Chocolate Chunk Oat Cookies

Indulging in a sweet treat doesn’t have to be synonymous with compromising your health. These Healthy Chocolate Chunk Oat Cookies are a delightful blend of wholesome ingredients that will satisfy your sweet cravings.

Packed with the goodness of oats, spelt flour, and the natural sweetness of Mascobado cane sugar, these cookies are a healthy alternative to traditional recipes. With just 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of plant-based butter blended with natural applesauce, these cookies redefine the notion of a healthier indulgence.

In addition, I’ve limited the sugar to 1/2 cup and added some desiccated coconut, lending a satisfying chewy-crunch and a mild nutty undertone to every bite.

Should you make them, I recommend using good quality 70-80% dark chocolate.

The easy, step-by-step recipe is below.

Chocolate Chunk Oat Cookies

Makes about 16 cookies

Equipment: one baking sheet lined with parchment, hand held whisk, mixing bowls.

INGREDIENTS

¹/₂ cup (145 gr.) natural apple sauce, unsweetened & at room temp.
¹/₄ cup or 4 tablespoons (55 gr) plant butter, softened at room temp.
2 teaspoons (tsp) vanilla paste or extract
¹/₂ cup (80 gr) granulated Mascobado cane sugar or coconut sugar
1 cup (140 gr) light spelt flour (farine d’épeautre claire)
1 cup (120 gr) small-size rolled oats
¹/₂ cup (45 gr) desiccated shredded coconut or finely chopped walnuts (or other nuts)
¹/₂ tsp baking soda
¹/₄ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon (option)
¹/₂ cup (75 gr) 70-80% dark chocolate, chopped in chunks or chocolate chips

PROCEDURE

Prepare, measure all ingredients.

2. Preheat oven to 175° C or 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the apple sauce, plant butter and vanilla. Note: with some plant butters, the fat content may separate when mixed with the apple sauce, leaving butter granules in the mixture. No worries, it will not affect the cookies.

4. Then, add the sugar and whisk again until combined and sugar has dissolved.

5. In a bigger bowl, add the spelt flour, rolled oats, coconut, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix the dry ingredients until well combined.

6. Add the apple sauce/butter mixture to the dry flour/oat mixture. With a spatula, mix and fold until the dry and wet ingredients are fully combined. Don’t over mix.

7. Fold in the chopped chocolate.

8. Use an ice cream or cookie scoop and place about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Lightly press down on the top of each cookie with a fork so that they are about 1cm thick.

9. Bake on middle rack in heated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are just slightly golden. In my oven, they bake for 14 min.

10. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 10-15 minutes as they will continue to come together on the heated sheet. Then transfer with a spatula to a wired rack to cool completely.