Peanut & raisin oaty cookies

There’s a natural saturation level of competance in pretty much everything. Reach your limit and the wheels come off. In business it’s called the Peter Principle – where one gets promoted to a level above what they can cope with. Readers, I think I have reached my parenting Peter Principle.

I have always been on time. Hey who am I kidding, I’ve always been early. I never really got it when other Mums would chat about it taking 2 hours to leave the house and then still forgetting something. Well 3 kids in and I get it. Yesterday I drove to a park 3 miles away, all set up for a stomp around, some swing pushing and dodging of drunk people, plus lunch at the cafe with my baby and next eldest son as dining companions.

I opened the boot to remove the balance bike (yes, I am a walking middle class cliche) and the changing bag was missing. So, basically the baby was completely ill equipped. We had to cut the trip short. My 3 year old was not impressed. I think I saw a look of disapointment in his eyes at my organisational skills. There is nothing like a 3 year old finding you a let down to focus the mind.

Today I will endeavour to be a less forgetful mother. And to make more of these cookies, as they may just help with forgiveness.

Lots more recipes like this in my book, Recipes from a Normal Mum, out now… on Amazon, with The Book People, at Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets.

Photography by Minal Photography

One year ago: Hazelnut cupcakes with Nutella buttercream and Red root reblochon bake and Simple banana cake

Two years ago: Cherry tomato frittata and Lemon brioche or Death by chocolate cake

Three years ago: Tiramisu profiteroles and Drunken cherry brandy mincemeat or Macarons

Four years ago: Easy cheesy pasta and Almond coated chicken and Mince pies for mince pie haters

Peanut & raisin cookies

Made about 30 but it really depends on the size of the dough balls

Ingredients:

250g soft butter
150g soft dark brown sugar
150g self raising flour
230g porridge oats
200g salted peanuts
100g raisins

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Line four baking trays with non stick baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar for 4 minutes in a stand mixer using the flat beater starting low speed and working up, or 6 minutes with a handheld electric mixer or about 8 – 10 minutes with a wooden spoon. The mixture will be lighter in colour than when you started and very creamy.

Add the flour, oats, peanuts and raisins then mix well until combined. Take pieces a little larger than the size of a plum and form into a ball using your hands. Place on the baking tray and squash down a little until your ball is about 1cm high. Continue until the dough is all used up and remember to space the biscuits about a biscuits width apart.

Bake for around 20 minutes until the edges are starting to go a little golden but the middles will still look uncooked and soft and puffy. Leave to harden on the tray and when you’re happy they won’t fall apart – about 20 minutes later, transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight tin.