Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (with a healthy twist)

I love experimenting with cookies.  It’s amazing how many healthy changes you can make and still end up with a sinfully tasting treat…and something you can feel good about giving your family.  I was able to cut the sugar by about 60%, substitute all of the white flour for whole wheat whole wheat pastry flour and wheat germ, add in some flaxseed and dark chocolate and make amazingly delicious cookie that tastes even better than the original recipe.  Bonus – using flaxseed meal instead of raw eggs means you (I mean the kids!) can lick the beaters without worry of food-borne illness.  Give this recipes a try, its a fun activity to make with the kids and a cookie you can be proud to serve.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water

3/4 cup butter

½ cup coconut oil

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup coconut sugar (or granulated sugar)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

½ cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon chunky sea salt

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (NOT quick oats)

1 ¾ cups dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375o

Combine flaxseed and water and set aside.

Beat butter, coconut oil and sugars together for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Beat in flaxseed/water mixture and vanilla.  Gradually beat in flour, wheat germ, baking soda and sea salt.  Add in oats and mix well.  Add in chocolate chips.  Drop by tablespoon onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (flatten out a little before cooking, the batter will be very stiff).  Bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly brown.  Remove to cookie rack to cool completely.

**Update…as you know, I love to continually alter my recipes.  Sometimes I use 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, sometimes I use 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour and 1/2 cup wheat germ, sometimes I use 1/2 cup each of whole wheat pastry flour, wheat germ and almond flour! I also like to mis up the way I use the sea salt. Sometime I mix it in, sometimes I sprinkle it on top! ENJOY them any way you make them!!