Smartie Cookies

Use Smarties, M&Ms, even cherries to make these delicious American style cookies. They are so quick and easy, next time a friend rings to say they are coming round, you can have a tray of these delicious cookies ready for them, fresh from the oven.

Ingredients

(Makes 14 medium sized cookies)

180 grams self raising flour
125 grams butter or margerine - just make sure it is soft
150 grams sugar (caster sugar is definitely best for this recipe, but use whatever you have)
1 small egg, beaten (break the small egg into a bowl, and use a fork to mix it until it turns yellow)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (teaspoon – that’s the small one!)
2 X 40g boxes Smarties

Equipment

Scales
Large bowl
Wooden spoon
A large baking tray - 2 if possible. These cookies are big!
Baking parchment or greaseproof paper. (This will stop your biscuits sticking to the tray.)

How to make your Smartie Cookies

1. Get your baking tray ready. Spread a piece of baking parchment over the top of it, so it covers the tray. If you don’t have any baking parchment, you could cover the baking tray in a very thin layer of butter or oil. This is called greasing the tin.

2. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy.

4. Add the vanilla and the egg to the butter mixture and beat them together with the wooden spoon.

5. Add the flour and stir until it forms a thick, sticky mixture.

6. Whether you enjoy this bit, depends on whether you like getting your hands sticky! Roll a bit of the mixture into small balls, about the size of a walnut. (If the mixture is just too sticky to roll, you could add a bit more flour.)

7. THIS IS THE IMPORTANT BIT! These biscuits spread out when they cook so leave lots of room between each ball of mixture. Either use two tins or cook half the biscuits on one tray and then use the same tray again for a second batch.

8. THIS IS THE FUN BIT! Stick Smarties, or whatever you have, into each ball of mixture. (Jazzy made these last night with her baby sister. Some of the Smarties went missing. Hmmm…?)

9. Put the tray of biscuits into the oven and cook for 15 minutes. The biscuits are ready when they start to turn golden brown. They will be soft when they come out of the oven. Leave them to cool on the tray for 10 minutes and they will crisp up a little bit. But remember,these are American style cookies so they will be a little bit chewy.

Make the Smartie Cookies your Own

You could use different toppings,such as peanut M&Ms, cherries, or chocolate buttons.

Or you could make one giant cookie to share with friends. Stick in some candles,and it is a perfect birthday surprise!

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