Cookies!

For those of us that enjoy a less sweet, more grown up cookie...or just want to offer the kids something with a bit more nutrition then the usual rice crispie treat or fruit roll ups...here is a great recipe that I found in my King Arthur Whole Grain Baking Book.  I adapted it a little to suit our tastes, you should do the same. 

All Oats, All The Time

yield: 42 cookies

baking temp: 375 degrees

baking time: 14 minutes

2 cups quick cooking oats (I used old fashioned rolled oats and they were chunkier, but very yummy)

3/4 c coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts (I used unsweetened shredded coconut)

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

4 tbl unsalted butter

3/4 c packed light or brown sugar

1/4 c granulated sugar (I used applesauce as a replacement)

2 large eggs

1 tbl cider vinegar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup raisins (my addition, not on the original recipe, but I like raisins in my oatmeal cookies)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Combine the oats, nuts, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a food processor.  Pulse until the nuts are finely chopped and evenly distributed.  (I don't own a food processor and used my blender instead.  It did not come out fine like flour, it was a little chunkier, and though a little harder to form cookie "balls", they did hold together so well in dough form, they combined fine in baking and came out a little crunchy and chewy and lent the cookie a more granola bar feel).

Beat the butter and sugars (and applesauce if using) in a large bowl until smooth.  Add the eggs, scraping the bowl and again beating until smooth.  Stir in the vinegar and vanilla, then the oat mixture.  Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies, reversing the pans midway through (top to bottom, bottom to top) until the edges are barely browned, 14 minutes.  Remove them from the oven and let them cool on the pans for about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Note:  Substitute old-fashioned rolled oats for quick-cooking oats if you like.  Pulse them in the food processor (or blender) several times before adding the nuts and remaining ingredients, and then pulse again.