Alice Fevronia's pear and dark chocolate cookies recipe

Method

1. Mix 130g flour with the bicarbonate of soda, the cinnamon and ¼ tsp salt. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy, then add the egg and vanilla, mixing thoroughly, before adding the flour mixture and stirring until smooth.
2. Mix in the oats and 100g dark chocolate chunks. Squeeze out any excess liquid or pat dry the pear with some kitchen paper and toss in the extra 1 tbsp flour until coated, then mix carefully into the cookie mixture until evenly combined.
3. Roll the dough into 12 balls of around 60g each. Flatten slightly, then press the remaining chocolate chunks on top. Place on a lined baking tray and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hr or up to 24 hrs. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C.
4. Spread the cookies out on another 1-2 trays, so they’re well spaced apart, then bake for around 15 mins until the edges are golden brown and the tops no longer appear wet but they are still soft in the middle – they will firm up as they cool. To get perfectly round cookies, take a large round pastry cutter and, while the cookies are still warm from the oven, gently reshape them into circles. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

• Tip: The moisture in the pear creates a softer, cakier cookie, so try to pick firmer pears, and squeeze out any excess moisture before adding to the cookies.

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• Freezing and defrosting guidelines

  Open-freeze before baking and once frozen transfer to a resealable bag. Cook from frozen, adding an extra 3-5 mins to the baking time. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.