Oatmeal Cookies Are Practically Health Food

Since we are all doing our best to try to be a little less decadent in these first few weeks of the New Year, I thought I would share a recipe that is at least pretending to be a little bit healthy. Bonus points if you use some sort of wheat flour. Adding chocolate chips will trick kids into liking them, as well.

Those aren't raisins!

Recipe Adapted from Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe at joyofbaking.com.
 
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:

• 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (210 grams) light or dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups (260 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup (140 grams) chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until creamy and smooth (about 2 - 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in the rolled oats and chocolate chips.

For large cookies, use a generous 1/4 cup of batter (I like to use an ice cream scoop) and place six cookies on each baking sheet. Flatten the cookies slightly so they are about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Bake the cookies for about 14 - 18 minutes rotating the cookie sheets halfway through the baking time. The cookies are done when golden brown around the edges but still a little soft in the centers. (The longer the cookies bake the more crispy they will be.) Remove from oven and let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. These cookies will keep several days at room temperature.

Makes about 18 large cookies.

Smashed cookies ready for baking

 Enjoy!


- Jenn