Hello fall (insert hand wave). My favorite fall fruit by far is the apple. I’m constantly trying new ways to use apples or reinventing the wheel on classic recipes using apples. This cookie recipe was inspired by an apple crisp believe it or not- apple crisps are incredibly simple to make and contain apples, raisins, oats, and typically a fat (like butter) or a sweetener (like refined sugar). Obviously in the Nutrition Stripped lifestyle, we’re all about whole foods, therefore I’m letting raisins to the sweetening and turning to tahini for some of the fat as a binder. Also, these are naturally gluten free and vegan taboot- a win win for everyone.
These oatmeal cookies are a great way to not only sneak in both soluble and insoluble fiber into your diet both from the oats, raisins, and apples; but also taste great by using only whole food ingredients- no artificial ingredients nor refined sugars added. I love adding these dried raisins into these cookies not just for the binding agent because these cookies don’t contain eggs, but also because they’re a great way to naturally sweeten any recipe without adding heaps of extra sugar, especially refined sugar.
The awesome team at California Raisins are sponsoring this post and have inspired me to create a snack that parents can feel good about giving their kids after school, but it doesn’t stop there everyone can enjoy these. I’m not a parent nor are many of my friends and we’ve been gobbling these up almost every afternoon for a quick pick-me-up!
These cookies are unlike any traditional oatmeal raisin cookie you’ve had- they’re incredibly chewy, sticky, and sweet but hold their shape just as a regular cookie would. I love the combination between the chewiness to the crunch and freshness of the apple slice if you choose to make these a sandwich… which I really hope you try!
Assembly | Once you’ve baked the oatmeal cookies, to make the sandwich you simply slice a whole apple into thin rounds (less an 1/2 inch) and place in between the 2 cookies to make a “sandwich”. I like adding a dash of cinnamon and a spread of cashew butter too… trust me, it’s goooood!
A couple other ways I’ve really been enjoying these cookies are a tad bit non-traditional but really delicious! Take a cookie, spread cashew butter on top, sprinkle a couple (just a couple!) dark chocolate chips, pop it in the toaster oven to get nice and warm, and there you have it a cookie that’s warm, gooey, and delicious. Another way I’ve been enjoying this is to break them apart and have crumbles on a Stripped Green Smoothie Bowl– don’t knock it until you try it.
- 2 cups california raisins, packed (soaked for at least 10 minutes)
- 1 medium banana
- 3 tablespoons organic tahini
- 1 cup almond meal
- 2 cups gluten free rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- pinch of sea salt to taste
- ASSEMBLY //
- 1 large apple
- cashew or almond butter to spread
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Add soaked raisins to a food processor and pulse with tahini and banana, scraping down the sides if needed.
- Pour this mixture into a large mixing bowl and add in almond meal and rolled oats and stir- it should be fairly sticky.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
- Form 1 tablespoon cookie dough balls into the palm of your hands then place on a lined baking sheet with parchment paper (or a silicone baking pad).
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown, checking the firmness at 15 minutes.
- Remove and let cool on a cooling rack before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for longer storage life- these cookies can also be frozen and thawed for later!
A couple more reasons why I love using dried fruit like raisins as a great alternative to refined sugars with baked goods and for snacks:
- They’re essentially fat free and contain no added sugars, contain fiber, and minerals like potassium and iron taboot (9% and 6% of your daily value per 1/4 cup serving respectively).
- Awesome for on the go snacking since they’re literally natures fast food being so convenient and portable.
- Also, as much as I preach to you all about watching the ingredient list- there’s literally one ingredient. Raisins.
Disclosure: I was asked to participate in the California Raisins. Sweet. Naturally. campaign name as a member of the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network. I received free samples of the California Raisins used in this post. I was compensated for my time, and all my opinions are my own.
I hope you all love these simple and delicious cookies for a dessert, breakfast, or a sweet snack. Be sure to share this post if you love it and tag me when you try the recipe #nutritionstripped
xo McKel
