Apple Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Let’s see.. what’s going on with me lately.

I’m 8 episodes into Orange is the New Black… was Donna from That 70s Show always this hot? I think it’s the eyeliner. I love a good cateye.

I’m horribly addicted to threes. My top score is 24,921, which sounds impressive, but not if you hear how often I play.

I’m down 3 out of the 10 pounds I am aiming to lose… and would really rather be eating chocolate than the little bowl (and I do mean little. Prep bowl little) of blueberries next to me.

I love fruit, I do, but a girl needs her chocolate.  Not that I’ve cut out chocolate (I would never), but if you’re trying to shed a lumpy tire, not every single baked good can be oozing with chocolate.

That’s how I gained back the 10 (now 7) I have on.

These cookies have whole, real chunks of apple in them. Fruit chunks instead of chocolate chunks! Who’d’ve thunk.

It’s one of those… look at all these healthy things I threw in these, they must be good for me, right?

As usual, no… not really.

I mean, they could definitely be worse. Oats, apples, walnuts, all good things! In many ways! Definitely a healthier group than my drear loves chocolate, caramel and birthday cake.

Yes, birthday cake deserves its own call out. But good, moist, multi-layer, real buttercream, no supermarket bull-cake birthday cake.

I could probably eat an entire birthday cake right now.

Mmmmmmmm….

.. …wait…what was I talking about?

Oh yes… “healthy” cookies.

I’m a girl who counts calories to lose weight. It’s the only thing I do, nothing gets cut out. That’s how I still eat chocolate and the occasional sliver of birthday cake. Or a whoopie pie if I eat a reeeeally small lunch.

So that’s the thing about these cookies. Their ingredient list may be a little more respectable (if you’re using a doctor’s definition of respectable as opposed to mine) but calorie-wise they’re not that much better for me than other cookies.

But they do however, kind of taste like crumble top apple pie in cookie form, and crumble top apple pie evokes very special emotions in me.

And when I have a calorie limit I have to watch every day, I need the occasion small comfort.

Chocolate comforts me because it’s sweet and familiar and I always want some.

Warm apples and cinnamon comfort me because the taste of them feel likes a hug in food form.

7 to go.

Recipe from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• generous pinch fresh grated nutmeg
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1 medium tart baking apple, peeled, diced small (I used a granny smith)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
2. Peel and dice the apple and toss with lemon juice. Set aside.
3. Cream together the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg, beating for 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract and beat until blended.
4. Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture slowly beating on low speed until just incorporated.  Stir in the walnuts and apple chunks last with a spatula or wooden spoon.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 13 minutes or until they’ve reached your desired doneness.  Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approx. 2 dozen cookies.

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