Can you get someone fired by giving them cookies?
I’m not sure I want to know the answer to that… Because I certainly thought I did last fall!
In October, after perfecting the recipe for my toffee coffee cookies, I packed up a few in a little bag to hand to the hilarious college-age cashier with dreadlocks at Trader Joe’s. When I failed to see him on every one of my bi-weekly shopping trips after that day, I basically blamed myself for him losing his job.
A few months later, on a rainy Saturday morning in February, I sprinted through the downpour and into the store; picked up my usual bananas, spinach, and eggs; and hopped into the shortest line. As I waited for the girl to finish packing up the previous patron’s bags, I glanced towards the employee station — and there he was! Smiles, positivity, dreadlocks, and all.
Whew — he had just changed his shift!
Fast forward to a random Wednesday in July, and I happened to pick his line again. As I handed over my eight bananas (I eat one every morning with breakfast, so they disappear faster than my dark chocolate stash!), he asked if I planned on baking banana bread.
“I’m not sure yet,” I replied. “But I’m baking cookies this afternoon!”
“Will you bring me some?”
“I already did!”
“I remember — and they were the BEST cookies ever!” He turned to the shopper ahead of me and explained, “She’s the nicest person ever! I just asked if she’d bring me cookies one time, and she showed up, like, 40 minutes later with the best cookies!”
He continued, looking back at me, “I get off work at 6, so… If I gave you my address, would you mind dropping them off? I live just around the corner!”
Laughing, I agreed. But… I kind of forgot to mention that I needed to photograph them first. Sometimes people don’t quite understand the whole “food blog” thing.
“Wait, so you bake… And take pictures… Of everything? As your job?” is the typical response I get.
Sometimes it’s just easier to say that I bake for a living!
But anyway, back to the story… These healthy raspberry oatmeal cookies were the ones that I baked and shared! Incredibly soft and chewy, with just a subtle hint of spice, these treats taste like the epitome of summer from their sweet dough and fresh juicy berries. They’re also easy to make using common ingredients. You probably have everything you need in your kitchen already!
So… Are you ready to bake (and eat!) some cookies??
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY RASPBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make these healthy raspberry oatmeal cookies! While developing this recipe, I started with the most popular recipe on my blog: my ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookies. Hundreds of readers have baked them, and they commented that those were the softest and chewiest cookies they’ve ever made… And that their families and friends couldn’t tell they were healthy. That’s basically the biggest compliment a healthy baking blogger could ever ask for!
I tweaked a few things from my original recipe to let the raspberries shine, but I kept many of the others the same. Here’s a rundown of the key ingredients that you’ll use!
Oats. Other than the fruit, the oats are the most important ingredient! You’ll use instant oats to make these cookies, which are also called “quick cooking” and “one-minute” oats. They’re not the ones that come in those individual packets with flavors like apple cinnamon and maple brown sugar! Just like old-fashioned rolled oats, instant oats only contain one ingredient… Oats! However, they’re smaller and thinner than old-fashioned rolled oats, which means they soften faster. That gives your oatmeal cookies the best moist and chewy texture!
Tip: To make these healthy raspberry oatmeal cookies gluten-free, then use certified gluten-free instant oats. They work perfectly!
Flour. To make these raspberry oatmeal cookies healthier, I opted for whole wheat flour. It has more fiber and micronutrients compared to all-purpose flour! My taste testers couldn’t tell… With how sweet and irresistible these cookies turned out, they assumed I used regular all-purpose flour!
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy raspberry oatmeal cookies gluten-free, then see the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve included my top recommendations there!
Cinnamon. I love the combination of oats and cinnamon! To ensure the raspberries’ bright fruit flavor shone through, I reduced the amount of cinnamon compared to my ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. That smaller amount provides the perfect cozy background warmth. Yum!
Unsalted butter or coconut oil. Just a bit! Unlike traditional recipes that call for ¼ to ½ cup (or more!), you only need 2 tablespoons. That helps keep your raspberry oatmeal cookies low calorie and low fat! Both produce the same soft and chewy texture, so use whichever one you prefer or have on hand. No need for a special trip to the store!
Tip: If you use coconut oil, then your healthy raspberry oatmeal cookies will be dairy-free!
Sweetener. Instead of refined granulated sugar, I turned to honey to sweeten these oatmeal cookies (and make them clean eating friendly!). Because of its liquid state, it helps them spread while baking, and it yields a really soft and chewy texture too!
Tip: If you’re not a fan of honey, then check the Notes section of the recipes, as well as my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page. I’ve provided alternatives there!
Raspberries. They’re the most important part! I prefer fresh raspberries, and I dice them into bits approximately the same size as chocolate chips. This ensures they’re evenly distributed and every bite contains a burst of sweet fruity flavor!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY RASPBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES
Let’s cover how to make these raspberry oatmeal cookies! This recipe is easy and straightforward, but I still have some tips to ensure you bake the best possible cookies.
Measure correctly. To make sure your raspberry oatmeal cookies turn out extremely soft and chewy, make sure you measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. Do NOT stick the measuring cup into the container and scoop them out! You’ll end up with 1 ½ times as much of both ingredients, which will dry out your cookies and turn them cakey or crumbly. But if you measure the flour and oats properly, you’ll end up with the softest and chewiest oatmeal cookies imaginable!
Chill. Initially, the dough will be very sticky, almost like thick muffin batter, so chilling is mandatory! Chilling allows the oats to absorb some of the liquids and stiffens the dough. If you forget to chill, you’ll end up with one big cookie blob… So learn from my mistake and pop your bowl in the fridge!
Drop + shape. When dividing up the cookie dough to place on the baking sheet, try to drop them into rounded scoops, about as tall as they are wide. The raspberries contain a fair amount of water, which they release while baking, so the cookies spread a lot. Shaping the dough into taller mounds helps minimize the spread (so they don’t form that dreaded cookie blob!).
Bake. Because you’re using honey, which caramelizes at a lower temperature than granulated or brown sugar, you’ll bake these cookies lower and slower than many typical recipes, at 325°F. Do not over-bake them!
When you remove the cookies from the oven, they should still look and feel underdone — and that’s a good thing! You’ll let them cool for at least 15 minutes on the warm baking sheet, which allows the centers to finishing cooking through without the outsides turning crisp and crunchy. They’ll stay soft for an entire week, if they last that long!
(And yes, I did double check. It was pure torture leaving the container on the counter for a full seven days!)
Bright and fruity, these healthy raspberry oatmeal cookies may require some serious willpower to avoid polishing off the entire batch… Those cute pink freckles, with the oaty flecks peeking through, are just too tempting — and their extra soft, chewy texture makes them even more addictive! 😉
And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy raspberry oatmeal cookies!
Healthy Raspberry Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (measured like this and gluten-free if necessary)
- ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120mL) honey
- 6 tbsp (53g) fresh whole raspberries, diced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the honey until thoroughly incorporated. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the raspberries. Chill the dough for 30 minutes. (If chilling longer, cover with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the entire surface of the cookie dough.)
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops on the baking sheet. (If chilled longer than 1 hour, flatten slightly.) Bake at 325°F for 13-15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Peach Pie Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Pineapple Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Apricot Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Banana Oatmeal Cookies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy oatmeal cookie recipes!
Hi Amy! Can I use use old fashion rolled oats instead of instant oat? A can I take almonds and process them until they are a flour like consistency and use them as the whole wheat flour??
I answer both of these questions on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ page, which is also linked to in the Notes section beneath the recipe. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the cookies!
Seriously so amazing! Made these this morning and I may have to make a few batches to satisfy the toddler and hubby. I know they probably don’t last long but I’m prepping snacks for when this next baby comes, do you they’d freeze well?
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies Kelly! Yes, these cookies freeze really well; they should last for at least 3 months, if not up to 6, in the freezer. And congratulations on your new baby, too! 🙂
Does anyone know what containers this would be for 21 day fix?
They are great. Though I made one mistake… I replaced the egg with half a banana. They turned out great, only a tad too sweet for me. I will reduce the amount of honey next time.
Big thanks for sharing lovely cookie ideas!
I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies Agnes! 🙂
I can’t even begin to explain how I feel right now! Without ever hearing that oatmeal raspberry cookies were a thing, I dreamt of them a month or two ago and have not been able to stop thinking about the light pink flecks, the sweet smell, and the mouth watering taste I imagined those glorious looking pieces of heaven to have. I was half heart broken this morning when I finally decided to see if they were a thing and discovered they would not be my delectable creations, but also very excited to see that they can be made without having to try a thousand different recipes!
Yours look by FAR the most promising that I’ve stumbled across and I am incredibly excited to make them and experience their taste and smell for real!
I really hope you enjoy the cookies Phanie! 🙂
Awesome! I didn’t have any difficulty in making these cookies and they are great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies Christina!
Soooo just for anyone who makes it this far down in the comments, who wants to try this recipe, and who is a baking idiot like myself, let me just tell you.
I made this recipe twice. The first time was great! The second, not so great. But here’s why: I used steel cut oats that were… I guess… old fashioned… you know, the ones that don’t even look like typical oats? Anyway, I realized too late that I’d used these rolled oats last time (aka they look like oats and are instant). The cookies are still edible- and fairly tasty… they’re just a weird type of crunchy/chewy that you might experience when eating steel cut oats raw-ish. There you go. Totally my fault.
Note: I know that people say you can just run the old fashioned oats through the food processor and pulse it 7-10 times, but I’m pretty sure I would still like these cookies best with the regular instant oats she recommends.
I’m glad the cookies turned out for you the first time Haylie! I appreciate you sharing your second experience as well. Steel-cut oats are actually different than old-fashioned rolled oats (yes, there are 3 main types of oats — who knew there could be so many?! 🙂 ), and it’s basically not possible to create your own “instant” oats from steel-cut oats. Hopefully you’re able to get regular instant or old-fashioned oats before you bake these cookies again!
Hi Amy,
Can I add nuts to this recipe, like walnuts ? Will it make it dry ?
Thanks
Yes, you can easily add nuts to the cookie dough, and they shouldn’t change the texture. I’m excited to hear what you think of the cookies Denise! 🙂
Hey There!
I am on a pancreatitis diet and cant have oil or butter, is there something i can substitute for? these look so amazing and with limited options im dying for something sweet!
That sounds difficult Tiffani — I’d be dying for something sweet if I were you, too! The cookies do need some source of fat in order to have a really chewy texture, so without fat, they’ll turn out more on the cakey side. You can substitute 3-4 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana (the cookies will taste like banana, if you use the latter option!) for the butter/coconut oil and egg yolks. (If you can’t have egg whites, you’ll need to add another 2-3 tablespoons more.) I’d love to hear how that turns out for you!
Made them last night. I had some this morning. The texture was weird because I didn’t have the right oats, but the taste was good! I’ll make it again and try your other recipes.
I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor Zehra! I’d love to hear how the cookies turn out when you’re able to find the correct oats, and I’m excited to hear what recipe you try next! 🙂
I changed it to 5 stars because I received compliments. I added slivered almonds into the recipe, too. It came out just right. And I’m happy that this was healthy. Yes, I will share what I try next.
Wonderful — I’m so happy to hear that Zehra! 🙂