easter gift. They’re even quick and easy for the kids to make.

Below is a recipe we chose based on simplicity, flavour, and fun! Try it out; you won’t be disappointed.

 

What you need for the cookies:

• 1 and ¼ cups whole wheat flour (spelt flour can also be used)
• 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed
• ½ cup of coconut sugar (you can substitute with brown sugar too)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 tablespoons of orange juice (squeeze juice from a fresh orange)
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts (this is optional but highly recommended)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 5 tablespoons of coconut oil (or another mild flavoured oil)
• ½ cup of soya or nut milk

 

What you need for the crosses:

• 1 tablespoon of aquafaba (liquid from a tin of chickpeas – alternatively use 1 egg)
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

What to do:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
• While the oven heats up, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with Spray & Cook.
• Place all the dry cookie ingredients into a bowl, including the nuts and raisins.
• Add the oil and milk to the dry ingredients and mix well to create thick cookie dough. Ensure that all the dry flour is scraped into the mixture and thoroughly wet through.
• Using a spoon, place dollops of the cookie dough onto the baking sheet and flatten each dollop with the back of a fork. Try to ensure that all the cookies are a similar thickness (makes baking time easier to calculate).
• Place the baking tray into the oven and bake for around 15 minutes. The cookies are ready when the edges are starting to harden but the rest of the cookies are slightly soft when pressing your finger into them. Don’t worry that they won’t set. The cookies will harden on standing.
• Leave the cookies to cool on the baking tray. You can only do the frosting when the cookies are cooled right through.

 

To make the frosting:

• In a small bowl, whisk the aquafaba (or egg white) until it starts to turn into thick foam.
• Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the squafaba foam and stir a few times before whisking some more. Stirring it first ensures that dry powder doesn’t fly everywhere when you start whisking.
• Use a piping bag to mark each cookie with a hot cross bun cross. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can put the frosting into a sandwich bag and snip the corner off. It works just as well.

 

What about a hot drink with your easter cookies?

If you are looking to enhance the hot cross bun flavours of your Easter cookies, a thick and creamy hot chocolate drink is just the thing. We’ve selected and included this add-on recipe, as this drink really pairs well with the cookies. They are also a great way to put any leftover Easter eggs to good use (if any manage to survive that is).

 

What you need:

• 2 cups of almond milk
• 2 cups of coconut cream
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 200g of dark chocolate (or any leftover Easter eggs you can round up – even the marshmallow ones work great)

 

What to do:

• In a saucepan, combine the almond milk, coconut cream, and vanilla extract over medium heat.  Stir continuously for around 5 minutes – everything should be melted and well combined by then.
• Add the chocolate and ½ a teaspoon of salt to the saucepan and cook for a further 2 minutes, until the added chocolate is smooth and creamy.

Serve the chewy hot cross bun cookies with this hot chocolate drink for a yummy treat. Remember to encourage everyone to dunk their cookies!

 

Expat services worth celebrating this Easter

When it comes to excellent customer services and attention to detail, FinGlobal comes out tops. Our team of dedicated financial consultants have 10 years of experience to lean on and a passion for helping people. Whether you need help with your financial emigration, tax emigration, or gaining access to your retirement annuity funds or foreign currency, we’re here to help. You will find that we already have a sterling reputation for providing thousands of South African expats the world over with premier financial and tax emigration advice. Whether you have already left South Africa or are planning to leave in the near future, the team at FinGlobal can assist with streamlining the financial aspects of your move. Get in touch with us to discuss your needs and options.