(Featured Recipe: Thin Mini Chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies)

Making delightful desserts with your children and serving them up in a creative way can be a fun and entertaining activity, especially around the holidays. My mother inspired me throughout my childhood with all the amazing meals and desserts she would make, and she would have me work right alongside her even though I was incredibly messy. I’m certain she probably wanted to chase me out of the kitchen a few times. There are so many special memories that can be created in the kitchen.

For this holiday season, you’ll want to try the Thin Mini Chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies that also can be made into Chewy Oatmeal Cookie Pops. The cookies are so moist and chewy that they can be easily rolled into round truffle-like balls for cookie pops.

A fun way to serve the cookies and cookie pops (or even cookie truffle balls without the lollipop sticks) is to place them in holiday goblets, large mugs, or bowls. You also can display a beautiful holiday dessert platter using a variety of cookies and other additions like fruits and nuts. Be creative and have fun with your children as you spread lots of cookie cheer together!

Here are some recipe variations that you and your family will want to include as a part of your cookie spread: Thin Mini Chewy Oatmeal Molasses Cookies, Almond-Topped Chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, and Chewy Oatmeal Cookie Pops.

Other great cookie options for the holidays are Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches with Ganache,3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies,4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies,Jumbo Peanut Butter Cookies with Dark Ganache, and Chocolate-Bottom Peanut Butter & Honey Cookies. Gluten and Grain-Free Versions are included for some of the recipes.  

THIN MINI CHEWY CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES

Recipe By Shirell Dalton, The Simple Chocolatier

Prep Time: 3 minutes Cook Time: 9-10 minutes Yields 2 dozen mini cookies

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup unrefined pure cane sugar 

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1 large egg

3/4 cups old fashioned oats 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon of good quality cocoa (or use raw cacao)

1/2 unbleached flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Note: For a slightly sweeter cookie, add 2 extra tablespoons of unrefined sugar to the cookie mixture. The cookies will spread more while baking and have a similar look as Florentine cookies.

Directions:

Combine oil, butter, sugar, molasses, and vanilla. Lightly beat egg and add to mixture. Whisk together the oats, cinnamon, cocoa (or cacao), flour, baking soda, salt, and walnuts (optional). Stir into the mixture, making certain all ingredients are well incorporated. Refrigerate and allow mix to become firm before baking (freeze any leftover cookie mixture). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop half tablespoonfuls of mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet (place about 2 inches apart). Bake for about 9-10 minutes. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Variations:

Thin Mini Chewy Oatmeal Molasses Cookies – Follow the directions above but omit the cocoa (or raw cacao).

Almond-Topped Chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies – Follow the directions above. Before the cookies completely cool, press a whole almond on top of each cookie before they completely cool. Other options include using slivered or halved almonds. Then drizzle the cookies with your favorite choice of chocolate and allow the chocolate to set.  

Chewy Oatmeal Cookie Pops – Follow the directions above. Roll two of the mini cookies into round truffle-like ball then insert a lollipop stick into the cookie ball and seal it by pressing the cookie against the stick at the insertion point to close the gap. Roll the cookie pop in unrefined powdered sugar or cocoa (or use raw cacao). Repeat these steps for each cookie pop. If you prefer, also roll the cookie balls into chopped nuts, toasted coconut, or diced organic dried fruit. Another great option is to dip the cookie pops into melted dark, milk, or white chocolate (then also roll in cocoa, if preferred) and allow the chocolate to set.