MEWS free Raisin Cookies

Following a plea from a friend who was seeking a reliable recipe for raisin cookies that were milk, egg, wheat and soy free, I spent this morning playing with ingredients to devise a recipe.

I'm quite pleased with the result, it's certainly delicious warm from the oven - but the cookies are more chewy in texture than the crumbly result i was hoping for. For the second batch I added some pear puree (this could easily have been banana for a similar result) which helped soften the biscuit texture. I used egg replacer today for an egg free cookie, but an egg - if allowed - might make these crumblier and more like regular cookies.

Makes 6
Dairy free, wheat free, gluten free, corn free, egg free, soya free

Ingredients

• 55g/2 oz margarine - I used Stork hard block margarine, softened first.
• 55g/2 oz caster sugar - you could try soft brown sugar for a "richer" taste
• 110g/4oz SR free from flour (I used our Juvela prescription flour but often use Dove's Farm)
• 1 tsp baking powder if the above flour is not self raising
• 1 teaspoon egg replacer made up as instructed
• 100g pear puree - if using a softer margarine reduce to 75g)
• 60g/2-3 oz raisins
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

 Method

• Preheat oven to 180C
• Use a non-stick baking tray or line a tray with baking paper
• Beat together sugar and margarine
• Fold in the flour, baking powder (if using) and spices
• Stir in the puree, add the raisins and combine.
• Mix in the egg replacer as per instructions
• Once the mixture is mixed well it will look like the first picture below.
• Using a table spoon, spoon out the mixture onto the tray in cookie shaped areas, taking care not to place them too close together.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 15-18 mins
• Allow to cool.

Tips 

• You can make double quantity but these may not keep well. 
• There is no reason they cannot be frozen since they are more like cakes than biscuits - but I have yet to try doing so.
• If you can use an egg instead of replacing it, beat it in after beating the sugar and margarine together, then fold in the flour.

I'll let you know the kids' verdict later!