“My husband Richard always loved his mom’s oatmeal cookies, but I rarely made them myself… until I created a more healthful version. This recipe is designed to dirty as few dishes as possible, and it does not require the use of an electric mixer. (You can use a mixer if you prefer, by following the instructions under Variations.) These granola-like cookies are a delicious snack for adults and kids alike.” ~ Bobbi
If you don’t have brown sugar in your pantry, no problem! Brown sugar is simply granulated sugar with added molasses. You can make your own by following our tip on How to Make Your Own Brown Sugar.
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| Prep Time | |
| 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 10 minutes, per batch baked | 30-60 minutes recommended |
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- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar firmly packed*
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup chopped nuts
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup currants or raisins
- Melt butter in a large saucepan. Remove from heat to cool for a few minutes while you continue.
- Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and stir.
- Chop nuts and measure out dried fruit. Set aside.
- Return to slightly cooled butter and add brown sugar and molasses*. (No need to transfer to a bowl. This cuts down on clean up.) Stir with a whisk (or spoon).
- Add egg and beat lightly, until smooth. (If the butter is too hot, the egg will cook somewhat, so make sure it has cooled enough.) Stir in vanilla.
- Add flour mixture to the saucepan and stir just until flour is incorporated.
- Add nuts, oats, and currants. Stir well.
- We recommend chilling the dough at least 60 minutes.
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray or rub oil onto baking sheet, unless it’s non-stick.
- Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of dough, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, and drop onto the baking sheet, or form into a ball. Place remaining dough in the refrigerator, while cookies bake.
- Bake 10 minutes. Use your timer so you don’t forget about them! Keep in mind that they will continue to cook somewhat after being removed from the oven, so don’t overcook them if you want chewy cookies.
- Cool cookies about 1 minute then transfer to a cooling rack (or a piece of parchment or wax paper) to finish cooling.
- Store in an airtight container.
*Tips:
a) See How to Measure Brown Sugar.
b) Spray measuring spoon with oil before measuring molasses, so it will pour out easily.
c) If you want to refrigerate dough overnight or longer, form into a ball or a cylinder and wrap in waxed paper. You can store this in a plastic bag and even freeze it if desired.
*Technique:
Most butter comes in sticks with indicator lines for cutting into tablespoons, 1/4 cup, and 1/2 cup (the whole stick). However, you might have an unmarked block of butter, or a tub of coconut oil. An easy technique for measuring in that case is the displacement method. To measure 1/2 cup butter, place 1-1/2 cups cold water into a 2-cup measuring cup. Add the butter, a spoonful at a time, until the level reaches the 2-cup mark. Pour off the water and you’ll have the proper amount of butter, with no mess. This also works well for coconut oil, which can be substituted for the butter.
VARIATIONS:
- With an electric mixer. To make with an electric mixer, soften butter by leaving it on the counter for about 30 minutes. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer, until fluffy. Beat in molasses and vanilla, then the egg. Add dry ingredients and continue with the directions above.
- Substitute 1/2 cup shredded coconut for 1/2 cup of oats.
- Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup chopped dates, or other dried fruit (like cranberries, cherries, apricots, or apples) in place of, or in addition to, currants.
- Add 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed to any variation.
- Substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for 1 stick of butter, adding with the sugar. This lowers the fat and calorie count, but changes the texture and taste slightly.
A fan favorite and also MY favorite! I’ve made these cookies so many times and every time they’re gone my friends and family ask me to make more! So yummy!
They’re definitely a fan favorite here too. They’re so versatile, with many creative variations possible too. Try them with cranberries and cashews instead of currants and pecans, substituting maple syrup for the molasses. Such a nice festive alternative!