April 19, 2008

Emily's Rather Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was adapted from a brilliant chocolate chip cookie recipe that my mom has been in possession of for the last several years. While the original is delicious, it's not so great for those of us watching our sugar intake and such. For those not familiar with agave nectar, it is a great alternative ingredient for, in this case, both brown and white sugar. Less of the nectar is required for an equivalent amount of sweetness and the glycemic index is drastically lower.

Thus...a healthier version is born.

  • 1/2-3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 12 oz. agave nectar (this can be found at Trader Joe's and in the health food section at Fred Meyer's)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 cups Quick Oats
  • 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2-1 cup chopped nuts (I usually use pecans)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and agave nectar together until well incorporated. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and mix well, adding more flour or oats if the batter seems too wet or sticky. Drop batter in large rounded tablespoons (I use a medium-sized cookie scoop) onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Keep in mind that cookies will not tend to flatten or change shape from how they were originally placed on the cookie sheet. After a few minutes, transfer cookies to a wire rack or a sheet of waxed paper to cool.