Author of ‘4 Ingredients’ book series Kim McCosker shares her favourite gluten-free snack recipes

Kim McCosker is an Australian author, responsible for the popular 4 Ingredients series of cookbooks.

The first book was the second best-selling book in the world in 2007 (only behind Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows).

Since then, she’s released a range of 4 Ingredients cookbooks.

On Thursday, McCosker shared her recipes for raw Snickers bars, guacamole, peanut butter cookies, and fruitcake.

Recipes below:

Fruitcake

Serves 16

• 1kg mixed dried fruit
• 3 cups (750ml) Light Iced Peach Tea or Cold Tea of choice
• 3 cups (450g) Gluten Free self-raising flour

Method

In a large mixing bowl, place the dried mixed fruit.

Preheat the oven to 125C. Line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.

Stir the flour into the fruit, and mix well to combine. Spoon into the cake tin. Bake, in the lower third of your oven, for 2½ hours or until cooked through.

Remove and leave to cool. Wrap in foil or place in an airtight container where this cake will keep nicely for 3-4 weeks.

Guacamole

Serves 4

• 1 extra large avocado, diced (300g)
• 1 vine-ripened tomato, diced (150g)
• ½ red onion (60g), finely diced (75g)
• ½ cup (10g) fresh coriander leaves

Method

Into a bowl, place the avocado (reserving the seed), add the remaining ingredients, season with cracked pepper and sea salt and gently mix to combine.

Place the seed back into the dip to help prevent discolouration, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 20

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (312g) GF crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup (155g) firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. (10g) ground cinnamon
• 1 egg (51g)

Method

1 Preheat oven 180C and Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2 In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients.

3 Roll a tablespoon full of mixture into balls then place onto baking trays. Slightly flatten with a fork.

4 Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden.

5 Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Raw Snickers Bar

Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 12 medjool dates (60g), pitted
• ¼ cup (78g) natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp. (22g) raw peanuts
• 100g Lactose-Free, Gluten-Free chocolate

Method:

1 Using a small, sharp knife, cut a slit in each of the dates. Remove stones.

2 Into each place a little peanut butter, into which, press three whole peanuts. Repeat until all ingredients are gone.

3 Next, break the chocolate into a large microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30-second increments until nice and smooth.

4 Dip each date to completely cover.

5 Place onto a paper-lined tray and refrigerate to set.

Optional: I used a ¼ cup (50g) walnut meal mixed with 1 tsp. (8g) honey to stuff several sensational dates.