Healthier Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies

I love cookies. No, really...I LOVE them.

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I love Sesame Street too :)

My cookie palate has changed over the years, and I have come to realize that microwaved Chips Ahoy just don't cut it for me anymore. I would much rather have a freshly-baked homemade cookie than a "soft-baked" one with lots of who-knows-what in it from a package. Keep bringing on the Oreos and Girl Scout cookies, however - go big or go home :)

Hubby and I went to a church picnic last weekend and guests were asked to bring a side dish or dessert to share. Side dish? Psh. Bring on the sweets, baby!

We have more oatmeal than China has tea in our apartment, so oatmeal cookies it was :) I added dried cranberries and walnuts from my mum to sweeten the deal. I used flavored instant oatmeal (the stuff that has the sugar already added to it), so I decided to cut back on the sugar by half and add some applesauce to give the cookies a little extra moistness without added fat. I also used egg whites instead of whole eggs, and substituted whole wheat flour for AP flour.

Get all your goodies together. Yes, your counter will be cluttered for a little while.

Cream your butter.

Add your sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, applesauce, vanilla and egg whites. Eat a bit if you must. Yes, I know you're not supposed to eat raw eggs. Who doesn't eat a little when they bake cookies? ;)

Add your flour, oats, cranberries and walnuts. Eat a little more - now that's the good stuff.

Bake. Cool. Drool.

The cookies are great right out of the oven with a nice cold glass of moo juice. Hope you enjoy!

Healthier Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens' New Cookbook: Bridal Edition (thanks Aunt Linda!)

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (this means the good, all-natural stuff - regular applesauce has so much extra sugar added to it :p)
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups oats (I used about 6 packets of flavored instant)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or your choice of nut)

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
• In a stand mixer, beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
• Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt, and cinnamon. Beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl.
• Beat in eggs, vanilla, and applesauce.
• Gradually mix in your flour.
• Gradually mix in your oats.
• Mix in your cranberries and nuts. It helps to coat them with a little bit of flour first so they don't sink to the bottom of the batter.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until the edges are light brown.
• Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Try not to burn your fingers and eat one hot. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Eat another one while you wait for them to cool.

These will keep in airtight plastic containers for several days (if you don't eat them all before then!), or you can freeze them for later.

Join the Virtual Cookie Recipe Exchange with Flour On My Face  Prizes donated by King Arthur Flour, St Martins Press / Robin L. Olson and Garnish.