Day 395 | Oatmeal Cookies

Remember when I mentioned Chris's favorite cookies? Time to give my own top pick a shout out.

I'm a sucker for the oatmeal chocolate chip variety and think I just stumbled upon the perfect recipe. I know, I'm excited, too. They are super soft and are perfectly delicious (think texture and sweet/salty balance). You won't be disappointed, I swear!

Here's the original recipe, but you'll find the modified recipe that I used below.

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

 Directions

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter, applesauce, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. 
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

*I'd like to point out that I didn't substitute applesauce for butter to be healthier (note the amount of sugar in the recipe), so don't put me in that box. I had only softened one stick of butter and didn't want to fight with a cold stick trying to get it to the same consistency. And, I think the applesauce made the recipe. They are so much softer and fluffier than I've been able to get any other recipe. Yay for happy accidents!