Thursday, March 23, 2006

Cookie Chef

"I miss cookies!" my Landlady wailed. For the most part, she's given up eating sweets. While that's usually not a big deal for her, she does have a special fondness for rice pudding and chocolate-chip cookies.

"Fine, I'll invent some that you can actually eat," I replied. I experimented with all sorts of combinations to make a cookie that would be both healthy and delicious. The first couple batches I made with olive-oil and almond flour were soundly rejected. Finally, I came up with this recipe:

Landlady Cookies

1 cup rolled oats
2 cups flour (whatever you like, including up to 1 cup of nut flour)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4--1/3 cup Grade B maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Add:
1/2 cup raisins OR 1 cup chocolate chips OR 1/2 cup raisins & 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Divide dough into little rounds onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 minutes (resist the temptation to over-bake). When you take the cookies out of the oven, leave them on the cookie sheet until they’ve cooled off. This will enable you to pick up the cookies without them crumbling in your hands.

Makes 16 cookies.


I used spelt flour, which is a good substitute for white wheat flour. I'm sure you could use whole wheat flour too. Gluten is not important with this recipe. Note the lack of butter or eggs, too. The maple syrup takes the place of both refined sugar (sweetness) and egg (stickiness).

The cookies really are quite good. They're slightly healthier (hah!) when made with raisins instead of chocolate chips, but a certain amount of chocolate is good for everyone.

Even Mr Pudding.

5 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

I am reporting you officially to the Blogspot Police for giving me unreasonable harassment and ridicule. I guess your blog will soon be deleted and other blog hosters will be warned about your improper conduct and then the blogosphere will be free, free, free of your evil aspersions and lies. No more Brad the Gorilla. You will have to adopt a new alter ego .... Norman the Eraser, George the Chocolate Egg, Henry the Banana... Farewell!

Liz said...

I'm addicted to the premade mini-tollhouse. They are awesome.

I don't do healthy.

Lady K said...

Thos cookies sound wonderful! I'll bring the milk...

Brad the Gorilla said...

Mr Pudding: So what you're saying is that you don't like cookies? What about biscuits? It seems as if the jellied eels have addled your brain. Poor wee laddie.

Nonny: I can work up a "non-healthy" version of the cookies, if you like, but I must free you from the pre-made mini-tollhouse. Soft and chewy I say, you need soft and chewy.

Lady K: At last, the voice of reason among all the ridicule.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Cookie? What's a bloody cookie? Isn't it something technical within one's computer? Addled my brain! Poor wee laddie! Who do you think you are addressing you hairy simian lump! Grrrrrrrr! I am beside myself with rage!