Scout’s Honor

It’s that glorious time of year. Girl Scout cookie selling season is almost upon us! In their honor I too will be pimping cookies in this post. Since my own Girl Scout days I have been passionate about these sweet treats. Thin mints, samoas, peanut butter patties – I have a serious issue with portion control. I’m not ashamed to admit I have eaten an entire sleeve in one sitting. Sometimes one cookie just isn’t enough.

That’s where my “healthy” chocolate chip cookies come in. This is a cookie that comes without guilt. (FYI – This is NOT the monster cookie I spoke of in a previous post. That cookie would be shunned by its sensibly sized Girl Scout relative.)  This one below is petite and some might even call it more of a biscuit than cookie. It isn’t buttery, but rather it’s a hearty little fellow. I eat them all day long – they have whole wheat flour and no white sugar after all. Breakfast substitute? In a pinch, why not! Just make sure the kids aren’t watching… That’s a tough one to get out of next time they say “But mommy eats cookies for breakfast?!?” All kidding aside – this is one of my favorite homemade snacks for the minis. Scout’s honor – even though they are healthy, your kids will love them!

The Sous Chef

Bakers Tip: Ditch the bag and box. Keeping brown sugar in a sealed plastic container keeps it soft, and it is also much easier to scoop it out and pack it down.

The more chips the merrier!

Be sure to flatten cookies slightly after putting them on the tray. The batter doesn’t wander…

Is there really a better combo?

The modern version of a sleeve.

The Sentimentalist’s Healthy Cookie

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

2 tsps baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 stick softened butter

1 egg

1/4 cup milk (skim or whole)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup walnuts (optional)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1) Combine dry ingredients in small bowl and lightly mix with whisk.

2) Combine egg, milk, brown sugar, and butter in a large bowl and mix with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.

3) Slowly add dry ingredients to wet – 1 cup at a time – and continue to mix on medium speed until wet and dry ingredients are combined.

4) Add nuts and chocolate chips and stir with spoon until evenly mixed.

5) Place small mounds of dough, evenly spaced, on un-greased cookie sheet.

6) Cook at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

*Recipe makes 18 cookies

And if you try these cookies and find you are still hankering for the real thing – click on this link to find out where and when Girl Scout cookies are being sold in your area. Don’t forget to ask the sales rep why she is selling the cookies. I love to hear a young scout talk about her goals and aspirations.