Recipe: "Oatmeal" Chocolate Cookies
No grapes were shriveled in the making of these cookies
Every oatmeal cookie I knew growing up had raisins in it. I thought that’s just the way they were. In the late 80s and 90s there wasn’t a lot of cookie innovation; although their popularity wasn’t phased, the Miss Field’s stand would alert you to the aroma of “freshly baked” from a few stores away, and the Subway outlets would proudly advertise their cookie “baking” hours for people suffering 3PM afternoon slumps. This was the height of mall culture and busy food courts (check out this podcast from 99% Invisible if you fancy a trip down memory lane).
I’ve since learned that oats can do so much more, and often through much more environmentally friendly ways. Their rise in popularity over the past 2-5 years, as baked oats became viral breakfast options, and in the specialty coffee and craft chocolate space—as lattes leaned towards non-cow bases, milk chocolate was reconsidered through creative inclusionists, and plant based chocolatiers made their mark. Oats have their place in chocolate long before however, they were crucial in impeding melting and providing rationed energy for US troops in WWII.
I hope one day to write a book. A novel, and a cookbook actually. I’d also like to think once or twice I’ll be responsible for a “genius recipe”—not because I think I’m a superior baker, I still work recipe after recipe to attempt new ratios and techniques, but because I like the possibility of a home cook without formal pastry school training changing the baking paradigm! Something that would make Ruth Graves Wakefield proud. Particularly, with so many alternatives now on the market and homemade vegan baking catching on—we are getting more creative than the usual rotation of chocolate chip (but still my forever love), oatmeal raisin and white chocolate macadamia.
One such idea came to me to recently, and while a quick search did result in other people having come up with this hack first, it still seems to be relatively hush-hush amongst the vegan and vegan-curious baking community. Everyone is still rather enamored with aquafaba, the bean-juice of various legumes, but most commonly chickpeas. Honestly though, as a home cook, I can’t come up with enough chickpea brownie recipes to make use for all of the potential leftovers, and why should I add to the recycling bin in the meantime? Nor would I want to imagine trying to deal with a heaping amount of beans in a bakery setting. Ground flaxseed and chia seeds have also captured my attention as egg substitutes for cookies, and have been used with mostly successful outcomes. What I do find however, is that in certain applications, like muffins (another popular choice at our house), there is a goopier, more dense characteristic in final bakes if using flax/chia eggs over chicken eggs. Now that—for everyone’s health!—the internet helps us be more alert about recalls and the dangers of salmonella, in my personal baking routine, if there is an opportunity to alleviate such risk, and provide a healthier alternative—I’m going for it.
Interestingly, other than health worries and animal rights concerns, some people are very sensitive to the flavor and/or smell of :fresh: eggs. I’ve never really noticed it in cookies—unlike obvious foodstuffs like meringues, custards and flans—but I see their point. Did you know that many recipes call for adding a lemon rind or spoonful of vinegar in egg whites, for this very purpose? To mask the “eggy-ness” of egg whites.
OK back to oats, and the recipe—the reason you’re here! Especially, now that we know that oats and chocolate are much better companions than we thought.
Thanks to a nudge from a chocolate friend, I stopped buying oat milk cartons and have switched to bulk oats (bonus recipe: 1 liter of mylk = 100g oats to 875-900ml water, 8 ice cubes, a tablespoon of honey, and a pinch of salt). After blitzing all ingredients in the blender and squeezing the liquid from the oats (with clean hands), I was left with a porridge-y chunk of matter inside the linen bag. Excuse all of the adjectives here, but the bag and subsequently my hands were slimed with gooey starches during this process—which got me thinking about the way separating eggs feels like. ::Second bonus tip: if you’re feeling extra indulgent, or ridiculous in your pajamas and apron, save some of that slime to slather on a quick face mask. Rinse 10 minutes later.:: So I took the remaining porridge (~85g), and replaced an egg in a cookie recipe. But not only this one. I am now convinced this is an excellent way to replace eggs in cookies and muffins with a (often) local ingredient, adding substance, flavor, depth, and unique chewy texture. I may continue my investigations and try replacing eggs in tart doughs (such as pâte sucrée), ice cream bases, and crêpes.
Now it’s your turn. Do you think this is a “genius recipe”? If you give it a try, please let me know your thoughts, and I hope, that regardless of your kitchen’s current temperature, you’ll find joy in baking and creating, and maybe sharing your batches!
“Oatmeal” Chocolate Cookies
Makes 12 medium sized cookies (double the recipe for a very hungry caterpillar)
Baking temperature: 185C / 365F
Baking time: 10-13 minutes
Ingredients:
85-90g wet and strained oats (from ~100g dry oats)
90g butter (or vegan butter), room temperature
100g light brown sugar
105g rye flour (or gluten free substitute; possible that the cookie structure is softer)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp baking soda
85-100g chocolate chips/shards/chopped bars
70g walnuts, chopped (optional)
Method:
1. Cream together the butter and sugar.
2. Add the oats and vanilla extract, and whip/stir until they are incorporated into the mix, and a buttercream frosting texture is achieved.
3. Gently stir in the baking soda and salt.
4. Fold in the flour, and then the chocolate chips, and nuts if adding, without over mixing.
::If you can’t wait, bake off immediately. There is no harm in doing this, just wider spreading cookies.::
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
6. On a Silpat or parchment lined sheet, scoop out the dough with a smaller ice cream scooper, or with moist hands, roll the dough into ~12 balls.
7. Bake for 10-13 minutes, checking at 9, according to your oven’s heat settings and characteristics. A longer cook will make for crispier bottoms.
8. Let cool directly on the cookie sheet for 4-5 minutes to firm slightly, and transfer with an offset spatula or flipper/turner to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store these cookies in an airtight cookie jar or Tupperware for up 3 days. They freeze well too.
Notes: I also made these with AP flour (but found them to be more “standard” in taste). As well as lowering flour amounts and adding almond flour—which was delicious, but definitely made from less portable/soft cookies. Light brown sugar can be replaced with Demerara sugar or unrefined cane sugar with similar results. Dark brown will make them very soft and easier to burn—watch the oven closely.
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Courtesy of Lauren Heineck, chocolate maker at WKND Chocolate (wkndchocolate.com) and writer/founder of laurenonthewknd.substack.com.
Recipe contributed by Lauren Heineck, chocolate maker, podcaster and writer at laurenonthewknd.substack.com