Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
You're interested, aren't you? Admit it, I had you at "healthy". I am calling these cookies healthy because they are a vast improvement in terms of nutrition on your regular 'ol cookie. Now, at first glance they look like your usual chocolate chip oatmeal cookie, right?
They are anything but usual. These little cookies contain gobs of oats (duh. it's a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie, remember?). They also contain all whole wheat flour (say what?!?) and are completely void of butter (kind of a sin in cookie baking, but trust me, it's OK this time). So what is the fat? Coconut oil. And while I admit I was skeptical about kicking out all-purpose flour AND butter completely, I was super pleased with the results. So pleased, in fact, that I ate four of these cookies. And I didn't feel guilty at all. My husband declared these cookies so healthy that they are worthy of being a breakfast food. You can bet my sugar-loving kids heard that, remembered it, and then asked for these cookies for breakfast this morning. Um, no. They're not THAT healthy. Based on the arrival of ridiculously cold weather, an annoying injury limiting my exercise for the rest of the month, and about 3 dozen of these cookie balls now at the ready in my freezer, I'd say I'll be comforting myself via hot "healthy" cookies on a regular basis. Who's with me?
Whole Wheat Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
(say that five times fast why don't ya)
-adapted from melskitchencafe.com
- 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar (I never said these were devoid of sugar, people. cookies=sugar)
- 1 cup extra-virgin coconut oil, soft but not melted (nuke it for about 10 seconds and you're good to go)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 2 cups chocolate chips
In a large bowl, cream together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and coconut oil until light in color, 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and whip the mixture for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, and oatmeal until barely combined - don't over mix. You'll still probably see flour streaks and that's A-OK. Add the chocolate chips and mix until combined. Scoop and roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls (I just used a 2T cookie scoop) and place 1-2 inches apart on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and set but the middles are still soft. Let the cookies sit for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheets after removing them from the oven before using a spatula to place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.