Jem’s Gluten Free Eats

For me, Cadbury’s Mini Eggs being back in supermarkets are a sign that life is getting better. Spring is coming, the weather is getting better (sometimes), mornings and evenings are getting brighter. And, most importantly, Easter is coming (and that long bank holiday weekend).

These Mini Egg Cookie Squares are the perfect treat to have throughout the Easter season. They are super sweet, chocolatey and crunchy on the outside but soft and gooey on the inside (just like the perfect cookie).

But when Mini Egg season is over, don’t forget about this recipe. It can be used all year round – just play around with the recipe and substitute the Mini Eggs with any gluten free chocolate treat such as classic M&M’s, Magic Stars or Aero Bubbles.

MAKES 12-16

Ingredients:

• 140g butter, softened
• 100g light brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g gluten free plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp xantham gum
• 120g Cadbury’s mini eggs, chopped/crushed into smaller pieces
• 75g white chocolate, chopped in to small chunks

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees fan. Grease and line a 20x20cm baking tin with grease proof paper.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together your butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in your beaten egg and vanilla extract until well combined.

Stir in your flour, bicarbonate of soda and xantham gum. Your mixture should now resemble a soft dough.

Fold in your white chocolate chunks and 80g of the crushed mini eggs until well distributed throughout the dough. Transfer the dough into your baking tin and using a wooden spoon (or your hands) flatten the dough so it is equally spread across the tin.

Proceed to sprinkle the remaining 40g of crushed mini eggs on top of the dough and, using your fingers, push them into the dough very slightly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes (until slightly risen and the edges are golden brown). Leave to cool completely in the tin for a couple of hours before removing and cutting into squares (you can do smaller squares or bigger squares, up to you!)