How to Make Nut and Seed Cookies

1. Heat the oven. Preheat it to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Grind the peanuts. Pulse the peanuts in a food processor until they look like coarse crumbs with some finer, sandy bits. This peanut “meal” helps bind the cookies, so don’t skip it. Stop before it turns into peanut butter.
3. Chop the other nuts. Roughly chop the hazelnuts, walnuts and cashews by hand. Aim for pieces about the size of a pea, plus a few larger chunks for character.
4. Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the peanut crumbs, chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, oats, cranberries and raisins.
5. Add the binders. Whisk the egg (or flax egg) with the maple syrup. Pour it over the dry mixture and stir well, until every oat and nut looks lightly coated.
6. Let it rest. Leave the mixture for about 10 minutes. The oats soak up moisture, and the dough becomes easier to shape. Squeeze a little in your hand; it should hold together.
7. Shape the cookies. With damp hands, scoop a generous portion, roll it into a ball, then press it into a thick round on the tray. Press firmly, so the cookies stay compact. You should get roughly 12.
8. Bake. Bake for about 15–20 minutes, until golden at the edges and fragrant. Then let the cookies cool completely on the tray, because they firm up as they cool.
9. Add chocolate (optional). Melt the chocolate gently in short bursts in the microwave or over a pan of barely simmering water. Drizzle it over the cooled cookies or dip their bases, then let it set.