Multi Blend Soft Cookies

These are not your typical cookies. Yeast replaces baking powder or baking soda, giving them a soft, bread-like chew instead of a crisp snap. Sweetened with honey instead of refined sugar and made without eggs or dairy, they land in that territory between a cookie and a soft dinner roll.

Multi-blend flour (a mix of different grains) gives these a more complex, nutty flavor than plain white flour. Cinnamon and raisins round out the flavor with warm spice and chewy sweetness. Apple cider vinegar in the wet mixture isn’t for flavor; it creates a slightly acidic environment that helps the yeast activate and gives the cookies a subtle lift.

These barely spread during baking, so flatten the dough balls when you drop them on the sheet. What you shape is basically what you get out of the oven.

Chef Tips

• Use warm water (around 110°F/43°C) for the liquid mixture. Too hot kills the yeast, too cold and it won’t activate.
• The batter should be stiff but not dry. If it crumbles when you try to drop it, add water a tablespoon at a time until it holds together.
• Flatten the dropped dough with wet fingers or the back of a spoon. They won’t spread on their own like butter-based cookies.
• Check at 15 minutes. They’re done when firm on top but still give slightly when pressed. Overbaking dries them out fast since there’s no butter to keep them moist.

Variations

• Oat raisin: Replace 1 cup of the multi-blend flour with rolled oats for a heartier, more textured cookie.
• Date and walnut: Swap raisins for chopped dates and add walnuts for a chewier, nuttier version.
• Orange spice: Add orange zest and a pinch of nutmeg alongside the cinnamon for a warmer, more aromatic cookie.