Dark Chocolate Whole Wheat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Today has been a day of pure success...well, almost. So as I've mentioned in my "About Me" section, I'm currently a graduate student in psychology--I specifically do research using neuroimaging in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Being a student or working in any field that includes any form of research is a bit...challenging. Not challenging because it's hard, but challenging because research has the tendency to be SUPER exciting, and VERY draining at the same time. Example: For the past couple weeks, I've been trying to get this button box to work (basically used to record responses to a task). First the problem was my version of Windows (no 64-bit)...but I proved them wrong... got it working on there just fine. THEN the issue was the task presentation software. Basically, long story short, thanks to a tech working at the button box company and his help today--all is good in research hood. Yes I just said that. So I went from being purely disappointed in all things research one day, to being super happy and excited today just because when I press the darn button... IT WORKS!!! 

I digress. 

The real reason I'm writing today, is to share my most recent little baking feat. You see, in baking, I not only have to impress my pallet, but I also have to figure out how to tweak things so that they're healthy (yay for me!) but at the same time taste not so healthy (yay for husband!). It's a challenge. So when I use whole wheat flour, I usually try and make the product moist enough, flavorful enough, but without all the added oil and bad sugars. 

Again, long story short, I ran out of all purpose flour to mix with my whole wheat flour to create a cookie that was less wheat-y tasting and more cookie tasting so my husband would eat them. Meh. 

Yay for google. I adapted this recipe from Todd Porter and Diane Cu on the Cooking Channel Blog. Changed some things around, added some dark chocolate, and created something of a cakey cookie that I love (and that my husband couldn't tell was healthier than the average cookie recipe). He did suggest that next time I try and make it more cookie texture and less cake texture, which is a valid point--but I really do like these and hope you guys will too. (There will definitely be more pictures for my future recipes). The recipe calls for unsweetened applesauce (in place of most of the oil), which I made myself and is SUPER easy. I'll include directions for that below too. 

Dark Chocolate Whole Wheat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

(Makes 22-24 cookies) 

• 1 cup Thompson Raisins (I had these on hand, but any type of raisin will work)
• Water (enough to cover raisins)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (I like cinnamon and added a 1/4 tsp more) 
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs unsalted butter 
• 1/4 cup agave syrup (low glycemic)
• 1/4 cup Stevia (not granulated, just out of the packets) 
• 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (I assume quick oats would work too--but the fiber in the rolled oats is more and therefore better for you)
• 1/2 bar of your favorite dark chocolate chopped (I used  3 squares of Kras Anno Domini 60% Dark Chocolate (chopped into chip size pieces) which I got our local grocery store (they sell imported European chocolates)--an easy to find replacement would be Ghirardelli's 60% Intense Dark Chocolate. I also added 1/3 cup Ghirardelli's double chocolate bittersweet chips. Essentially, this is what I had on hand.) 

Homemade Applesauce Directions:

• Peel and core one medium apple--I used Fuji because it was what I had on had and because it has a nice natural sweetness to it.
• Chop apple into small pieces and place in sauce pan with a few tablespoons of water. Turn heat to medium and cover pan. When water begins to simmer, turn down to medium low.
• Allow apples to soften (about 15 minutes--I allowed them to cook down a bit while I prepared the other ingredients for the cookies).
• Mash with back of wooden spoon once soft. If they're not of mashable-with-spoon consistency, run them quickly through a blender or use a soup puree to puree the apples. Allow to cool sliightly and it's ready to use!! Super easy.

Baking Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray lightly with oil.
• In a small bowl, place your raisins and cover with warm water--set aside to macerate.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, using a hand or table top mixer, cream together butter and all sugars (agave, truvia, and brown). 
• Add egg, applesauce, and vanilla extract to butter and sugar mixture and stir with wooden spoon to combine. 
• Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients. Fold in drained raisins, oats, and chocolate. 
• Drop rounded tablespoons of batter on lined and sprayed baking sheet, each a couple inches apart from the net. Flatten tops of cookies slightly. 
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are browned around the edges and still a tiny bit wet in the center.
• Remove from oven; allow to cool 5-10 minutes on baking sheet, and the move to cooling rack.
• Enjoy with a glass of milk! (I love almond milk with this--more on that soon.)

Again, these cookies are soft, very moist, and for 24 cookies, that's about 108 calories per cookie! 

Let me know if you guys want me to post more detailed nutritional info for the recipes I put up--it's something I always calculate for myself, so it'll be easy peas-y to just post that here too. Also, if you have any dietary restrictions (diabetic, vegan, etc etc...) feel free to ask me how to best adapt this recipe! 

Thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts!