Cookie Monster

"Cookies are a sometimes food."

That doesn't sound like the Cookie Monster I know.  My fuzzy, blue fanatic screamed "Me want cookie," often with a mouth crammed full of said treats.  Yet, due to the national obesity epidemic, Sesame Street was pressured to change this Muppet's tune.  Like Stephen Colbert, who called Cookie Monster out for "abandoning his pro-cookie agenda" (see video below), I'm equally baffled by this turn of events. 

There must be a better way. Yes, We Can eat cookies that taste good and are good for us. No, it's not Cookie Crisp cereal.  Introducing Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies, brought to you by Heidi Swanson, blogger of the nutritiously delicious  101 Cookbooks site. Like power bars, these cookies pack an energy-boosting punch, thanks to wholesome grains like wheat germ and oatmeal.  

I discovered these cookies when my sister baked a triple batch for a family ski trip. She intended to share them with our sizable crew of 7 cousins and 8 kids, yet, once the adults had their first bite, we unabashedly hid them from the youngsters.  Selfish, yes, but as my cousin, Jonathan, so wisely noted, their premature palates couldn''t tell the difference between processed Chips Ahoy and this home-baked magnificence. These "secret grownup cookies" were so delicious that guilt didn't even enter our minds, which were busy wondering when the next cookie would come, or if we'd get all Lord Of The Flies when we were down to the last one.  

We each became cookie monsters, devouring them for breakfast, après-ski, and dessert. We paired them with coffee for a Breakfast Of Champions.  We slathered vanilla ice cream between two to create incredible ice cream sammies.  

Make your own addictive batch with the recipe below.  Let's show our cookie pride! 

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

from Heidi Swanson 101 Cookbooks

Makes about 2 dozen large cookies.

2 3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup whole wheat flour

2/3 cup wheat bran or germ

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1 tsp fine grain sea salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup firmly packed dark brown or Muscovado sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsps vanilla extract

10 oz Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips 

Preheat the oven to 350F with racks placed in the middle. Line two baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the oats, flour, wheat bran, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Either by hand, or using an electric mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar for 3+ minutes, scraping down sides a few times along the way. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla - scraping the sides of the bowl another time or two. Add the dry mixture, and stir until everything barely comes together. Then stir in the chocolate, mixing until it is evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Use a small ice-cream scoop, spoon, or 1/4 cup measuring cup, to make uniform dough balls. Arrange each cookie at least 3-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. They'll flatten out quite a bit. For extra crisp cookies, bake until deeply, deeply golden on the bottom, about 15+ minutes. Rotate the pans once about 2/3 the way through baking - back to front, top to bottom. Like your cookies a little chewier? Bake for less time. Cool on a rack.  Store in an air-tight container layered between wax paper, adding a piece of bread to ensure freshness.  These are a long-lasting treat (cookie monsters exempt.)  Ours were still delish after 5 days! 

FYI, nothing says lovin' like cookies hot from the oven.  Freeze leftover dough balls (double bagging works best).  To bake, no need to defrost them. Just add on a few extra minutes to the baking time.