Healthy Oatmeal Cookies in Orange Cranberry

Oh my faithfuls…

I’m afraid I have to confess something to you.

I’ve baked you yet another batch of oatmeal cookies this week.

I know, I know, I already baked you a batch last week.

I can almost hear you all say: “Oh no, not cookies again! Enough with the cookies, already! We want cabbage, we want cabbage!”

Well, fear not my dears, I shall give you cabbage pretty soon, like sometime next week. But for now, please, bear with me as we enjoy a few more goodie goodie healthy treats, alright? Then you can have your veggies, I promise!

Hey, ’tis the season after all, isn’t it?

So cookies are definitely in order. And can you think of anything that says Christmas better than an Orange Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie?

Alright, don’t answer that, I know there are thousands, no, millions of other things… but still, this would be a good one, I find.

And this recipe right here, despite being shockingly healthy, is very suitable for the occasion. I’d even dare say that they would make a great gift. Just don’t label them as healthy, and your recipient will never know.

I’m telling you, you’d swear there was butter in those cookies. I don’t know what it is, but they definitely have this rich, buttery flavor to them.

Plus, they are super moist, again surprisingly sweet despite having no added sugar whatsoever, and even came out of the oven nice and golden brown as well as slightly crispy on the exterior.

There’s just nothing not to like about that recipe. I honestly wouldn’t change a thing.

These are by far,  my favorite and bestest oatmeal cookie success so far, and I think that I will have to make at least a few more batches before I move on to the next flavor inspiration.

Nahhhh… I couldn’t do that. You know me: the need to create something new will undoubtedly take over the need to eat these exact same cookies again.

Shame…

Or not!

INGREDIENTS
(Yeld 30 cookies)

Dry ingredients

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 2½ cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
• 1 cup almond meal
• ½ cup flaxseed meal
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Wet ingredients

• The zest and juice of one orange (make sure it’s nice and juicy!)
• ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup egg whites
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Extra Goodness

• 1 cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F
2. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. Set aside.
3. In a blender or food processor, mix all the wet ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
4. Add to dry ingredients and mix delicately to combine. Fold in cranberries, coconut and pecans.
5. Drop by the tablepoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
6. You can leave the cookies as is if you want them looking like little mounds, or you can flatten them down some with the back of your spoon.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on how flat (or unflat) you made your cookies, or until they look just slightly undercooked.
8. Cool completely on a cooling rack then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator, where the cookies will keep for up to a week. (yeah, right… like they’re gonna last that long!)

Going…

Going…

Gone!