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Oaty Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies (Lower sugar)

These cookies started as my triple choc cookies but I have reduced the sugar by a third and also by using just dark chocolate, the sugar will be slightly lower again. Now I'm not professing that these are a healthy option but they are certainly a healthier option than the original.

Also I've added nuts and oats so they will have a slow release of energy. The other thing, and this is a big THING, they taste scrummy. The dough also freezes beautifully before baking. 
200g unsalted butter, softened
200g light soft brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
300g plain flour
100g Oats
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of sea salt
200g dark chocolate
100g Chopped dried apricots (optional)
30g chocolate or your choice
200g Pecans chopped

You will also need 2-3 baking sheets lined with baking parchment.
                                                                                                
Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/gas mark 3.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a free-standing machine until pale, light and fluffy. If you don’t have a free-standing machine you can use a hand-held electric whisk. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, add the vanilla extract and mix again.

Add the flour, oats, baking powder and salt into the bowl and mix again until thoroughly combined. 

Roughly chop the chocolates into chunks and fold into the cookie dough along with the apricots if using. Turn the dough onto a square of parchment, roll into a barrel and chill for at least an hour. Cut the cookies into half inch pieces. 

Place 4-6 cookies on each baking sheet, allowing plenty of space between each cookie as they will spread during cooking.

Bake the cookies in batches on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 12-14mins until pale golden brown. 

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks until cold.

Melt the 30g of chocolate of your choice in a disposable piping bag in a jug of hot water until melted.

Drizzle over the cold cookies and sprinkle with the chopped pecans or another topping of your choice, *see ideas below. 

TOPPINGS
1. SMARTIES
2. TOFFEE POPCORN
3. CHOCOLATE RAISINS
4. PEANUTS
5. GLAZE CHERRIES
6. HONEYCOMB 
7. DRIED MANGO PIECES