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Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

The bad news – you need a food processor for this recipe. The good news – you can put away the Oreos because these cookies are actually good for you. (You won’t miss the sticks of saturated butter fat or cups of sugar.) I usually make a double batch so I can freeze some leftovers. Use your small ice cream scoop; it makes life easier and your cookies will look professional. 

What You’ll Need: Makes 25 Cookies

§ 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking (thin) oats

§ 1/2 cup sliced almonds

§ 1/4 teaspoon salt

§ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

§ 1 cup sifted whole wheat pastry or unbleached white flour

§ 1/2 cup chocolate chips or barley-malt sweetened chocolate chips (or 3/4 cup if you’re a big chocolate lover) 

§ 1/3 cup canola oil

§ 1/2 cup real maple syrup

§ 2 teaspoons vanilla 

What You’ll Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Spread the oats and nuts out on a baking sheet. When the oven is heated, bake for 10 minutes until they’re lightly browned. (Toasting the oats gives them a nutty flavor.) Remove from the oven and cool. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper. (Using scissors cut the paper to fit.) 


2. Spoon the oats/nuts into a large mixing bowl, then pour them into a food processor. Pulse the processor until the oats/nuts are ground into a course mixture with pieces of oats and nuts still visible. (Don’t grind into oat flour.) Pour the oats/nuts, salt, baking soda, flour, and chocolate chips into the mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. 

3. Measure the oil and maple syrup into a large, glass measuring cup. Add the vanilla and stir with a whisk until well mixed. Pour the liquid into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until all the liquid is absorbed into the flour mixture.  

4. Using a 1 1/2”-2” ice cream scoop, place a level scoop of dough on the parchment paper. (Or using a soup spoon, place a rounded spoonful of dough on the baking sheet.) Continue to scoop dough, placing the cookies on the baking sheets in rows about 1 inch apart. Press the cookies down with the palm of your hand so they’re a half-inch thick. 

5.  Bake one sheet for about 12 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned on top. (Check the bottom of a cookie to see if it’s golden brown.) Don’t let the cookies get too brown. Remove the baking sheet and place on top of the stove. After about 5 minutes, remove the cookies with a pancake turner to cool on a wire rack.

6. Bake the other sheet of cookies. Cool the cookies on the rack for about an hour before placing them in a covered container. These cookies can be frozen if they’re wrapped well in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag or covered container. 

Tools: 

2 baking sheets

Measuring cups, spoons

Parchment paper

Food processor

Wooden or mixing spoon

Large glass measuring cup

Wire whisk

1 1/2-2 inch ice cream scoop or soup spoon

Pancake turner

Wire rack 

-Anne Vassal

by GL | 2/1/2016
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