Heavenly Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

When I first realized that I had put on enough weight to make my eyes bulge out of my skull... I decided that I needed to fix what we were eating in the house and definitely select healthier options.

I have a WICKED sweet tooth. I can avoid candies fairly well but this Mama has gotsta have some cakies and some cookies in her life! So I started to search the internet for a healthier version of a chocolate chip cookie and boy-oh-boy there are many!! The only problem was the calorie count. My family's favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (which I will likely share even though it is naughty, naughty!) has a staggering 102 calories in a single 2" cookie. Now if you are anything like me... I can devour 6 two inch cookies before I feel satisfied and willing to stop. Most of these healthy cookie recipes have the healthier alternatives but the calorie per 2" cookie was still close to 100 calories each! So I was on a mission...

I took a few recipes that I found on the web and I slowly started alternating and morphing them into one recipe. After half a dozen test batches and my poor, poor little Woodchuck being forced to taste test each one (I know, I know. Child abuse...) I have developed a recipe that is a WINNER!! I managed to get the calorie count down to a mere 57 calories per 2" cookie - Whoop Whoop!! I will no longer deprive myself of sweets in the name of the almighty diet!

Ingredients:

1 cup quick cook oats
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp salted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Splenda
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*
Finely grind the quick cook oats in food processor until it reaches a similar consistency to flour (picture below). Then mix the ground oats, wheat flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl cream the softened butter with Splenda and brown sugar. Once smooth add the egg and vanilla extract. Once well combined add the applesauce and mix well. Then while mixing add the dry ingredient mixture a little at a time until well combined. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be slightly softer than a typical cookie dough recipe (see below) this is normal!
Drop teaspoon size batter onto cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 11 minutes. Cool on baking rack. Recipe makes 30 two inch cookies.

Each cookie: 57 calories. 9g carbs, 2g fat, 1g protein, 75g sodium, 4g sugar

Don't panic if the cookie dough is a little more wet than a typical dough! It's supposed to look like this:

Give these a try... they are so worth it!