Knobbly salted almond & chocolate chunk cookies | Good Food

Units:

75g flaked almonds
50g porridge oats
175g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt flakes
plus a sprinkling
125g salted butter
softened
175g light brown soft sugar
75g golden caster sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
75g almond butter
plus 1 tbsp
2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
(almond extract will result in a more pronounced almond flavour)
2 eggs
200g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
roughly chopped

Method

step 1
Toast the almonds in a large, dry frying pan over a low-medium heat for 3-4 mins, shaking the pan often until just golden and fragrant (watch closely, as they burn easily). Transfer to a bowl and gently crush using the end of a rolling pin – you want the pieces to be roughly the same size as the oats.
step 2
Toast the oats in the same pan for 2-3 mins until lightly golden – they should smell nutty. Tip into the bowl with the almonds and leave to cool. Stir in the flour, baking powder and sea salt flakes.
step 3
Put the butter, both sugars, the golden syrup, 1 tbsp almond butter and the vanilla in a large bowl. Beat using an electric whisk until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
step 4
Tip the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir until no pockets of flour remain. Fold through most of the chopped chocolate, reserving a small handful. Chill the dough for at least 1 hr, or until firm.
step 5
Scoop the dough into small satsuma-sized portions (about 80-85g each) and roll into balls. Arrange on a tray or plate. Use a teaspoon, melon baller or your thumb to press a small indent into the centre of each cookie, then fill the gaps with 1 tsp each of almond butter. Press over the reserved chocolate chunks and lightly sprinkle over some sea salt flakes. Freeze for at least 1 hr before baking – this helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much. Will keep frozen for up to three months. Bake from frozen as needed; you may need to add 1-2 mins to the baking time.
step 6
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Arrange the cookies on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, leaving plenty of space between them. Bake for 15 mins for a soft-centred cookie, or a few minutes longer for a firmer texture. For neater bakery-style cookies, put a round cutter or bowl that’s slightly larger than the cookies on top of them while still hot, then gently swirl to nudge the edges into a neat round shape. Leave to cool on the tray for 10-15 mins before serving. Once completely cool, the cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.