Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

I love these healthy oatmeal cookies because you can easily hide healthy ingredients like whole wheat flour in replacement of a portion of all purpose, or you can add a little wheat germ or milled flax seeds.



Depending on just how long you bake them, they can be slightly crispy around the outside and soft and chewy in the center. They're easy to make on short notice and they are sure to please every time!

There is a reference at the bottom of this page about choosing healthy versions of these ingredients. For example, the recipe calls for white sugar. I’m not referring to the cheap, chemically-bleached white sugar, but rather an unrefined white sugar.

I use the basic names of ingredients for this healthy oatmeal cookies recipe, but keep it healthy by using natural versions of these ingredients. Organic ingredients are best so use them as much as possible.

These homemade oatmeal cookies are obviously not sugar-free, but they are a healthy alternative to store-bought desserts that is good for an active and generally healthy person.

I don't like artificial sweeteners (or anything fake and unnatural) for regular and long-term use. I try to stay healthy so I will not get to the point of having to cut out natural, God-given sweets from my diet. In general, I've learned it's better to eat sweets close to a meal or healthy snack or at one time as opposed to an all day sugar assault on your body.

Makes about 3 dozen small, healthy oatmeal cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream:

1/2 Cup .....................Butter

Add & cream well:

1/2 Cup .....................Brown sugar

1/2 Cup .....................White sugar

Combine & beat in until smooth:

1 .............................................Egg

1 tsp .......................................Vanilla

1 Tbsp .....................................Milk

Sift & add to the above ingredients:

1/2 Cup ....................................All purpose flour

1/2 Cup ....................................Whole wheat/White whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp ....................................Baking soda

1/2 tsp ....................................Double-acting baking powder

1/2 tsp ....................................Salt

Beat smooth, then add:

1 Cup ......................................Uncooked, Old Fashioned, rolled oats (may use wheat flakes)

-Expect the dough to be very sticky and moist (Trust the oatmeal cookies recipe and don't add flour or your cookies will be cakey.)

Optional additions:

Dark/semi-sweet chocolate chips, raisins, pecans, walnuts, coconut flakes

Baking:

-Drop cookies 2 inches apart on a well-greased pan (or non-greased baking stone).

-Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (longer for stoneware)

Use the following guidelines to help you choose healthy ingredients for your healthy oatmeal cookies:

•Flour: Unbleached, replace some of the all purpose flour for white whole wheat or regular whole wheat. (Whole wheat flour should not be enriched and should have more grams of fiber than all purpose.)

•Salt: Sea salt (not table salt)

•Sugar: Unrefined (such as Turbinado, Organic cane, etc.) You could skimp on the sugar and they will still taste great!

•Baking Powder: Non-aluminum/Aluminum free

•Egg: From free-range/cage-free chickens

•Butter: Non-hyrdogenated if made from oil blends or real, unsalted "sweet cream" butter.

You can substitute applesauce for some of the butter, but the more applesauce you use, the more cakey they will be and the less they will have that unique homemade oatmeal cookie taste and texture.

I hope you enjoy these healthy oatmeal cookies as much as our family does!

Also try this pumpkin bread recipe!

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