Saturday, February 25, 2012

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil

I've been hearing lots of buzz about coconut oil and it's many purposes, have you? 

I first heard about it from my hairdresser. She told me that it makes a great, chemical-free moisturizer, and she's right! It looks kind of like shaved ice, but when you rub a small glob between your palms it turns into a magical substance. I even use it on my face, and I am VERY sensitive about oily products on my face.

Apparently all the employees of the organic grocery store downstairs are gleefully adding globs to their food as a condiment. I may not go that far, but I did do a little experiment with coconut oil and chocolate chip cookies. To really test it out, I used my favourite recipe and substituted coconut oil for half the butter. The results? A success! My chocolate-loving test subjects (my boyfriend and two new moms) agree. Next time I'll go all the way with the coconut oil. 


Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil, Whole Wheat Flour & Oats

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp water
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups of quick oats
1/2 cup of chocolate chips (replace some or all with craisins or raisins if you like)

Method

Mix the coconut oil, butter and sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Make sure you smash out all the lumps in the coconut oil. Add the egg and water. 

In a second bowl, combine flours, baking soda, oats and chocolate chips. Add the dry to the wet. (When I am feeling lazy, I just scoop all the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients and give the soda a little swirl.)

Shape into little mounds on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 16 minutes, or until the house smells like cookies.