Good For You Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

These aren’t just any cookies.  Oh no.  Yes, they are chewy and crunchy and sweet.  But they are also good for you.

Years ago, I came across a recipe for cookies made with canola oil.  And while with certain recipes I am definitely a purest (Low fat alfredo?  Uh..No.) there are as many cookie recipes out there as there are people.  Variety is good.  We should all have variety in our lives.  And a cookie made with canola oil tells me two things.  First of all, it means I don’t have to have softened butter on hand or take the time to cream it with sugar.  Second, it means that I can cut out fat and calories, making the recipe better for my arteries.  But none of those things is worth it if the food tastes terrible.  Taste is the ultimate deciding factor in any recipe.  So I started experimenting.  And ultimately, this was the result.

You dump the ingredients in a bowl, mix it up, and bake them.  They are fast, easy, and while they do have a wonderful amount of brown sugar in them-hence, the crispy and chewy texture we all crave in a cookie-they are as good for you as they can be and still taste like a treat.  I make these all the time.  Especially when we have company over.  Its fun to pass them around and see the look on their face, which is inevitably followed by “These are good for you?  Wow!”

So direct from my kitchen to yours.  Give them a try.  And maybe have two! Good For You Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies-Recipe modified 1/7/13
You can absolutely use any combination of dried fruit and chocolate and even nuts that you like!

In a large bowl, combine:
1 1/4 c brown sugar
1 c canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Add: 3/4 c oatmeal
1/4 c wheat germ
1 c white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour
1 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix until well combined and add 1 c chocolate chips and 1 c dried cranberries.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a greased or parchment covered sheet pan, pressing to flatten just slightly.  Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes or until slightly golden brown on top.