Oatmeal cookies, I had forgotten you...

Before I got out the oats and flour and dried cranberries this weekend, I can't recall the last time I made oatmeal cookies. (Well, other than the dismal banana-oat cookie experiment a week or two prior. Too banana-y for this family. There's your two-sentence Pinterest review. Too dang banana-y.)

But that little dabble into oats-n-cookie land DID pique my interest in looking further for a semi-healthful cookie that could work for an easy weeknight snack.

So I kept looking, and it didn't take long to find a keeper.

Low-Fat Oatmeal Cookies with chocolate chips (or raisins)
(or, in my case, dried cranberries and pecans)
Makes about two dozen
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional--I skipped)
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/4 c plain applesauce
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips or raisins (I skipped)
My substitutions for the chocolate chips:
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars. Beat in the egg, followed by the applesauce and the vanilla extract. Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture and the oats until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Add nuts and cranberries just before the batter comes together.

Drop tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 12-14 minutes at 350F. Cookies will be light brown at the edges, but will not get as dark and golden as regular cookies.

Let cool on sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Husband declared the cookies yummy, though of course they proved a little too healthy for Seth. Quite delicious right out of the oven, and certainly kept well enough overnight... I haven't had one yet today, though. Hmmm. Maybe they could be a twist on my old, favorite breakfast cookie? Ha... probably not quite THAT healthy.

Happy Tuesday! May a cookie find its way to you today.