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Cookies and shortbread are not only great fun to make at home, they are much healthier than store or bakery-bought treats —- even with the amount of butter you use. The aroma of cookies baking in the kitchen is unparalleled. This is also a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen.

Crunchy oat cookies
If you like your cookies then making them at home is a treat. They are easy to make, wholesome and the varieties are endless.

Ingredients
175 gm butter, at room temperature
175 gm caster sugar
1 egg yolk
175 gm plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Method
Cream the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt, then stir into the butter mixture. Add the oats and walnuts and mix. Chill for at least 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a large baking tray. Make small balls out of the biscuit mixture and place them on the baking tray and flatten (with floured hands). Bake until golden brown for about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Shortbread
While cookies are fashionable these days, shortbread is more rustic. It is important to get really fine rice flour else the shortbread tends to be a bit gritty.

Ingredients
150 gm unsalted butter, at room temperature
115 gm caster sugar
150 gm plain flour
65 gm rice flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Method
Preheat oven to 160°C. Lightly grease a square cake tin and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift over the flour, baking powder and salt and mix well. Press the mixture neatly into the baking tin, smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon. With a butter knife score the surface into eight equal wedges. Bake until golden, about 40-45 minutes. Leave in the tin until cool enough to handle. Then take it out and re-cut the wedges while it is still warm. Store in airtight container.