Zesty Oat Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Make the flax egg by adding 1 tablespoon of flax seed with 3 tablespoons
of water. Stir and refrigerate for around 10 minutes while you prepare
the other ingredients.

Gently heat the dairy free spread (or coconut oil) and the syrup in a
pan until they melt, whisk gently together and allow to cool for a
couple of minutes.

Blend the oats in a food processer or high-powered blender until they
resemble a flour. Place into a large mixing bowl and add the baking
powder, cinnamon and salt.

Mash the banana and add it to the syrup mix, along with the flax egg and
the vanilla extract. Add both the lemon and orange zest and stir until
well combined.

Add the wet mix into the dry and stir until it forms a big sticky ball of dough. Refridgerate for 10 minutes.

While the mix is in the fridge prepare your baking tray by lining it with baking paper.

Take the mixture out of the fridge and use a spoon to measure each
cookie, use a  heaped teaspoon for small or a tablespoon for large.
Scoop each spoon of dough out and roll into a ball between your hands.
Lay these balls out on your tray. Refrigerate for another 5 minutes.

Take the tray out of the fridge and press each cookie down with the back
of a fork. I like the make a criss-cross pattern by pressing it down
from either side. If the fork is sticking then wet it slightly in between
pressing each cookie.

Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, turning the tray halfway
through to ensure an even bake. They are ready to come out when the
edges have started to brown. Let them cool on a rack while you make the
icing.

For the icing add the cream cheese to a bowl and whip with a fork until
it’s very smooth. Add some lemon juice and zest before adding 2
tablespoons of icing sugar. Give it all another good stir until it’s
creamy.

Spread the icing onto each cookie or dust with icing sugar and serve the
icing in a bowl topped with more lemon zest for dipping.