I have said it over and over: A cookie is a perfect snack! Delicious, comforting, easy to carry and most time irresistible. Cookies are a great way to curb hunger or get a quick boost of energy during a long work day or as a treat for a job well done. The problem with cookies is they are no different than other sweet snacks: often full of unhealthy ingredients that make you eat more than one.
However, I still believe in cookies as a great snack so I decided to rework a classic recipe into something delicious and, overall, better for you than a store bought cookie.
These oatmeal cookies are full of healthy fiber from the oats and the whole wheat flour that will keep hunger at bay. Instead of lots of sugar, I combine natural honey (mine is from the Tanis Apiary) with the sweetness of raisins to bring about incredible taste. This recipe is also lower in fat than most traditional cookies.
The trick to this recipe is to allow ample time for the dough to chill so they’re easy to drop onto a baking sheet. When they’re done cooking, give them enough time to cool completely before you devour them. These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week or wrap each individually.
Try swapping out the raisins for dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries, yellow raisins or even diced pieces of dried apricot or peaches. This recipe can be easily doubled so you can have plenty on hand because, trust me, they won’t last long!
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 15-16 cookies
- 1 ¼ cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup natural honey
- ½ cup raisins
- In a medium bowl, whisk the oats, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk butter, egg and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the honey and mix well to combine.
- Add the flour mixture to the egg and honey mixture and stir until incorporated. Fold in the raisins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 to 45 minutes to chill the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drop the chilled cookie dough in rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 11 to 14 minutes until the cookies are browned. Remove from the oven and cool on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. Remove cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Featured photo by Aleksandra Wolny