In this recipe, we'll show you how to make cookies with durian, known in Thailand as the "king of fruits". They're a breeze to make, healthy, and bursting with exotic and tropical flavour. You'll love them!
Native to Southeast Asia, durians are large, thorn-covered fruits with a soft, yellow flesh. They're used in sweets, desserts, bakes, and savoury dishes across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Durians are well-known for their strong smell, but once you bite into their creamy flesh, you won't be able to stop eating them. They're rich, sweet, and aromatic — so good!
Durians taste like a very ripe banana but with hints of almonds, chives, and cream cheese. When fully ripe, the flesh has the consistency of custard and feels like eating a cheesecake. Truly unique!
When we tried the fruit in Thailand, we were first put off by the smell, but then it was love at first bite!
In fact, we liked durian so much that we decided to use it to give a delightful tropical twist to our beloved oatmeal cookies.
But you might wonder, how do you use durians in cookies?
It's super simple: remove the seeds and blend durian flesh in a food processor with a little coconut milk. Then, add this creamy durian mash to the oatmeal cookie dough ingredients, and you're done!
Because durian puree looks like mashed bananas or creamed butter, it's perfect for making healthy, vegan cookies without butter or eggs.
The mash holds the oats flakes together perfectly, and it gives the cookie dough moisture, flavour, and natural sweetness.
So, if you love a healthy treat, these durian oatmeal cookies will make you feel right at home!
And for more exotic cookie ideas, check out these mango cookies, coconut drops cookies and blue butterfly pea cookies. They're all fun and delicious!
If you have any leftover durian mash, you can use it in this wonderful dairy-free durian cheesecake or pillowy durian cream-filled crepes!
Ingredients
| Durian Flesh | 90 g |
| Coconut Milk (canned) | 4 tbsp |
| Rolled Oats | 180 g |
| Erythritol Sweetener (or regular sugar) | 40 g |
| Baking Soda | 1/2 tsp |
| Salt | 1 pinch |
| Oil (coconut, sunflower, or e. v. olive oil) | 2 tbsp |
Step 1
Remove the seeds from the durians and then add the flesh to a food processor.
Tip in the coconut milk and blitz all until smooth and creamy.
Step 2
Pulse half of the oats in a clean blender until they're finely ground, like flour.
In a bowl, mix the oat flour with the remaining rolled oats, sugar (or sugar-free erythritol for ultra-healthy cookies), baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
Then, add the durian puree and oil to the oat mix.
Step 3
Work the ingredients with a spoon until they come together into a soft and chunky cookie dough.
Wrap the bowl with cling film and let the dough chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
The durian cookie dough will be a bit moist at first, but as you let it rest, the oats will soak up the liquids.
After chilling it in the fridge, the dough should feel harder and drier: easier to pinch off and mould.
Step 4
Now, let's get ready to shape the durian cookies.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) in static mode and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Lightly grease your hands with oil and pinch off a small handful of dough.
Roll it into a ball the size of a large walnut and then flatten it between your palms.
Then, place the oat cookie onto the lined tray and press it down with your fingertips to give it a round shape.
Repeat for the other cookies.
Step 5
Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, and then transfer them onto a wire rack to cool down completely and crisp up.
Your oatmeal durian cookies are ready!
Enjoy them with a nice glass of fresh coconut milk or have them with an exotic smoothie like this jackfruit passion fruit smoothie or cinnamon peanut punch.
Tips
You can spice up the cookies with a pinch of ground cinnamon or cardamom.
Before baking them, you can top the cookies with chopped peanuts, cashews, or almonds. They'll give a deliciously crunchy finish to these tropical cookies.
The cookies are best enjoyed on the same day. Because there's no sugar and very little oil, the cookies will go stale faster than regular cookies. If you have any leftovers, store them in an air-tight container for no more than 2 days.