Healthy Cookie: Walnut, Cherry, Chocolate Chip

I am making good on my promise to update you on the baking experiments. The following is a slightly less guilty baking project dotting my holiday season. I still intend on making puppy chow, peanut butter blossoms, and homemade marshmallows to gift, but these little crisp cookies have a little more substance than sugar and are quite tasty. I think they are the perfect mid-afternoon snack to satisfy your 3:30 sweet tooth. Yours may turn out fluffy like the image from self- but mine were somewhat thin and crisp on the edges, making them the perfect companion for a cup of tea. I've made them for my parents, my office mates, the future hubs, and my one confirmed blog reader. [shout out, Jeff!] I really liked the outcome, but you'll have to decide for yourself. Self estimates that each cookie is about 100 calories, contains 6 g fat (3 g saturated), 11 g carbs, 1 g fiber, and 1 g protein. My momma quipped, "you could really even skip the chocolate," but that's just asinine. Just kidding. That's actually a good idea if you aren't a chocolate craver. It would subtract about 28 calories from your one cookie.

Walnut, Cherry, Chocolate Chip Cookie

Source: Self. Makes 20 cookies

• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup dried cherries

Heat oven to 375°. In a bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon. In another bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth. Blend flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts and cherries. Drop 20 dough balls (1 tbsp each) onto 2 ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown, 9 minutes.