Michele's Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies!

How can you not love an oatmeal cookie!? It tends to be a fav in our house, chewy and filling yet sweet too. So many things you can do to the oatmeal cookie, add some chocolate or raisins or nuts it's goes on and on. I am particularly fond of the Quaker Vanishing Oatmeal Cookie recipe, it's about as close to perfect as one can get for me.
However, in January I stated this whole life style change thing where we have cut back on sugar and don't use white flour (not the true white flour at least). So it's been a work in progress to find or create my own recipes that fit our plan and still taste great.
I've been playing with the recipe and finally I am happy with what I have come up with. Less sugar for sure and all whole grain!
Need to share that I also got a chance to play with my new fav baking took, my cookie scoop. Who'd have thought an ice cream scoop with a little metal ejection bar would make scooping cookies that much easier!? For a whopping $2 at Michael's craft store it is well worth it!

                                                          cookie perfection!!Yum!

Michele's Disappearing Oatmeal Cookies!
(adapted from the Quaker Oat's recipe)

1 stick of softened butter (unsalted)

1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup real maple syrup

1/4 cup of sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla (try to use the real stuff if you can!!)

1 and 1/2 cups of White Whole Wheat Flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking (aluminum free) baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (or about 10 grates off of a whole nutmeg)

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

3 cups of 100% whole grain rolled oats (old fashioned)

1 cup of raisins or chocolate chips (we love it w/ the golden raisins!!)

Preheat oven to 350

In your stand mixer (on in a bowl) cream the butter, applesauce, maple syrup, molasses, eggs and vanilla together and slowly add the sugar. The sugar helps to stabilize it all a little more depending on humidity you might need less or a little more but don't go crazy! :) Its should look not totally creamed together but not as separated after a few mins of mixing.

In a separate bowl mix your dry items (but not the raisins) together. Slowly add to your mixer on at first a slow then med speed till combined. Turn off mixer and fold in your raisins by hand.

On a greased cookie sheet (I line mine with parchment paper makes clean up super quick!!) drop your table spoon sized balls. Your oven may be different (I have an electric) so check what will work best for you, but for me I have to bake mine 16 min.

I would check them at 12 min's and 14 if needed, what your looking for is for the cookie to not give when you push on the top and the sides a bit browned. You should be able to get them off the sheet, if the are not cooperating with you then they probably need another 2 mins or so.

Cool and enjoy!! I was able to make 30 cookies in this batch