Nutty for Oats Cookies

I baked these cookies to take along to Disneyland to share with friends who love peanut butter. I had made these once before and mentioned them in my first bread blog.

The original recipe is from the book, 'King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains'. I used butterscotch for the chocolate chips because RH likes butterscotch, but I didn't have enough so I used some milk chocolate anyway. Perhaps because butterscotch has a much stronger taste than chocolate, I didn't feel I needed to use the prescribed amount. I used some agave nectar in an effort to reduce the glycemic index. I could possibly reduce the sugar and oil some more next time. Here is how my modified version looked:

Original recipe	My variation
2/3 C (6.25 oz) smooth peanut butter	5 oz creamy peanut butter
4 T (54 g) unsalted butter	40 g butter 15 g vegetable oil (could be less)
¾ C (5.625 oz) brown sugar	1.5 oz brown sugar 1.5 oz agave nectar
1 t vanilla extract	1 t vanilla extract
½ t salt	½ t salt
¼ t baking soda	¼ t baking soda
2 large eggs	2 large eggs
1 C (3.5 oz) old fashioned rolled oats, ground	3.5 oz quick oats, ground
1½ C (5.25 oz) old fashioned rolled oats	5.25 oz quick oats
2 C (12 oz) chocolate chips	2.5 oz butterscotch chips 2.5 oz hazelnut chocolate (IKEA)
C = cup T = tablespoon  t = teaspoon	-

Method:

Mix wet ingredients in the order butter, oil, sugar, essence, baking soda, eggs
Mix in oat flour and oats until just mixed.
Stir in chocolate chips / melted chocolate
Drop by tablespoonfuls on parchment paper / silicone mat / greased baking sheet.
Bake in 350° F oven for 11-13 minutes until sides are beginning to set.

In pictures

The ingredients (Baking powder was not needed)

Butter, oil, sugar and essence blended in. Eggs next.

I usually chop the butterscotch / chocolate chips. This time I melted
them using a double boiler method on low heat

Second batch ready to go in

I love the silicone spatula. It helps clean the mixing bowl really well,
reducing any wastage. Note how clean the bowl with the chocolate is.

Out of the oven. 32 cookies in all.

Close up

The cookies came with us to Disneyland and were nice to have around. They were very soft and moist with a distinct peanut butter taste with a hint of butterscotch. I have frozen a third of them for later. These are not low calorie or low fat, but one cookie is sufficient for a sweet craving. And peanut butter and oats are healthy, right?

-RPH