Monday, September 26, 2011

Healthy Cookies

If you have been on Pinterest, you've probably seen these cookies floating around.  The cookie that has no butter, no eggs and is called a 'healthy cookie'.  Well, obviously I had to try it immediately.  Obviously.
This recipe comes from 101 Cookbooks.  I had to make a few alterations due to allergies and ingredients I had on hand, and I'm sure the substitutions affected the flavor and texture a little.

Ingredients

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil) *I used olive oil
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal 1/3 cup milled flax seed mixed with 1/3 cup AP flour. *I had to sub out almond meal b/c my son is allergic to nuts.  I have no idea if this is a good substitution or not, but it seems like I read it somewhere!
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped *I used a combination of both


Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.
In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and olive oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal milled flax seed/flour, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
 Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. 
**In my opinion, you need to cook these until you think they are getting  ready to burn.  I did not like the texture otherwise.  However, everyone is different, and I made substitutions.  The kids didn't really eat them, they just picked out the chocolate.  (I don't know where they get that stuff from!)  Next time, I think I'll make them with the almond meal and see if  it makes a difference in taste and texture.  Overall, this is a pretty decent  cookie for what it is.  It's certainly not going to be confused with a butter laden cookie, but it works to tame a chocolate craving and offer a healthier alternative to your kids.  Because your kids might eat them.  My kids are weird.  Said with love, of course.

5 comments:

  1. I hate to say it, but I'd probably pick the chocolate out too! (Or else I'd never put it in to begin with and eat it straight up.) ;)

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  2. What? Healthy cookies? Even though the kids didn't like them, I'm tempted to try them for myself. They have to be decent and I wouldn't feel so bad eating them!

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  3. These look.....interesting. I'm not too sure about that "almond meal".

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  4. Thanks for your honest review! I had seen them on Pinterest; but hadn't gotten the nerve to try them yet.

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  5. I love the idea of cookies that you can feel good about eating...sure they might not be AS decadent as their unhealthy counterpart but that doesn't mean they're not good!

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