Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

I usually do a pretty good job eating healthy throughout the week, but something kicks in on the weekend that makes me want to throw the health stuff out the window and chow down on snacks. Then I gain half of the weight I lost throughout the week back!

This weekend has been no exception. Because I went to an Opening Ceremony Party on Friday, I ate lots of treats there and then brought my leftover chips and salsa back to the house. Well, this afternoon I decided I was really in the mood to bake (which rarely happens anymore) and I was hungry for cookies (let’s face it, when am I not hungry for cookies?) but I decided to switch gears and do some healthy substitutions.

To see the original recipe in my Betty Crocker cookbook, you can click here.

Here’s what I came up with. I took a lot of risks (like eliminating the brown sugar and and shortening all together) but the cookies actually were so good I had to put them away so I wouldn’t eat all of them in one sitting!

• 1/4 c truvia (or any sugar substitute equal to 2/3 c sugar)
• 1/4 c butter (room temperature)
• 1 c natural applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 c enriched flour [next time I’ll try whole wheat (+ 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t baking powder), but I didn’t have any on hand]
• 3 c old-fashioned oats
• Cinnamon
• Handful of chocolate chips (if desired)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix everything together except for the flour, oats, cinnamon, and chocolate chips 
3. Slowly stir in flour and oats
4. Spoon out batter onto cookie sheet
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon and top with 4-5 chocolate chips (if desired)
6. Bake for 9-12 minutes