“Make a healthy cookie.” Kind of seems like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?
Don't get me wrong, I'm into healthy eating and taking care of my body. But I went into this assignment a little skeptical that I would make something that could live up to the cookies of my childhood.
But I started thinking, what are my favorite cookies? Well, chocolate chip, obviously. I whipped up vegan chocolate chip cookies - with coconut oil and flax meal egg replacer - that kept bringing me back for more. I presented it to fellow blogger, PJ Hamel – maybe not quite the healthy she was thinking, but so delicious none the less!
“Muesli is pretty popular now.” So I swung in a new direction.
That brought me to my second favorite cookie: oatmeal raisin. I could make an oatmeal-type cookie that's healthier than the typical butter-and-sugar-filled version. Fill it with whole grains, nuts, and dried fruit – perfection.
Muesli is typically considered a breakfast item. It consists of raw ingredients like grains, nuts, dried fruits, and seeds... all of those things I was just thinking of adding to my cookie. So it makes perfect sense to make a muesli cookie, right?
Muesli cookies are unbelievably easy to make. It can all be done in a single bowl, which saves on dishes. And they're filling, tasty, and good for you. A win/win/win in my eyes!
I’ve noticed that picky children (and husbands) who would normally avoid any and all attempts to be fed something healthy will always eat things filled with chocolate. It’s like everything else fades into the background at the glimpse of those sweet little chips. If you find that to be the case, bittersweet or dark chocolate chips are a great addition to the mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup golden flax meal
1/2 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3/4 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
You can make this recipe with store-bought muesli mix, or change up the homemade with whatever combination of raw oats, whole wheat, nuts, and dried fruit you’d like. Malted wheat flakes, pumpkin seeds, dried apricot, whole rye, whole barley flakes, sliced almonds; it really is sort of whatever healthy bits you have in the pantry.
For the purpose of the cookie recipe, make sure that you're using 2 cups of your muesli mixture, remembering to add in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to your dry ingredient pile. The flour is going to hold your cookie together, so it's crucial to include it.
Mix together 1 large egg, 1/2 cup honey, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Stir into the dry ingredients until fully combined. It's really that simple.
Scoop by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheet.
Flatten each cookie slightly with the palm of your hand, or your fingertips.
Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges begin to darken. They won't change drastically. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool fully before storing.
These muesli cookies are versatile, tasty, AND you can pat yourself on the back when you eat one of these, because you're making a "smarter choice." Each cookie contains 3g of protein and 2g of fiber.
Take them with you on your hiking/biking/extreme exercise ventures. Not only do they pack-up and travel like tiny champions, the honey is going to give you that instant boost of energy, while the muesli gives you long lasting fuel to get you through even the most grueling workout.
Feed them to your kiddos as a tasty treat. Feel free to throw out your best evil laugh when you’ve deceived them into thinking it's just an a normal, indulgent little treat.
That applies to tricking your spouse, too, of course.
Please, bake, rate, and review our recipe for Muesli Cookies.
Recipe in this post
