Oatmeal Cookies // A Healthier Version

Hello friends! Since it's the middle of the week, I want to share a little something special to brighten your day and get you through to the weekend. What better way to do that than COOKIES?! I love cookies (who doesn't?). I'm not much of a baker, but I can handle cookies. They're super easy, which means I usually let the kids help me make them. Oatmeal cookies are one of our favorites, but I wanted to try to find a way to make them a bit healthier than your typical cookie. I swapped out all of the over-processed ingredients for ones that are closer to their natural state! I mean, they're still a treat, but I have found a way to make them a bit more nutritional, so I wanted to share my recipe with you! File this one under "real food" treats.

(A full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions are at the bottom of this post)

The ingredients are pretty simple, and you may already have a lot of them on hand!

You'll need two bowls - one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients. First you will add your coconut oil and coconut sugar together. If the coconut oil is hard you will need to soften it a little (this is NOT an issue in South Louisiana temperatures, ha!). Use a mixer on medium speed to combine until smooth. Then add in your vanilla and eggs. Beat them together until it starts to get fluffy.

Make sure to take the opportunity to lick the beaters before you add in your eggs. This is a very important baking technique, especially when you're 3 years old.

I chose to use coconut sugar for a few reasons. It has a lower glycemic index than regular sugar or other sweeteners, which means it won't spike your blood sugar like regular sugar does! And it is not highly processed like other sugars. It's also full of nutrients like amino acids, potassium, calcium, zinc, and magnesium. Sugar with nutrients?! Yes please.

In a separate bowl combine almond meal, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir together until everything is blended. Whole wheat flour isn't stripped of nutrients like bleached flour is, and almond meal is just ground up almonds! These are both easy real-food swaps you can use in place of bleached flour, and they give more flavor! If you're gluten-free you could replace the flour with equal amounts of almond meal.

Next you'll add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients. Use the mixer to combine!

Now it's time to add in your oats! I prefer old fashioned oats, but you could use quick oats if that's all you have. Stir them in one cup at a time. And it's not a successful baking venture if you don't make a little bit of a mess, right?

Next you'll add in your fixins. Porter voted for chocolate chips, because he is my child after all. You could do chocolate chips or raisins, or both! Feel free to throw in some chopped nuts too if that's your thing.

Once everything is combined, you can turn the oven on to heat to 350 degrees. While it's heating, stick the bowl of dough in your fridge to let it firm up a bit so it's easier to work with.

Line your cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper, then shape the dough into 2 inch balls and place them evenly on the cookie sheet.

Stick them in the oven for somewhere in the 14-16 minute time range. Do your best to wait patiently while your whole house starts to smell delicious!

Pull them out of the oven then transfer them to a wire rack to cool for around 5 minutes, or as long as you can stand it.

Last step: enjoy! Pour a nice glass of cold milk (I opted for Califia Farms toasted coconut almond milk - one of my favorites!)

I hope y'all enjoyed the recipe, and if you try out the cookies let me know!

Ingredients
3/4 cup coconut oil, softened
1 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup almond flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup chocolate chips (or raisins)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl beat coconut oil and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. In a separate bowl combine almond flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well. Slowly stir in oats then chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 14-16 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on wire rack.