Yields: 18 - 20 cookies (2 per serving)
Preparation Time: 5 - 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 - 14 minutes
Description[]
Most of us think that all holiday cookies are simply loaded with fat and sugar - and truthfully, they are. This recipe makes a few minor modifications and boosts up the health value while still staying delicious. Whole wheat flour is used in place of regular all purpose flour, and dried fruit adds color, sweetness, and nutrition. There's very little fat in these cookies with just a mere four tablespoonfuls, split between regular butter and heart healthy canola oil. There's a reason these are called the "kitchen sink" cookies - they're loaded with so many different ingredients! These aren't what you'd consider a "traditional" holiday cookie, but these days, it seems like the old traditional recipes are being forgotten or abandoned. Serve these alongside your regular holiday cookie lineup and they'll disappear just as quickly!
Ingredients[]
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
- 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1/4 cup lightly toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 2 oz. dark chocolate (the darker, the better), chopped into chunks
- Nonstick cooking spray
Directions[]
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the butter, canola oil and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix completely until it is light and fluffy (around 2 minutes). Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make everything is blended thoroughly.
Add the applesauce, vanilla and egg white. Blend well. Add the salt, cinnamon, oatmeal and flour and mix just until the flour disappears. Add the dried fruit and the chocolate and mix briefly until everything is evenly distributed.
Spray 1 baking sheet with cooking spray. Using level tablespoonfuls of dough, roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Press the cookies down with the palm of your hand gently, as they will not spread much while baking if you skip this step. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned but still soft. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on baking racks.
To store these cookies, place them in a cookie tin lined with wax paper or plastic wrap, making sure to add a layer of paper/plastic wrap between layers. Add a piece of soft sandwich bread to the tin and close the lid tightly. The bread will keep the cookies soft as they age.