What Do Cookies Have To Do With Counselling?

Chocolate cookie goodness. Image courtesy Amanda Lim via Unsplash.

You may be wondering why there is a cookie recipe on a counselling website. Good question. It’s because this particular recipe over the years has given me (and family and friends) so much joy, contentment and satisfaction that I feel compelled to share the love. Consider it a Public Service Announcement.

The simple act of baking can be a great way to soothe jangled nerves when done slowly and mindfully. (Baking under pressure when running late for an event is decidedly not fun!) Gathering ingredients and equipment so everything is mise en place feels like an antidote to chaos and lack of control in real life, helping to relieve anxiety through the powerful acts of care, focus and intention. Stirring, sifting and mixing require enough attention to calm mind chatter without being taxing, and there is something inherently pleasurable about ceramic mixing bowls and wooden spoons. I’m not sure if it's their tactile nature or the promise of good things to come.

And the smell of cookies baking wafting through the house is both tempting and satisfying in its own right.

Then there’s the delight of sharing home-baked goods with appreciative loved ones - in both lick-the-bowl dough stage and finished product! And not that I want to be promoting arguments, but there is a certain satisfaction in watching people tussle over the last cookie…

Lastly, the deliciousness of the cookies themselves, perfect paired with a cup of tea, is a simple moment of pure delight. Exhale.

This recipe is slightly adapted from one developed by the funny, clever ladies at Laughing Spatula for their Double Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt. If you don’t fancy orange zest as per below, these are exceptional with or without the sea salt topping they suggest, and pretty good with sultanas substituted for chocolate chips (Yes, I have made many batches and iterations of these cookies because they really are that good…).

Is baking a panacea for anxiety? No. But it might just offer you an afternoon of comfort, ease and enjoyment, which your nervous system (and loved ones) will thank you for.

Enjoy. xx

Chewy Choc Orange Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup raw sugar (just my preference - white is fine if that’s what you have to hand)

• 1/2 cup butter, melted (proper butter, not margarine)

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

• 1 1/4 cups plain flour (ideally unbleached)

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (preferably good quality, Dutch processed for a deeper, richer flavour than plain cocoa)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• Finely grated zest of 1 large orange (mandarin zest works well here too)

• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Method (Oh so quick!)

Pre-heat your oven to 190C and prep a baking tray with eco-friendly baking paper. (Do you know the crunkle tip? If you scrunch up the baking paper before using it will stay in place rather than sliding about. Genius!)

Combine both sugars and melted butter and mix lightly, before adding egg and vanilla and mixing lightly again, till combined. You can use a hand-mixer, Kitchen Aid or, my favourite, a wooden spoon - just don’t overmix at the next step.

Next, add the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and mix till just combined.

Now, fold in the ever-so delightful choc chips and orange zest until just combined and be sure to stop and inhale the aroma for just a minute. Ahhhhh.

Finally, roll a small amount in a ball then press down slightly with two fingers to flatten and ridge. Repeat until you have filled your baking tray, leaving ample room for each cookie to spread. I tend to make these in two batches but it will depend on the size of your tray. The Laughing Spatula recipe suggests this makes 24 cookies but that seems a little skimpy to me, so I make around 16 or so good-sized biscuits.

Bake for 9 1/2 minutes for chewy, fudgy bliss or slightly longer if you prefer a crisper cookie.

These last well for 3 days in an airtight container and can be kept another couple of days if you drizzle very lightly with water before reheating in either an oven or microwave. They freeze well too.