{"id":35624,"date":"2025-04-02T10:42:01","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T09:42:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk\/quench\/?p=35624"},"modified":"2025-04-02T10:42:03","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T09:42:03","slug":"spring-time-recipes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk\/quench\/food-and-drink\/spring-time-recipes\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring-Time Recipes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An Ode to the Oatmeal Cookie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am here to champion the simple, somewhat elevated, oatmeal cookie. I myself have overlooked the oatmeal cookie in favour of the simple chocolate chip cookie, but there’s nothing like an oatmeal cookie in spring, when colder days are turning warmer and the nights are getting lighter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thought to have derived from Scottish Oatcakes, oatmeal cookies date back to the Victorian era, with the first recipe being found in a cookbook of 1896, The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, from Fannie Merritt Farmer. Famous oat company Quaker Oats are thought to have played a big role in the increase in popularity of the oatmeal cookie, marketing them as a healthier cookie choice. The original recipe didn’t include raisins, but these have become a popular addition along with other modern variations such as chocolate chips and nuts (walnuts, pecans etc). Most recently, I have mixed chocolate chips with crushed mini eggs into my oatmeal cookie dough, and they came out lovely. This time, however, I have added in some mini M&Ms to inject some colour in time for spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my years of hobby baking, there are a few things that I have wanted to absolutely nail, and the cookie is one of those things. Much like brownies, everyone has their own preferences when it comes to cookies. Some prefer ooey, gooey, crunchy on the outside cookies (my personal favourite). Others, however, prefer a cookie where the crunch follows all the way through the cookie, with limited ooey gooey. I have spent years testing cookie recipes to find one that leaves me clapping, dancing and stomping my feet. The recipe I am about to share with you has been adapted from a Jane’s Patisserie recipe, with a few tweaks that I feel make the cookie even better. These cookies have a nice crisp outside with a softer inside (I have a few tips on how to make these even more gooey that I’m going to share, too). To me, these cookies are reminiscent of a Subway cookie (and who doesn’t like those?!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time of year<\/a> marks a special time in baking for me. It reminds me of my mum and I baking, from fairy cakes to Easter biscuits in star shapes, we always got stuck into baking when the weather started taking a warmer turn. This time of year<\/a> is also difficult though, with the sun comes the urge and pressure to “look good”. Achieving summer and beach bodies becomes the focus across most social media apps and you cannot avoid it. I have always been very aware of the food I consume, often feeling guilty when eating, but the promise of summer’s arrival makes me more aware of food and what I consume in spring months. Whilst I think there’s nothing wrong with being mindful about what we eat, I don’t want to think of food in a negative way, there is no ‘good’ food and ‘bad’ food. After all, food is fuel for the body, and in the summertime, we need more fuel to enjoy all our summer activities. That’s why baking is special to me. It’s rewarding, creative and provides a feeling of achievement. It’s saying, “I have made something, and now I’m going to enjoy it”. Having a cookie here and there isn’t going to affect my ‘beach body’, but making and consuming the cookies is going to give me so much joy, especially when it comes to sharing these scrumptious cookies with those I love. I bake in this season to pay homage to the little girl I once was, baking in the kitchen with my mum, kitchen counter-tops sticky with dough and bodies covered in flour, these are some of my favourite memories. I also bake to reduce the stress and anxiety I feel around food, as baking allows me a sense of freedom and creativity to make something that I know I can enjoy later without shame and guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recipe:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

125g unsalted butter (but if salted is all you have, that\u2019s okay! Just skip the \u00bd tsp of salt)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

100g light brown sugar<\/p>\n\n\n\n

75g granulated sugar<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 egg (I use large)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1tsp vanilla extract<\/p>\n\n\n\n

150g plain flour<\/p>\n\n\n\n

150g rolled oats<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1tsp baking powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 \u00bd tsp bicarbonate of soda<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00bd tsp salt<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 tsp ground cinnamon (can skip if you don\u2019t like\/want hints of cinnamon, try another spice like ginger!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

200g mini M&M\u2019s (or desired addition)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Method:<\/p>\n\n\n\n