This time of year, it seems we’re always asked to bring in treats for school and sporting events. Rather than send my kids with store-bought goodies to share, I try to keep it healthy with homemade, organic cookies””baked with ingredients I know are good for them, for less than I’d spend on a bag with half as many as one of my batches turns out.
Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies
This recipe is a hit with my kids and their friends, who request my “crunchy cookies with all the stuff in them” when I bake. Have fun coming up with your own cookie creations–adding cacao chips, nuts, seeds, raisins, dried cranberries or a combination to this basic batter.
Ingredients
1 cup organic butter, softened
1 cup pure cane sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs (room temperature)
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour (I use one cup whole wheat pastry flour and one cup whole wheat flour)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups organic oats
1-1/2 cups of “additions” of your choice (cacao chips, nuts, raisins, cranberries, seeds or a combination)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use mixer to cream together butter, pure cane sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in additions.
2. Drop by the teaspoon onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Vegan Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies
(Make the same cookies as above, without dairy or eggs–and less sugar!)
Ingredients
2 cups oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup applesauce
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. cinnamon
1-1/2 cups of “additions” of your choice (cacao chips, nuts, raisins, cranberries, seeds or a combination)
Directions
1. Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another bowl. Stir together and bake in same way as recipe above.
Jam-Filled “Drops”
Another easy-to-customize recipe, you can use homemade jam, applesauce, cinnamon/sugar-dusted apple cubes, cacao nibs or any filling you’d like to fill the thumbprint indentations in these cookies. While I don’t make a vegan version, I occasionally make raw vegan macaroons instead. Check back for that recipe””coming soon!
Ingredients
1 cup butter
½ cup pure cane sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
½ tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ Tbsp. milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
Filling of choice: jam, applesauce, apple/cinnamon cubes, nut butter, etc.
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use mixer to cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks and salt. Add vanilla and milk. Add flour. Mix until just blended.
2. Chill dough for 30 to 60 minutes. Roll into small balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Use thumb to indent each cookie. Add filling.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Tip: Double the recipe to make “bar” cookies. Press half of dough into square baking pan; bake for two minutes. Add a filling layer, then place remaining dough on top. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.