My Addictive Oatmeal Combo Cookies
Archaeologists have found that the first human consumption of oats can be traced back to Paleolithic times around 32,00 years ago, when our ancestors ground this form of wild cereal*. However, by the time oats were introduced to the Americas circa the 1600s, they were largely relegated as feed for domesticated animals**. But I for one love my oats. Who can pass up a sweet oatmeal cookie to dip in their coffee and pry them out of bed? And especially when shredded coconut is thrown in for texture, applesauce for moisture, and sesame seeds for a nutty flavor. Voilà! My addiction for oatmeal combo cookies was born!
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ t. vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 2 T. unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 ½ cup old-fashioned oats, not quick cooking
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup and 2 T. shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 T. toasted brown sesame seeds
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ t. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 t. ground nutmeg
- ½ t. baking soda
- ½ t. sea salt
Directions
- Step 1 Take out the butter so it’s at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Step 2 Soak the raisins. This is important, so the raisins aren’t hard but plump and juicy. So, crack and beat the egg, mixing it with the applesauce in a small mixing bowl. Toss the raisins with the egg and applesauce in the bowl and let them soak while you are mixing the rest of the ingredients.
- Step 3 In a second mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes with an electric mixer until the butter and sugar are fluffy and turns light brown. I used to skip this step because I was in a hurry to get the cookies done, but it pays to take the extra time to blend the butter and sugar until they’re fluffy. And last, add the vanilla and continue to beat.
- Step 4 In a third mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (the coconut, sesame seeds, walnuts, flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt).
- Step 5 Fold the raisin, egg, and applesauce mixture in step 1 with the butter, sugar, and vanilla in step 2 and mix until incorporated.
- Step 6 Combine the flour mixture in step 4 with the raisin and butter mixture in step 5 and blend without overmixing, which will leave your cookies dry.
- Step 7 Bake the cookies. Grease two baking sheets and scoop out 20 (2”) balls, fitting 10 scoops on each baking sheet. For a chewy cookie, don’t flatten the dough and bake for 11-14 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Slightly flatten and bake a little longer for a crisper cookie. Adjust per oven temperature. Tip: the cookies retain their flavor best for 3 days when stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
These cookies are an addiction with their combo of shredded coconut for texture, applesauce for moisture, and sesame seeds for a nutty flavor. Such delights will jumpstart your morning as an accompaniment to your coffee or will cap off your night as an irresistible dessert.
Nutritional Information: serving size: 41 g., servings per recipe: 20, calories: 171, total fat: 7.9 g., saturated fat: 3.9 g., cholesterol: 29 mg., sodium: mg., total carbohydrate: 22.1 g., dietary fiber: 1.7 g., total sugars: 9 g., protein: 3.5 g., calcium: 21 mg., iron: 1.1 mg., potassium: 91 mg., magnesium: 29 mg., vitamin D: 6 IU, vitamin C: 0.1 mg., vitamin B-1: 0.2 mg., folate: 23 µg.
SOURCES:
*Twaddell, Iona. Stone-Age People Were Making Porridge 32,000 Years Ago. NewScientist. 7 September 2015. Last accessed 25 January 2022.
**Blakeslee, Karen. History of Oats. K State Research and Extension. 7 December 2020. Last accessed 25 January 2022.