Kids Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I'm baking for the kids, I try to make treats relatively healthy. They asked for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I took a traditional oatmeal cookie recipe and made a few adjustments. I substituted about half of the white flour with wheat flour, lessened the sugar, added some applesauce in place of half of the butter, and added raisins, walnuts and cranberries. These cookies didn't last very long. It's hard to say who ate more the kids or the adults.

Kids Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes approximately 42 cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 335 degrees F. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, cream butter, brown sugar and sugar in a large bowl. Mix in applesauce. Beat in eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

3. In a medium bowl whisk whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Combine flour mixture with butter mixture and mix just until blended. Stir in oats, walnuts, chocolate chips, raisins and cranberries.

4. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheet. Each sheet fits 12 cookies. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to wire rack to finish cooling.