Oatmeal, Cranberry & Flaxseed Cookies

Abingdon Cookie Time Jar

By Cat, Dec 2011 (Photo, right, from Wikipedia; link has been lost)

Cindy, one of my baking friends, tried the original recipe in the advertisement; her husband said they are the best cookies she’s ever made, both chewy and crisp at the same time. Cindy says the secret is not to bake them too long. They won’t look done when it’s time to take them from the oven.

I’ve made some modifications using more healthful ingredients in my version. Plus I suggest a possible pre-soaked grain version, but it may not work. If you have access to sprouted whole wheat flour, that would be a better option, using that instead of whole wheat flour in my original version.

See also: 1. Cookie Menu; 2. Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, Dried Fruit and Nut Cookies

Oatmeal, Cranberry and Flaxseed Cookies

This recipe is adapted from an advertisement from Huckleberries Natural Market (1) (within Rosauers Grocery). I’ve not modified it in any way. But below the original recipe is my adaptation.

The original recipe used part white and part brown sugar, but I would prefer to use all Rapadura; or use xylitol for the white sugar and Rapadura for the brown sugar. The original also used 2 cups all-purpose flour, but I prefer to use a combo of whole grain and unbleached white flours. However, when Cindy tested the recipe, she made it as written.

This version does not use stevia, but part of the sweetener can be xylitol for a lower glycemic value. Or try using date ‘sugar’ for part of the brown or Rapadura sugar. (See my Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, Dried Fruit and Nut Cookies for an example of using date sugar).

Makes 30 – 36 cookies.

Ingredients & Equipment

• 1/2 cup real butter, melted & cooled
• 1 1/2 cups Rapadura sugar (or 3/4 cup xylitol or white cane sugar and 3/4 cup Rapadura or brown cane sugar)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or hard white whole wheat flour)
• 3/4 – 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking or old fashioned rolled oats (not instant oatmeal)
• 1 cup dried cranberries (use the kind sweetened with apple juice rather than HFCS, or use dried or fresh huckleberries, or dried blueberries), or fresh cranberries
• Equipment:
• cookie sheets
• bakers’ parchment
• medium & large bowls
• wire rack

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, cream melted butter and sugars; beat in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix in ground flaxseeds until mixture is smooth.
3. Dredge cranberries in the oats.
4. Sift flours (using 3/4 cup of the white flour) with baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture until almost combined, then add in the oats and dried cranberries, and stir until dough comes together with no streaks of flour remaining, adding more white flour by the tablespoon as needed for proper texture.
5. Drop 1-inch balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving a little room for the cookies to spread.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are set. The tops should have very minimal browning and the bottoms should be only light brown. They will not look ‘done’ but will cook more while cooling.
7. Cool for a minute on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Presoaked, Whole-Grain Version, with Stevia

I’ve not tested this so it may need some modification. I’m not certain the presoak ingredients will work – the combo could be too dry, even with up to 4 Tbsp extra water. Adding even more water will require adding too much coconut flour the next day.

I’ve replaced quick-cooking oats (a processed food) with old fashioned rolled oats – best if you roll oat groats yourself right before starting the recipe). I’ve also replaced most of the all-purpose flour with whole grain flour (best if ground from the groats right before starting the recipe). This combo is then combined with butter, coconut oil and soaking mixture for an overnight soak.

In the ‘next day’ part, I’ve replaced the remaining all-purpose or white flour with coconut flour, which will soak up the soaking liquid. And I’ve replaced most of the sugars with stevia, because I’m avoiding sugar. However, I’m not sure how this will bake – the result may be too crisp without all the sugar. In that case, I’d experiment with reducing the stevia 1/4 tsp at a time, and increasing the sugar 1/4 cup at a time, until the baked texture is right.

Ingredients & Equipment

• Presoak:
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups whole grain flour
• 1/4 cup real butter, melted
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp liquid whey or yogurt
• filtered water
• Next day:
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
• 1 tsp stevia extract powder
• 1 cup dried cranberries (use the kind sweetened with apple juice rather than HFCS, or use dried or fresh huckleberries, or dried blueberries)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup Rapadura sugar (or 3 Tbsp Rapadura and 1 Tbsp maple syrup)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
• Equipment:
• cookie sheets
• bakers’ parchment
• medium & large bowls
• glass measuring cup
• wire rack

Method:

1. Presoak: Combine oats and whole grain flour in large bowl. Cut in butter and coconut oil.
2. Measure 1 Tbsp whey/yogurt into a measuring cup; add enough water to make 1/2 cup. Stir into oat/flour/butter mixture, and form into a ball.  If mixture is too dry to form a dough, add more water 1 Tbsp at a time, and keep track of how much you have added, up to 4 Tbsp. Wrap in waxed paper and cover with a cloth to rest on counter overnight.
3. Next day: Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line cookie sheets with baking parchment paper.
4. Check presoak dough; if too firm to work with, set in a warm place to warm the butter and coconut oil until the dough can be worked.
5. Sift together coconut flour, baking soda, salt and stevia powder. If you added extra water for presoak, increase the coconut flour by the same amount. Add cranberries and combine. Set aside to dredge.
6. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar/maple syrup, vanilla extract and ground flaxseeds until mixture is smooth. Stir into soaked mixture until just combined.
7. Add dredged mixture and stir until dough comes together with no streaks of flour remaining.
8. Drop 1-inch balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving a little room for the cookies to spread.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are set. The tops should have very minimal browning and the bottoms should be only light brown. They will not look ‘done’ but will cook more while cooling.
10. Cool for a minute on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

References:

1. Huckleberry’s Natural Market (huckleberrysnaturalmarket.com) in Roseauer’s (rosauers.com)