Breakfast Cookies

Last week I did get around to cleaning out the fridge and freezer. I noticed that I'm running low on what we like to call "Breakfast Cookies", so I put that on my "to do" list and Matthew and I baked some up yesterday morning. I always eat breakfast on the go so these treats are perfect because they have everything you want for breakfast, packaged up in a cookie. In addition, Matthew thinks they are just ordinary cookies, despite their healthy origins! Who needs to buy granola bars or pop tarts when you've got a recipe like this! The recipe makes between 45 and 60 cookies, which I keep in the freezer and grab when I need them. I nuke 2 for about 30 seconds and run out the door!

The original recipe is called "Breakfast in a Cookie" and is from Lickety Split Meals, by Zonya Foco. You may recall my post, a few months ago, about this great cookbook. I love the great oatmeal/ cranberry/ citrus flavors. Filling, yet refreshing. After making the cookies a few times, I've adapted it to my own preferences and what I tend to keep in the house. Here is my adaptation of the recipe we have come to call "Breakfast Cookies":

1 cup oat flour (I just chop up oatmeal in my food processor until very fine)
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup + 1 T applesauce, unsweetened
2 T canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1T maple syrup
1/2 cup fi rmly packed brown sugar
3 lg eggs
2 T vanilla extract
1 T grated orange rind
3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour*
1 T baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 cup nonfat dry milk
2½ cups oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned)
1 cup pecans or almonds
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup ground flax seed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix oat flour & orange juice together in a small bowl and set aside to soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine applesauce through orange rind in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, until smooth. Measure flour, soda and powder into a sifter and sift over applesauce mixture. Add the soaked oat flour and remaining ingredients to the large bowl and mix thoroughly with a strong wooden spoon. Drop by slightly heaping tablespoons 1" apart. (To save time, load cookie sheets up with as many cookies as possible, baking 2 trays at a time.
Stagger trays 1 to the left and 1 to the right, to allow air circulation around each outer
edge.) Bake until lightly browned or 12 to 14 minutes.

*If you don’t have whole-wheat pastry flour, you can substitute with 1½ cups white and 1 1/2 cups wheat flour.

Photo Credit: oat flour by sweetbeetandgreenbean