Whole Wheat Oatmeal Coconut Choco-Chip Cooooookies

I love to bake, end of story. Seriously, there is something so comforting about getting out all of your ingredients, carefully measuring the correct amount, mixing it all together, popping it in the oven, then VOILA a sweet treat comes out for you to enjoy! I can bake anytime of day whether it is early morning or late at night. It is always the right time of day to bake. I love that you can always take out an old recipe and without fail it will come out the same almost every time. OK, so maybe you burn your first batch. But usually there is always enough batter left over for a second round. Don't get me wrong I love a good savory dish and cooking is what started me onto this blogging adventure. However, baking will always hold a special place in my heart. So as I'm sitting reading my book tonight (Song of Ice & Fire, A Clash of Kings) I have a hankering for oatmeal cookies. I wanted to make it a slightly healthier version of the classic cookie so I played around a little bit. I actually deviated from the printed recipe, gasp. I am not very good at ad-libbing baked goods. I pretty much will always stick to the exact recipe, so don't expect a huge change from the original. I did put my stamp on this one though. I adapted it from Mark Bittman's Oatmeal Cookie in, How to Cook Everything (my cooking bible, you should get it). 

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Coconut Choco-Chip Cooookies (said as if you are cookie monster!)

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups rolled oats (not the instant)

2 tsp. baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 cup milk (I used skim)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream sugars and butter with an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla beating until well blended. In a separate bowl combine, whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of salt (I used a generous pinch of kosher salt), choco chips, and coconut. Alternating with the milk, add flour mixture to batter by hand stirring with a wooden spoon. Make sure the batter is well blended, it will be quite sticky but that's OK. Drop onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. I made my cookies pretty big so the recipe yielded about 2 1/2 dozen cookies. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are just golden brown. 

This recipe will give you a nice dense oatmeal cookie, with less of the guilt ;) The cookies have a nice earthy tone from the whole wheat flour and a sweet finish with the chocolate and coconut. And as a plus, your house will smell of warm, freshly baked cookies.  Yes, I will admit I was eating two cookies while I wrote this! Somebody must enjoy the benefits of this blog. Let me know if you try them out, I promise you won't regret it.