So what makes this one “healthy”? We decreased the usual amounts of butter and sugar with some help from applesauce, which provides sweetness and moisture to the dough without additional fat. The cookie is mostly oats, with just 1/4 cup of whole-wheat flour—there’s no ultra-refined starches here. But a cookie isn’t a cookie unless it’s a little naughty—so we added some quality dark chocolate chunks and tart dried cherries for the perfect bite. Everything in moderation!
1 c. quick-cooking oats
1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1/4 c. whole-wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 c. applesauce
1/2 c. dried cherries
1/3 c. chopped dark chocolate, plus more for topping
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, and applesauce until combined. Mix in flour mixture until just combined.
- Using a large cooking scoop, arrange balls of dough on prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball slightly.
- Bake until golden around edges, about 12 minutes.
