Salty Oat Cookies

I am thoroughly convinced that these cookies qualify as a health food.

Okay, maybe these cookies are not totally fat or sugar free. But in comparison, i think these cookies are relatively healthier than many out there.

I mean with that amount of oatmeal (10.5 ounces), it has to be right?

Well, health food or not, these cookies definitely re-ignited my love for oatmeal. It’s been a while since i used oatmeal in my bakings, and i forgot just how wonderful it was. The oatmeal gave these cookies a fragrance not quite like any other. I cant really describe it, it’s like wheaty and nutty at the same time. But, Whatever it was, i am definitely definitely loving it. And i am only using quick cooking oats as opposed to rolled oats that the recipe called for. I bet using rolled oats will make the flavour even more pronounced. I shall try that the next time!

To add on to that wholesome deliciousness, these cookies are sprinkled with a lil coarse salt before they are popped into the oven.  Let us take a closer look.

Okays, while the salt grains are not really that visible, their presence is unmistaken. The salt gives the cookies an added dimension, outshining the average common oatmeal cookies.

Coarse grained sea salt. Now, i am not a salt expert, but i did a mini taste test on table salt and sea salt while making these cookies. I was quite surprised at the difference. While sea salt are salty, table salt are much much more saltier. In fact, i found the saltiness in table salt to be a lil offensive. I am not sure whether you can sub table salt for sea salt in sprinkling these cookies, but i would definitely stick with sea salt if i could.

These cookies are best baked till they are just crisp on the outside, while the centers are still soft and moist. With such a low butter content, i think these cookies might turn out rather hard instead of crisp if they were to bake further.

I feel pretty good serving these to my family instead of the usual .. er.. less healthy cookies. At the very least, i feel like i am contributing to their daily fiber quota! 🙂

Recipe from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

1 C (5 ounces) AP flour

1/2 TSP Baking Soda

1/4 TSP Table Salt

16 TBS (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened

1 C (7 ounces) Granulated Sugar

1/4 C packed (13/4 ounces) Light Brown Sugar

1 Large Egg

1 TSP Vanilla Extract

31/2 C (10 ounces) old fashioned Rolled Oats

1/2 TSP Coarse Sea Salt, for Sprinkling

 

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking soda and table salt together in a medium bowl.

2. In a large bowl. beat the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 – 6 minutes. neat in the egg and vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed

3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the oats until just incorporated.

4. Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and lay them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Flatten the cookies to a 3/4 inch thickness with your palm. Sprinkle a few grains of the coarse salt over the flattened tops of each cookie.

5. Bake the cookies until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 15-17 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. (The cookies will look raw between the cracks and seem underdone)

6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.