“Healthy” Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

As many teachers will attest, working with students all day is tough.  Mix that with the long hours (and the early wake up call) and all the sudden there isn’t much time for anything else.  This was true for me my first year out of college, and unfortunately spending time in the kitchen was one of the first things to go. While I was able to resist Trader Joe’s entrees and frozen pizzas in favor of quick stir fries, baking was left largely for special occasions.

However, my neighbor downstairs was an exception to this rule.  She would often come upstairs bearing plates of hot cookies, and there was nothing better than her mom’s recipe for “healthy” chocolate chip cookies.  Whether or not these are actually good for you is probably a matter for debate, but after one bite few people will need convincing.

Either way, the blend of different flours (oat, almond, and wheat) make these cookies taste truly unique. The hazelnuts add an extra element of flavor, although they can be substituted with other nuts if necessary (walnuts and pecans would work well I think).

And, while the list of dry ingredients looks daunting, its definitely worth the effort. Any leftover almond meal can be used in many other recipes (crumbles, crisps, muffins) and the oat flour can be made easily by processing old fashioned oats in a blender or food processor. If you are feeling particularly ambitious, double the dry ingredients and save half of the mixture in the pantry for later.

“Healthy” Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookie Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put oats in a blender and grind until fine.  Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a medium bowl (ground oats, flour, almond meal, wheat germ, salt, and baking soda) and set aside.
3. Beat butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium until fluffy.  Add canola oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Beat until smooth and creamy.
4. With the stand mixer on low, add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
5. Stir in hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
6. Roll cookie dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter and place on a buttered cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
7. Enjoy!