Honey brSweetened Breakfast Cookies

Drescription

When I’m looking for a breakfast treat with a healthy vibe I reach for these oatmeal breakfast cookies. They are light and cakey and packed with toasted almonds and bits of dark chocolate and dried fruit. The best part: They’re made with ground oats and honey, so I can feel good about indulging in them.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almond flour or whole-wheat flour (see cook’s note)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/8 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup honey (i like wildflower honey)
• 1/3 cup applesauce (i like unsweetened)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup toasted unsalted almonds, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. Combine 2 cups of the rolled oats, the almond flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a food processor. Process until the oats are ground, about 1 minute; a few larger bits of oats are okay. (Alternately you can grind 1 cup of the oats at a time in a blender.) Transfer to a medium bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup of whole oats. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the honey until smooth and combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the applesauce, eggs and vanilla and mix on medium-low speed to combine. The mixture will look soupy—that’s okay.
4. Add the oat mixture to the wet ingredients and blend on low to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the raisins, cranberries, chocolate chips and almonds. Mix on low until well combined. The dough will be looser than normal cookie dough.
5. Portion the dough into 1/3-cup portions and place 6 portions on each sheet pan, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie and between the cookies and the edges of the pan. Flatten the dough portions to 1 inch in thickness. Bake one pan at a time (the second batch can sit at room temperature while the first bakes) until the cookie edges are golden brown and the centers feel set, 20 to 22 minutes.
6. Cool the cookies on the parchment. Store in a covered container for up to 4 days, or freeze in freezer bags for up to 2 weeks.