SKINNY OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

I like cookies that are the size of a saucer.

A good oatmeal cookie in my books is crispy, slightly chewy, and full of oat-ey-licious goodness. Oh yeah…and wafer-thin! Ha! you didn’t think it would actually be low in calories from the title, did you?

No, today, it’s all about the butter and sugar, lovey. Head over to one of my low carb recipes instead for inspiration if you feel mislead. No, these cookies are full fat! and chock full of dark chocolate chunks! A Skinny Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie from my kitchen is the size of a saucer, fooling your brain into thinking you’re eating a behemoth. But wait. There’s a sliver of health in this delicate biscuit. It’s full of fibre and though it looks really big, it’s still the same amount of cookie dough per cookie, but it’s smooshed flat prior to baking so that the resulting cookie is super thin, crispy all around and ever so slightly chewy from the large old-fashioned rolled oats. It’s all smoke and mirrors, people.

In order to achieve these super thin oatmeal cookies, which are approximately 4 to 5 inches in diameter, I rolled the cookie dough into a neat ball and pressed them flat on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Because they were a tad sticky, I used plastic wrap over the dough balls to make my life a lot easier and my hands much cleaner. The biggest cookie I made was about 5 inches and it was a thing of beauty. My 6 year old eyed that one first. It was particularly thin and it was almost more like a chip than a cookie in appearance.

Though the original recipe called for flattening the dough to 3/4 inch in thickness, I didn’t find that the resulting cookie was thin enough for my liking. I actually ended up flattening them down to 3/8 inch (about 1cm) and was extremely happy with the crunchy results. You need to watch the first batch carefully and adjust the time in the oven to ensure you don’t burn them. I ended up baking them for 13 minutes at 350 degrees F.

You can only make a cookie happier if you toss in quality dark chocolate chunks. I would hazard a guess that healthier folk may like to add chopped dried fruit or craisins; dried cherries and the like. I like oatmeal cookies that are super thin and enjoy them even more so when they are baked until golden brown. Maybe even a tad darker.

These were so good that I think I’ll be making them again very soon. Because I’m a mommy, and fibre is good, I added an extra shot of fibre in the form of inulin (Fibre Sure), which is a natural vegetable fibre derived from chicory root. You can only relate to the necessity of this extra shot of insurance if you have kids. Sometimes I add extra flax seed, but the inulin was totally undetectable. Let’s just say, better safe than sorry. Ahem. Trust me.

SKINNY CRISPY OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

(adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, “The Best of America’s Test Kitchen: Best Recipes and Reviews 2009”)

makes 24

• 1 cup (5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 14 tablespoons ( 1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed ( 1 3/4 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• [cakebrain’s additions: 1 cup dark chocolate chunks & 2 tablespoons Fibre Sure]

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 large (18- by 13-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars at medium-low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute longer. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium0low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl again. With the mixer running at low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated and smooth, 10 seconds. With the mixer still running on low, gradually add the oats and mix until well incorporated, 20 seconds. [cakebrain’s note: add Fibre Sure, if you need it and toss in the chocolate chunks] Give the dough a final stir with the rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. Divide the dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons, then roll between the palms of your hands into balls. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 1/2 inches apart, 8 dough balls per sheet. Using your fingertips, gently press each dough ball to 3/4-inch thickness [cakebrain’s note: I used plastic wrap to assist and flattened them down to 3/8-inch thickness]
4. Bake one sheet at a time until the cookies are deep golden brown, the edges are crisp, and the centres yield to slight pressure when pressed, 13 to 16 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. [cakebrain’s note: I baked mine for 13 minutes since they cook more quickly when they’re uber- thin]. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack; let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.