After biting the bullet and ordering The Foods of Athenry cookie shots from Holland and Barrett (like I need more sweet treats!) I am starting to think they are one of the most convenient snacks I have purchased in a while!

Being small domes of cookie, around the same diameter as a pound coin, these 18 calorie mini cookies are the perfect portion control or craving curber if you need something rich and chocolatey, just without the calories.



Retailing at £2.99 for a 120g bag, these are fantastic value. I have been having 5 as a snack, reaching 90 calories, and they are by far better than chocolate itself in terms of satisfying a chocolate need. Being free from gluten, milk, egg and nuts, these are the perfect lunch box snack or even buffet table at a kids party.

The ingredients are as followed:
Gluten & Wheat free flour (Maize, Rice, Potato, Tapioca, Buckwheat) 100% Vegetable non-hydrogenated Margarine, Sugar, Coca, Concentrated Fruit Juice, Natural Vanilla, Raising Agents (Mono Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum).
Margarine contains ( Vegetable Oil, Water, Salt, Emulsifier: E475, Natural Colours: Circumin, Annato, Natural Flavouring).

The cookie itself is very crunchy and reminds me of the texture of a Oreo style cookie biscuit. This dry crisp consistency seems to translate well into gluten free food and tastes great with no aftertaste, powdering or like you're eating cement when you start to chew, so when I see a product like this, I do get high hopes!

Flavour wise, this is a very rich intense Cocoa chocolate taste, they do remind me a lot of all these Oreo style sandwich cookies, but with a more fulfilling chocolate hit! They are bitter in flavour rather than your typical super sweet cookies, which makes a welcome change. It also makes them much more versatile, as the filling sweetens the sandwich cookies, these are completely plain to use as you wish.

I think not only as a snack but these would be great as an ingredient, I think making a cheesecake base with these cookies would work really well, or even just throwing them together with some ice-cream, cream and sauce to make a sundae!

I have just seen that there are blondies! I will have to try them next time I am ordering from Holland and Barrett. I haven't tried much from The Foods of Athenry as they are not always a brand that come to mind as I don't see them available much, but I'd love to know what you love so I can try some more!

Hannah x