No one can go to bed on Christmas eve without setting up Santa’s milk and cookies! A great way for kids to get involved in Christmas baking is to make their own Santa cookies. This recipe creates all the best bits of a chocolate chip cookie with a healthy twist – after all, Santa will be eating A LOT of cookies this Christmas eve.
Chocolate is a sometimes food and encouraged to be enjoyed in moderation – however did you know there are some surprisingly positive health benefits of dark chocolate? It is full of antioxidants which have anti-cancer properties and also has flavonoids which are a compound that can improve heart health. Varieties with 70-85% cocoa are recommended to achieve these health benefits.
Why not get some help in the kitchen! Aged Care Residents enjoy baking too, especially around the festive season. Additionally, encouraging children to become involved in the kitchen can help in fine-tuning motor skills, promoting food knowledge and increasing interest in new foods.
If you have children or residents with allergies, these cookies are Nut-free and Egg-free too.
Choc chip cookies for Santa Recipe
Ideal for childcare centres or OSHC and why not share them with your families too.
Ingredients - Makes 20 cookies
2 cups Wholemeal Plain Flour
1 teaspoon Bicarb Soda
Pinch of Salt
8 tablespoons Brown Sugar
8 tablespoons Raw Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
4 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
8 tablespoons Low-Fat Milk
170g Dark Chocolate Chips
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line baking trays with baking paper.
Combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and mix together.
Then add the Vanilla extract, Olive oil and milk to the dry ingredients. Mixing well with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the chocolate and stir through.
Roll tablespoons worth of the mixture into 100 balls and place on the prepared baking trays. Flatten them lightly.
Bake each tray for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool on trays before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve with a big glass of milk ready for Santa and keep the remaining cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
ALLERGENS: Wheat, Gluten, Milk, Dairy
Recipe for Aged Care Homes
Our Expert Aged Care Dietitians have tweak the recipe above for Choc chip Cookies for the elderly to provide a little more protein per bite. Get the residents involved and bake these yummy Chocolate Chips cookies in time for Christmas.
Enjoying this recipe?
Our recipe book is filled with them! 2025 will see some exciting releases of our new recipes books for both Childcare and Aged Care. Register your interest and be one of the first to know when it’s released.
Childcare Recipe Book - All recipes serve 20 child portions and are approved by our qualified Dietitians – ideal for Childcare centres and Early Learning Centres!
Aged Care Recipe Book - All recipes are loaded with Energy and Protein, serve 50, approved by our qualified Dietitians and include a IDDSI Texture Modification Suitability index – ideal for Aged Care homes!