These cookies are sneaky, in a great way. At first glance, you might think they’re ordinary oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. But when you bite into one, you’ll quickly detect that there’s a whole lot more going on, thanks the cardamom, coconut and nuts. I designed this recipe as a great way to use up small amounts of baking ingredients. If you like, you can swap in oat flour for the whole wheat, or simply use 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour. Unbaked dough, well-wrapped, can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground cardamom or cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon (3.7 mL) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) sea salt
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) white (granulated) sugar
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (310 mL) quick cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) flaked coconut (unsweetened or sweetened)
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) dark or milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) coarsely chopped peanuts, cashews, pecans or walnuts
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cardamom or cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl (use a stand mixer if you have one), beat the butter and sugars together just until well blended. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract just until combined.
- Add the flour mixture and blend just until no dry traces remain. Add the oats, coconut, chocolate and nuts and blend until evenly combined.
- Divide the dough in half and transfer each portion to a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Shape each one into a cylinder about 1 1/2 inches in diameter x 8 inches long (3.75 cm x 20 cm).
- Wrap dough tightly and place in the fridge for at least one hour or up to three days.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Unwrap the cylinder of dough and slice each cylinder into 16 even pieces (each about 1/2 inch or 1.25 cm thick). Place the pieces of dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a few inches between each one.
- Bake for 9 – 10 minutes (they will look undercooked but will be done and deliciously chewy).
Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Paula Roy
