Morning Cookies

I love this recipe!! Growing up, my best friend's mom would make these for breakfast when I'd sleep over!! I loved them!! Years later, I asked for the recipe. Turns out they aren't really cookies at all! they are very healthy!! My husband thinks they are terrible!! the name is deceptive, but it gets kids eating them :) I never knew they weren't really cookies until I made them myself.

Here's the ingredients...

You may notice thinks like all-bran, oats, nonfat dry milk, raisins, applesauce, whole wheat flour, etc. not your typical cookie line up. But trust me, try them just once, you'll like them and you'll feel good about eating them.

First, beat 1/4 cup butter with 1/2 cup packed brown sugar.

mix it up real nice.

Next, add EVERYTHING else (ingredients will be listed below in a real recipe format)

Mix it up real nice again.

Finally, add 1/2 cup raisins and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts.

Now, I ALWAYS add about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips as well. I figure, everything else in the cookie is healthy, why not add some chocolate and spice things up?

(PS I'm very messy when I bake, so I always lay out a couple of paper towels and do all of my measuring on top of them. When I spill - which I always do - it's no big deal. Clean up is so easy- just roll up the paper towels and toss!)

Next, spray a baking sheet with some Pam. (I've tried the Pam for baking before- and i do NOT like it, makes my food burn and my pans sticky. so I'm back on regular Pam)

Now, put a rounded tablespoon of dough on the baking sheet. I actually do use the tablespoon- it helps keep everything equal in size and makes baking times very consistent.

Now, you have to spread out the dough into about a 2 inch circle. You really have to do this. These cookies do NOT spread out while cooking at all. And if you don't smooth them down, they will be very tall and not baked all the way through. I know from experience. (In a Billy Madison voice)

Here's my 2 inch cookie before baking.

Here's my 2 inch cookies after baking. no change. literally.

Move them to a wire rack to cool.

The final step... you must make these cookies into cookie sandwiches. It is delicious! Spread one cookie with either peanut butter or cream cheese and then top with a second cookie. Delish!! i love both. I usually eat one of each. I don't want Peanut Butter to feel left out if I only eat Cream Cheese, I'm just being fair :)

Morning Cookies

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup applesauce

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup wheat bran ( I use all-bran cereal, couldn't find anything else)

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

(1/2 cup chocolate chips)

peanut butter or cream cheese

In mixer bowl, beat butter and brown sugar well.

Add flour, applesauce, oats, bran, milk powder, egg white, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and cloves.

Beat on low until just combined.

Stir in raisins, nuts, and chocolate chips.

Spray baking sheet with Pam.

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough,, 2-3 inches apart on baking sheet.

Spread dough so each cookies 2 inches across.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until set.

Cool on wire rack

Make sandwiches with cream cheese or peanut butter.

Chill or wrap and freeze.

If frozen, let thaw in fridge over night.

(makes about 8 sandwiches - sometimes more )