Poppy seed cookies

Black poppy seeds are commonly used in German baking. They add wonderful flavour to bread and even creamy cakes! Here we use them to make cookies.

You can gently roast the poppy seeds first to bring out the flavour. The seeds are very fine and will burn easily, so roast on very low heat, stirring from time to time. They will get roasted even while baking, but this step releases more of their flavour and improves digestibility.

You will need:

• 200g wholemeal flour
• 100g black poppy seeds, freshly roasted
• 100g butter at room temperature
• 60g dark brown sugar
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 2-4 tbsp milk, as necessary
• 1/4 tsp powdered nutmeg (optional)
• Or 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

No baking powder needed.

Mix all the dry ingredients. Add butter and milk. Mix until the dough comes together. Add a little extra milk, so that the dough becomes a bit sticky, because the fibres in wholemeal flour will absorb more moisture over time. Cover and keep in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Make little balls and flatten them between your palms and place them on the baking tray. Bake at 180°C for 9-12 minutes - baking time depends on the size and thickness of the cookies. It’s important that they are all more or less the same size. Take them out while they are still soft on top. They will keep cooking for a few minutes even outside the oven. You can also check the bottom. Once it starts getting dark, they are done.

These cookies are very comforting, being that fatty! Add nutmeg to make them more warming, especially if you make them in winter time.

They are also good to have in the evening, for those transitioning into intermittent fasting. They will fill your stomach a bit, and the poppy seeds and nutmeg will help you sleep.

The sweet taste is very subtle so that you can experience the depth of flavours in these cookies.

Everything you put in your mouth becomes you. So always start with the best ingredients and don’t think you are overindulging. In fact, as you go ahead in your journey of eating well, your compulsive behaviour towards food will go down. You might notice that you won’t overeat home-made cookies as much as you tend to overeat the store-bought ones.

It’s best to have them in moderation - for all, but especially for those trying to lose weight.

They are great for people who are rather small and thin. If you have felt depleted and worn out for a long time, you can make poppy seeds part of your everyday diet.

Finish them within two days. Ideally, on the first day.