Nameless Cookie Wonders

You are probably realizing by now that I have a thing for cookies.  Cake, pie, cupcakes...you can have them. They aren't really my thing (although I will be making this in the next couple of days), but cookies are fantastic. I like cookies because they aren't usually too sweet and the best ones have a nice sweet/salty/savory balance.  I have had this recipe saved in my ever-growing recipe folder for a while now and I am thrilled to finally have tried it.  They are not like any cookies I have ever had before. They are actually healthy and surprisingly filling for such small treats.  I would feel great about feeding them to my 4 year old niece, since they do not contain any added sugar or artificial ingredients. AND they are delicious.  I can't quite come up with a name, since it would be something like "Banana-Chocolate-Coconut-Almond-Oatmeal Cookies". Hmmm...maybe trail mix cookies? The name is still in progress!

Original Inspiration:  101 Cookbooks
Serving Size: 2 cookies (I got 45 cookies out of this batch)
WW:  3 pointsplus for 2 cookies (loads of health benefits included!)

Ingredients:

• 3 large, ripe bananas, mashed (around 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed slightly so it becomes liquid) or olive oil
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2/3 cup almond meal  (*You can just pulse 2/3 cup raw almonds in the food processor to make this. You want the texture to resemble sand when you are done)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut, finely shredded (I had coconut flakes, so I just blitzed them in the food processor)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar, chopped up (I used some leftover mini chocolate chips I had and that ended up being the perfect size chocolate pieces for these cookies. I used chocolate chips, since I have a ridiculous amount of them, but I can't wait to try them with a quality dark chocolate bar)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with your racks in the top third of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats. 

In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and liquid coconut oil.  Set aside. 

In another bowl, combine the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.  When all of the dry ingredients are incorporated together, add them to the wet ingredients and stir well.  Fold in the chocolate chips or pieces.

Expect the dough to be dry and fairly loose. You will think you did something wrong, but no worries! Drop less than a tablespoon-sized dollops of dough onto the cookie sheets about an inch apart (the cookies really won't grow on the pan).  Bake for 13-15 minutes. The cookies should be beginning to brown around the edges. My oven is on the hotter side and I left them in for 14+ minutes. 

Let the cookies cool on the stove top for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.  

Make sure you eat at least one or two of the cookies warm - to die for!

Sweet Tooth Fix: Coconut Cornflake Clouds

I have had the world's worst sweet tooth all week. I've been picking at candy and baked goods wherever I can find them. I sometimes get into these moods where sweets are all I crave and the holidays really bring that out.  I tried this recipe out to help satisfy my sugar jones without breaking the WW points bank. Super easy to make if you have a stand mixer and incredibly delicious! They taste like a cross between a macaroon and a meringue. I think that I might even try dipping the bottoms in chocolate next time.  

Original Inspiration:  SkinnyTaste
Serving size: 2 cookies (makes between 24-28)
WW: 3 pointsplus for 2 cookies!

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes (I might try unsweetened next time)
• 3/4 cup cornflake crumbs (I smashed 2+ cups of cornflakes in a large ziploc bag - you can buy cornflake crumbs at the store though)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

Using a stand mixer or hand beaters (a stand mixer would be significantly easier), whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar for 8-10 minutes until the meringue is formed. If you put a spoon into the mixture, it should leave a soft, thick peak when you take it out.

Fold in the cornflake crumbs and coconut and combine until just mixed.  Then, using two tablespoons, drop good sized spoonfuls of the mixture onto your prepared cookie sheets. I got 24 large cookies, but Gina on SkinnyTaste got 28. Expect somewhere in that range.

 Bake for about 17-19 minutes or until the cookies are golden. Let cool on the stovetop for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.  Enjoy!

Amazingly Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies

These might be my new favorite cookies. I can't get over how low calorie they are. They taste exactly like real peanut butter cookies, but made with PB2 (all natural powdered peanut butter) and whole wheat flour. Spectacular cookies!

Original source: Bell Plantation website
Serving Size: Makes 30 cookies
WW: 3 pointsplus for 2 cookies!





Ingredients: 

1 cup PB2 (you can buy it on Amazon or the Bell Plantation site)
6.25 ounces whole wheat flour
3.50 ounces white sugar
3.50 ounces brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1/4 cup water

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together until smooth sugars, egg, vanilla, baking soda, salt, agave nectar, water, and PB2. Add flour, beating until mixture is well combined. The dough is extremely sticky and hard to stir.

Drop tablespoon-sized balls onto the prepped cookie sheets. I tried to make the cute fork marks on the cookies that I remember from my childhood, but the dough was too sticky. You should try to spray a fork with cooking spray and press the balls down a bit with the fork. If you can make the cute fork marks with this dough, tell me how!

Bake for 10 minutes. Turning the pans halfway through the baking time. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a rack to cool.


SO GOOD!

Pumpkin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin isn't really my favorite thing. Everyone goes all pumpkin crazy once September hits, but usually I can take it or leave it. Honestly, when I get the hankering to bake something, I usually find a pumpkin recipe. It takes away the sweet craving, but I am not going to eat 10 cookies in one sitting. Chocolate chip or snickerdoodles...I can't control myself. This is a super easy recipe that is perfect for fall!

Original inspiration: SkinnyTaste

Serving: 36 cookies

WW: 2 pointsplus per cookie or 5 for two cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups quick oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temp)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, unpacked
• 1 large egg
• 6 tablespoons canned pure pumpkin
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans (approximately 3 ounces)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat (best baking tool ever, see Meg's Favorite Things on the right).

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.  In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars using your mixer on medium speed. After about a minute or two, add the egg, followed by the pure pumpkin and vanilla extract.
Next, begin to add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir by hand until they are just combined and no white flour is visible. Stir in the pecans (it will be hard to stir at this point).

Drop 1 tablespoon dollops of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. The cookies will not spread much, so you do not have to worry about giving the dough balls too much room.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies begin to turn light brown around the edges. Cool for 3-5 minutes on the stove top and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!