Soft-Baked Chocolate-Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
From Slim & Scrumptious (William Morrow Cookbooks, 2010) by Joy Bauer.
SERVES 14 (SERVING SIZE: 2 COOKIES)
1 1/2 cups quick- cooking or old- fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all- purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat one or two baking sheets with oil spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, fl ours, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Add the chocolate chips and dried cherries, and stir to combine.
3. In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, canola oil, egg whites, and vanilla extract, stirring until smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the applesauce mixture. Stir until just combined and no streaks of fl our remain.
5. Drop scant tablespoons of cookie dough onto the baking sheets, and press them lightly with your fi ngers to fl atten the cookies slightly. (To prevent the dough from sticking to your fi ngers, dip your fi ngers in water before pressing on the cookies.)
6. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, or until the cookies start to turn golden brown at the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes; then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information Calories – 149 • Protein – 3 g • Carbohydrate – 28 g • Total fat – 3 g • Saturated fat – 1 g • Cholesterol – 0 mg • Fiber – 2 g • Sodium – 135 mg