Monday, March 19, 2012

Froatmeal Cookies?

Ten weeks.  That's right.  It took ten weeks for us to recover from Christmas cookie overload.  We want cookies again!  We're poking around in the freezer hoping to stumble on some forgotten package of Christmas goodies.  They're long gone.


I've been trying to eat lighter and healthier.  Really!  I have!  But cookies are tough.  Good cookies, with the exception of cookies based on egg whites (yum!) really do require some rich ingredients.  So, I whipped up oatmeal cookies with fruit and dark chocolate.  Not exactly health food, but maybe the oatmeal will help clear our arteries of the butter?  And the chocolate and dried fruit are loaded with antioxidants.  There, you see -- almost healthy cookies!

But what to call them?  Anyone remember Frookies?  I think they were fruit sugar or fruit juice based cookies?  How does Froatmeal sound?  Like something a frog would eat?

Oh!  And lest there be any confusion, these are great. I bundled half the dough and packed it into the freezer so I won't chow down on too many!



Froatmeal Cookies


1 cup dried cherries and diced dried apricots (mixed)
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup boiling water

2 cups oatmeal (not instant)
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with butter.

Pour the orange juice and boiling water over the dried fruit and let sit.

In a bowl, mix together the oatmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Set aside.

Cream the butter with the sugars.  Add the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed.  Mix in the vanilla.  Slowly add the oatmeal mixture. 

Pour the liquid off the dried fruit and add the fruit to the dough.  Mix and add the chocolate chips.

A generous tablespoon-size mound makes a 2 1/2 to 3-inch cookie.  No need to flatten, they do that themselves.  Bake 15 minutes.

Cool and eat!

Makes about 26 large cookies. 



18 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. They are! I'm sorry to say I have discovered that if you bake them and put them in the freezer -- they're *still* good!

      ~ Krista

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  2. hahas! nice i really want to eat healthy cookies, really good for our health thank you for sharing this wonderful post it really help me alot.

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  3. These sound delicious, and I agree they have to be healthy with all that fruit, oatmeal and chocolate. Don't forget butter is dairy and part of the food pyramid.

    Pamela Jo

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    Replies
    1. Pamela, you're so right. How could I have forgotten that butter is dairy? Calcium for our bones!

      ~ Krista

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  4. Yummy! My daughter doesn't like cookies with raisins and fruitish things in them. Too bad! More for me! Can I use dried cranberries (I live only a ocuple of miles from Ocean Spray HQ) instead of dried cherries?

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    Replies
    1. Are you allowed to bake cookies that your daughter won't eat? She's so sweet. Don't tell her this recipe came from me!

      Yes, you're definitely allowed to substitute dried cranberries for the cherries.

      ~ Krista

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  5. Krista, these look perfect for getting healthy. I love oatmeal, though I have to be careful to have the oatmeal made specially for gluten-free. It's amazing how flour clings to other products! But fruit in cookies with chocolate. Yum!

    ~Avery

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    Replies
    1. I love fruit with chocolate. And these are a lot easier to transport than chocolate fondue!

      ~ Krista

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  6. We've been experimenting with making healthy cookies - using applesauce in place of fat and sugar. We've made some great cookies and I have shared the some of the recipes on my blog - I can provide a link if you are interested.

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    Replies
    1. I'd love the link, Sara. I use applesauce a lot. It's a great way to cut back.

      ~ Krista

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  7. Ohhhh, these look and sound good.

    I would love some "healthy" cookies. In the meantime I think I am going to make some Sour Cream cookies using reduced fat sour cream.

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    Replies
    1. Yum, Shawn! Sour cream cookies sound so good. There's just nothing nothing quite like a cookie!

      ~ Krista

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  8. Cherries, apricots, dark chocolate, oatmeal ... I think these practically qualify as medicinal :)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Laura! I see we think alike! LOL!

      ~ Krista

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  9. Here is the link for my applesauce oatmeal cookies http://rockandahardplate.blogspot.com/2012/02/applesauce-oatmeal-cookies.html
    I hope you enjoy. I rather enjoy your recipes as well and share them on occasion in my blog (linked back to you, of course).
    Sara

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Sara! Now I *have* to try these. They sound great.

      Sara, would you do me a favor and email me at Krista at KristaDavis dot com? I've been trying to get in touch with you, but I don't have an email address. Thanks!

      ~ Krista

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