A RECIPE: Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (with avocado)

A while back I was given a recipe for avocado oatmeal cookies and my boss and I looked at each other, raised our eyebrows and similtaneously said: “bleh“. Without even giving the recipe a chance on its own we omitted all the spices and wacked in some coconut, good quality chocolate chips and hallelua we had avocado and oat cookies. Only what blew us away was that they were truly magnificent. Perhaps some of the best cookies I’ve ever eaten- no joke. And I wasn’t the only one saying it,

So, what’s the deal with the avocado? Well, the whole point is to use the avocado as a partial replacement for butter, which means that you’re getting a little more healthy fat and a little less lardy fat. I’m pretty sure that this still doesn’t classify them as healthy or part of your five-a-day and I’m sure that some of you are thinking ‘what’s the point- if you’re going to eat a cookie, eat a cookie’. But- I live my life along the lines of ‘it’s the little things that count’ and a little more avocado and a little less be butter without altering the flavour is certainly not going to hurt you. In fact I think it’s a wonderful thing. It’s like buying a dress in a sample sale- it’s still a great dress but you feel especially smug knowing that you snagged it for half price. Need another reason to try them? How’s this-there is something extraordinarily satisfying about giving a begging pair of hands a cookie, walking away and then turning back over your shoulder to say: “oh, by the way- it has avocado in it….mwahaaha!”

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (with avocado)

Please don’t be afraid of the avocado! No one will know and you’ll feel so sneaky feeding people cookies with avocado! If you don’t like coconut just replace the measurement with 50g/1/2 cup oats. These taste even better if you keep the dough in the fridge for a day before baking and the dough freezes well too- which is a good thing because these are best eaten fresh out of the oven.

Makes: about 30 cookies

Difficulty: eating just one

Diet Facts: hmmm…..

110g/1/2 cup butter, softened

125g/ 1/2 cup peeled, mashed avocado flesh (about 1/2 avocado)

100g/ 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

100g/ 1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

150g/1 cup plain flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

180g/2 cups rolled oats

50g/1/2 cup shredded coconut (dessicated will make a denser cookie)

170g/6 oz chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas. Beat the butter until smooth, add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Gently beat in the avocado until blended.

2. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.

3. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in the oats and coconut. Fold through the chocolate chips and walnuts (if using).

4. Drop into tablespoonful-sized balls onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden and crispy.

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