This particular recipe is one I find myself making over and over again. These cookies are nothing too fancy, nothing that’s going to make anyone think you spent 5 years at the Cordon Bleu, but they are easy to make, tasty to eat, and best of all, a healthy version of the classic oatmeal chocolate chip. What’s more, making them in an itty bitty bite sized format means portion control…unless you eat 10 in one sitting, which I have done seen. This recipe makes about 32 cookies (depending on your definition of bite sized) so you can eat some fresh out of the oven, take a dozen to your best friend, and freeze the rest for a rainy day stash.

The good stuff:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, and another 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups quick oats
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• optional: add 1/2 cup almonds, walnuts, or (my fave) unsweetened coconut flakes

Now what?:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
• Use a stand mixer (on medium speed) or a really strong bicep (on turbo speed) to cream together 1/4 cup applesauce and sugar.
• Add the egg, the 2 additional tablespoons of applesauce and vanilla extract.
• Working by hand, stir flour mixture and oats into the wet mixture until just combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips and any other delicious additions.
• Drop small spoonfuls of the dough (about half the size of a usual cookie) on your baking sheets.
• Bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
• Brew a cup of tea. Enjoy!

My Haiku about cookies:

Everyone likes them

You have to if you’re human

They are the best treat

xo Ali

PS: this recipe is a variation of one found on SkinnyTaste.com