Ten Minute Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Ah, the decadence of the holidays. I adore holiday treats as much as the next sweets lover, but they tend to be so decadent (hello bourbon pumpkin cheesecake!) that I can’t rationalize eating them all the time. What’s a girl to do when she’s craving sweets in between all this holiday indulgence. Well, make herself some easy, er “healthy” cookies. Can cookies be called healthy? Well, of the two main ingredients, one is oatmeal--full of fiber and great with sweetener--and the other adds protein (peanut butter). I’m going to claim they’re healthy. At least healthier than your average holiday sweet. Another thing to love about these cookies is that they come together quickly, with few ingredients, and bake up even more quickly. I made mine tiny (one Tablespoon scoop) and baked up about 32 cookies. They turned out rather crunchy after they cooled. If you’d like a soften cookie I suggest making them a bit larger and gently pressing them down. Making them larger will yield between 18 and 24 cookies from this batter. If you don’t have a jumbo egg on hand add a Tablespoon of neutral oil to achieve the proper moisture. You may notice they crumble if you eat them straight out of the oven. To avoid having them dissolve into crumbles allow them to cool a bit before handling. If you can resist the smell of baked peanut butter, that is.

Ten Minute Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from a recipe from tasteofhome.com

Makes 18 - 32 (depending on size)

1 1/4 cups quick oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 jumbo egg
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 325. In a small bowl combine oats, raisins and baking soda.
2. In a larger mixing bowl mix sugar and peanut butter.
3. Add in dry ingredients, egg and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
4. Drop onto parchment lined cookie sheet in small balls. Gently flatten balls with a spatula.
5. Bake for 7 - 10 minutes, or until you can smell the peanut butter in the kitchen.
6. Allow to cool before handling and enjoy!