Have a bit of spare time on your hands? Make these simple and delicious cookies. They are as healthy as cookies get. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
1½ cups almond meal or ground almonds
1 cup dried dates
1 cup shredded coconut
2 tablespoons cacao powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons natural crunchy peanut butter
¼ cup water
Extra peanut butter for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper. In a food processor place the almond meal and the dried dates. Whizz until the dates are a very fine crumble. Add the cacao, shredded coconut and baking powder. Stir until combined. Add the peanut butter and water and mix together until the mixture is moist and all the ingredients are fully combined. Roll the dough into 16 balls and place in a row on the baking try. With a wet fork, press each ball down to form the shape of a cookie. Place the bikkies in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool. Garnish with a small dollop of peanut butter.

For more great recipes by Gold Coast local Caralee Caldwell, check out her page here.

Step aside ice cream and chocolate topping lovers, a new dessert has arrived to rock your post-dinner world.

Fresh off the streets of Hong Kong (aka Hong Kong street food) bubble waffles have taken the dessert world by storm and, as of this week, they have landed in Surfers Paradise and you should get there quick smart.

Bubbo Dessert can be found in Elkhorn Ave (the beach end) and the space is an absolute delight for Insta-addicts. Pastel green panels line half of one wall giving way to glossy white tiles that wrap around the back and off-white wood paneling taking up the other side for bulk photo background choices.

Pastel pinks and greens offset the light wooded furniture and a neon pink sign brings the whole vibe together, glowing enticingly in the back corner.

Let’s chat food though, since this is what we came for. As mentioned, Bubbo Dessert are creating bubble waffles topped with the most delicious of sweets and wound into a cone shape, because cute.

The waffles are cooked to absolute perfection, crisp on the outside and soft in the middle and sometimes with little surprises baked into the bubbles.

Toppings vary from ridiculous to slightly more chill so prepare to have your mind blown.

The Devil is a chocolate waffle with chocolate chips in the bubble pockets, chocolate ice cream, Tim Tams, chocolate flakes, topping and Nutella and oh man, is it the goods.

The Galaxy is a charcoal waffle with star lollies in the bubble pockets, RAINBOW ICECREAM, fresh cream, sprinkles, Fruit Loops, chocolate sauce and icing sugar and if that’s not the best thing you’ve ever heard, do you even dessert.

One more. No wait, two.

The Matcha Red Bean is a Matcha waffle with green tea ice cream, fresh cream, red bean paste, wafer topping and Matcha sauce and it’s nothing like you imagine it’s going to be (but way better). That’s all we’re gonna say.

There’s a savoury one for good measure and it’s an original waffle with cheddar cheese pockets (help), salad mix, cherry tomatoes, avocado with mayonnaise and cheese powder on top. So it’s a Mexican waffle for goodness sake.

Did we mention this is our new favourite place?

Bubbo Dessert began in Brissy with a market stall inspired by owners Lee and Rachel’s home country of Hong Kong (and their love of street food) and together with third partner Jennifer, they brought these delicious, delicious treats to us very appreciative Gold Coasters. How good.

Charge your phone and get your best Insta game ready gang, because things are about to get crazy.

LOCATION: Shop 10, 2 Elkhorn Ave, Surfers Paradise
HOURS: Wednesday to Friday from 2pm to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 9pm

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

Oh baked goods, why do you taunt us so. Taste sensations, tick. Better with butter, tick. Comforting when cold, tick, tick, tick. They’re almost too good to be true but, as demonstrated below, they are true and there are Gold Coast bakeries galore which is just fine by us.

Here’s a list of the top 11 bakeries within which you’ll find said exceptional baked treats and happy carb loading Coasties.

Custard Canteen
By the insanely talented team also behind Bam Bam Bakehouse, Custard Canteen is the newest of the bunch, serving up absolutely next-level Portuguese custard tarts, almond croissant tarts, the gooiest of cookies and various breakfast and lunch goods. Find them down Talle Creek way and good luck floating gracefully once you’ve sampled a few (thousand) of those.
Where: Tallebudgera Recreation Centre, Gold Coast Hwy, Palm Beach

The Pastry Emporium
While it may be a slightly fancier version of the good old fashioned bakery, it is still in fact, a place where goods are baked and some of the most incredible goods you’ve ever tasted at that. Now with two convenient locations, The Pastry Emporium creates magical, almost other worldly cakes and desserts while also whipping up a croissant you would probably die for. They also do the breads and the coffees and if you moved in there, we wouldn’t judge you. Please invite us over.
Where: Shop 2, 90 Markeri St, Mermaid Waters and 4/28 Campbell St, Bundall

Bam Bam Bakehouse
Needing no introduction is Mermaid’s Bam Bam Bakehouse – creators of the most original baked treats the Gold Coast has ever seen and the absolute love of our lives if we’re honest. Known for creations such as Gaytime Eclairs and Ink Gin Choux Bomb, it’s another level of baked treat magic and everything tastes more delicious than you could possibly imagine.
Where: 2519 – 2521 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach

Paddock Bakery
Hidden amidst a little garden oasis is Paddock Bakery, a café/garden wonderland in Miami also cranking out insane baked goods. How about a Milo Milkshake donut? Yah. Wagon Wheel donuts are also a thing and baby Nutella bots are the real deal. The donut selection changes all the time but there is always something available to blow your dessert loving mind. And your other minds.
Where: 20 Hibiscus Haven, Miami

Fosters Bakery
A Nobby’s institution, Fosters has been serving up the baked goods dreams are made of, for many a year. Their pies are some of the best around and we may have been known to indulge for breakfast, lunch and dinner many days running. Classic pastries from Fosters are also always a good idea, there’s vanilla slice, custard tarts and donuts and you should absolutely get one of everything.
Where: 1/2227 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach

Burleigh Baker
For the love of sourdough, this place is the goods. We are quite partial to the olive sourdough, because olives are life but there are many varieties, all of which are the perfect addition to a warming soup and/or lathered with butter. Oh and all their sourdough is of the organic and artisan varieties AND they do incredible cakes like a Raspberry and Pistachio with honey frosting and honey caramel drizzle. Two please.
Where: 13/50 James Street, Burleigh Heads

Fuel Bakehouse
So many delicious things come out of this delightful place you guys. Some of the best doughnuts around, tasty delicious pies that are quite large and very filling, croissants, danishes, all of the very best things. There are two Fuel Bakehouse locations so you need not worry about missing out. And you absolutely don’t want to miss out.
Where: 44 Currumbin Creek Rd, Currumbin Waters and 39-45 Tweest Coast Rd, Cabarita 

Coolangatta Pie Shop
Pies are one of Gods greatest gifts to all of us, particularly at 3am after a night of tearing up the dance floor. Conveniently, the iconic Coolangatta Pie Shop is open 24 hours a day on the weekend for literally all of your late night/early morning baked good needs. It’s one of lifes greatest luxuries right on our doorstep. There’s also tasty sweet treats and we recommend the Macadamia Slice thingo because caramel.
Where: 50 Griffith St, Coolangatta

Gumnut Café/Bakery
Oh god there are donuts and they are A M A Z I N G. Cream filled and caramel topped, we have died and gone to donut heaven. Nothing else matters. Except there are also pies and they are so good and everything is made fresh on the premises and by people who care that you are happy with their baked goods. Which you will be. Did you know Mudgeeraba is also a heavenly, away-from-the-city paradise you should definitely visit ASAP? Yep.
Where: 25 Swan Lane, Mudgeeraba

Horner’s of Sorrento
Horner’s was born from a passion for the smell of freshly baked bread and that is something we can get behind. Their particular type of baked magic comes in the form of artisan breads, from pull aparts to French sticks, and some of the very best sweet treats around. We’re particularly partial to the Melting Moments and the Lemon Meringue Pie, oh yes. We could eat all of these things all of the days.
Where: Sorrento Shopping Centre, 20 Bundall Road, Bundall 

Flour of Life
People of the plants rejoice, these amazing folks make all the baked goods without all the gluten, meat, dairy and egg bits. That’s right friends, it’s a vegan bakery with all the incredible treats you’ve come to know and love. Think donuts, cakes, slices, pies, all the most delicious things. We have it on good authority (ours) that the donuts are absolutely next level and pretty as an Insta picture too.
Where: 22-32 Siganto Drive, Helensvale

Words by Kirra Smith