Ok, so we're all familar with these right?

You’ve got your caramel, roasted peanuts, nougat

and chocolate…..well now take a look at these bad boys!

You’ve got your caramel, roast peanuts (actually you’ve got double peanut satisfaction!), cookie and chocolate. The difference here is that the cookie replaces the nougat (a much better swap in my opinion!). Oh and there is the fact that these are much better for you…much better.

So today I give you ‘Snookies’. So named by the Boy (who is still my most appreciative tester). It was he who declared that ‘these cookies are amazing and would taste just like a Snickers bar if only they had a little caramel’ so one batch later and voila…we now have a vegan caramel drizzle! Alas I have yet to test them out on him (not they’ll last that long). All the more reason for a third batch.

These cookies are loosely based on my coconut oatmeal cookies, they don’t taste exactly like an oatmeal cookie but they do have that lovely dense and substantial texture when you bite into them.

I’ve used cacao nibs as my chocolate element for an intense cocoa kick, but you could sub dark chocolate chips of you preferred, you could of course also serve these without the caramel for a ‘double peanut oatmeal cookie’…that still sounds good to me!

The double dose of peanut really hits the spot…a generous dollop of PB and crushed roasted peanuts. Make sure you do use roasted peanuts ( I roasted my own) as they really make these cookies.

For more cookie recipes...find them here.

Recipe: ’Snookies’

Ingredients- cookies

1 cup oats (GF if required*)

½ cup buckwheat flour

3tbs tapioca flour (or other starch)

4 tbs agave and a pinch of stevia to taste

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

2 heaped tbs peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) make sure its quite drippy

3tbs apple puree

1 tbs ground chia/flax mixed with 3 tbs water

¼ cup soy milk (or other milk)

½ cup roasted peanuts- crushed

¼ cacoa nibs or dark choc chunks

Makes approx. 8 cookies

Method

Mix together wet ingredients in a small bowl- warm slightly if necessary

to get a very drippy mixture. Mix all dry ingredients (except choc and nuts) together in a separate medium bowl and then add wet ingredients. Mix together well.

Add roasted nuts and cacoa nibs last and mix through lightly.

You should have a stiff dough that it soft enough to spoon and press into cookies using wet fingers (or the back of a spoon) on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 180C for approx. 10 mins until lightly golden.

Ingredients- caramel

½ cup rapadura (or raw granulated sugar)

½ cup soy yoghurt (other vegan yoghurts ay also work)

½ tsp carob powder (optional for a richer colour and flavour)

2 tbs coconut oil

Makes approx. 1/3 cup caramel

Method:

Add the sugar, yoghurt and carob if using, to small pan and mix well on the stove top on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Once well mixed increase heat slightly and simmer the mixture for approx. 3 minutes until a rich dark colour is reached. Add the coconut oil towrads the end and mix through well.

Allow the caramel to cool slightly before using. Once cool the ‘sauce’ should be fairly thick and solid due to the coconut oil content. Keeping the decorated cookies in the fridge will help the caramel to harden further.

* for further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.