Hello holiday revelers! Did you wake up yesterday feeling all Black Monday after a weekend of indulging? Good for you if not 🙂 But, for the rest, have I got a yummy way for you to get back on track! It’s a cookie that is SO HEALTHY, you could actually call it…breakfast?!
A no-guilt way to kick off your healthy new beginnings after a weekend of dietary disaster 🙂
What’s so great about this sweet little treat? It’s got hearty doses of oats, whole wheat flour, which means a whole lot of heart-healthy fiber. It’s packed with vitamin A thanks to pumpkin.
And cinnamon. Did I mention cinnamon? And cloves and nutmeg. And chocolate chips and dried cranberries because, after all, it is a cookie, and taste is of the utmost. Many thanks to my girl, Sal, the genius behind this recipe, who has done it again. Gawd, I love the way she thinks!
The beautiful thing about these cookies is that, because there is no added fat, they do not spread when you cook them. You can virtually form them into any shape you like, and they will obediently stay that way throughout the baking process.
Cute little milk-and-cookie types? Yep.
Breakfast bars? Yep.
Ridiculously adorable heart-shapes? Yes, PLEASE!
Consider these your new best-kept secret for attacking the holiday season with a healthy attitude 🙂
Heart-Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Makes ~16 cookies
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 and 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet with spray oil, or line with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl whisk together pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, spices, chocolate chips, and dried cranberries. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir just until combined – do not overmix. The cookie dough will be very thick.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets and slightly flatten to the shape you want your cookie. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Cookies stay fresh at room temperature for 3 days in an airtight container.
LOVE the hearts! And I am obsessed and addicted to this recipe! Thinking about changing it up a bit to make an ultra healthy oatmela cookie without pumpkin – to enjoy the rest of the year. Even though I can eat pumpkin ALL year! They look great, Julia. Talk to you tonight in the workshop!
Can’t wait to see your new twist on it. Thinking myself about making a PB oats version!