I think I can speak for many singletons when it comes to craving freshly baked goods but either not wanting to make a large batch of cookies or having the patience to follow a lengthy recipe. It was following one of these moods that I wanted to try and make a speedier version of my original THE Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. The one issue I had when scaling the recipe down was the egg . I tried removing it and upping the liquid quantity but I found they didn't bake as well. Added to this I also wanted to make cookies which would bake in a pinch in an oven or an airfryer, as let's face it they heat up faster. It was only after my second failed attempt it dawned on me, make them vegan as it will be easier to scale down or up. I reworked my original recipe, and using olive oil as I always do, and came up with these speedy cookies. You don't have to make them vegan if you don't want to. I have made them with milk and with water and both turn out fine, the same with chocolate and vegan chocolate. The only thing I would caution is that this is a rework of my original recipe, so I haven't cut out a hell of a lot of ingredients, but I have cut out the speed and time it takes to make these. There's no butter, so there's no need to beat for a long period and chill the dough, you can get these from bowl to baked in under 20 mins.
I have also written the recipe in an order so you don't have to think how which ingredients to measure out first and avoid having oily spoons before you have you dry ingredients sorted. By all means ignore my waffling, but at least at my age I find it handy to have the work done for me.
The key thing about this recipe is that you need a set of measuring spoons.
You can also make different flavoured cookies. If you want to pimp them up a bit, then add a pinch of a spice to the mix and use about 25g of solid additions in place of the chocolate (approx. a palmful).
I have also scaled up the recipe here, should you actually want to bake a large batch.
Makes 2
Hands-on Time 10 minutes
Baking Time 14 minutes
Ingredients
4 tbsp Plain flour
1/8 tsp Baking powder
Pinch Bicarbonate of soda
Pinch Fine salt
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Light brown sugar
1 tbsp Caster sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp Olive oil
2 tsp Milk or Dairy alternative
1/8 tsp Vanilla extract
2-4 squares Chocolate or Vegan chocolate (4 if the size of Dairy Milk, 2 if the size of Lindt).
Equipment
Measuring spoons
Small bowl
Bowl
Spatula
Bread knife
Baking sheet (ideally aluminium. If you are using an air fryer you can use the loose bottom of a cake tin if you don’t have a suitable tray)
Baking parchment
Wire rack
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C (Fan)/325°F/Gas mark 3. If you are using an air fryer, place the tin into the oven and preheat at 150°C for 5 mins whilst you make the dough.
You don’t have to follow these steps word for word but I appreciate I’ve listed the ingredients in dry order first to save you constantly washing spoons.
Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarb, and salt into a small bowl first. Add the pinches of bicarbonate and salt last so you can gauge how small a pinch should be.
In a mixing bowl add the sugars followed by the oil, milk/dairy alternative and vanilla.
Beat until thick, combined, and beige.
Add the dry ingredients and fold in until you have no specks.
Finally chop the chocolate up into small splinters and shards. I find it’s best to use a bread knife rather than sharp pointy knife.
Add the chocolate to the mix and fold it in until evenly distributed.
Place a piece of baking parchment on the worktop next to you. Divide the dough into two balls (you can shape with clean hands if you want them nice and neat) and place spaced apart on the parchment.
If you are using an air fryer, carefully lift the parchment and place it onto the preheated tin. Otherwise slide the parchment onto a baking sheet and pop into the oven on a middle shelf.
Bake for 14 minutes.
When the time is up you should have golden cookies with melted chocolate pockets.
Enjoy!
