Lighter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Level: Easy
Yield: 24 cookies, 12 servings
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: Calories 200, Total Fat 7 grams, Saturated Fat 4 grams, Cholesterol 28 milligrams, Sodium 56 milligrams, Carbohydrates 32 grams, Dietary Fiber 2 grams, Protein 3 grams
Total Time: 1 hr 37 min
Prep: 25 min
Inactive: 1 hr
Cook: 12 min

Discover the joy of baking these crunchy, healthier chocolate chip cookies that deliver all the classic rich taste with less guilt! Swap in ground oats and whole wheat pastry flour, cut back on butter, and sweeten with agave nectar for a treat that slashes fat and calories while keeping you coming back for more.

Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, spooned and leveled
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped, or 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F. In a food processor, pulse the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt until the oats are finely ground. Set aside this mixture.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and agave nectar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until smooth and glossy. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the oat-flour mixture just until combined, then fold in the chocolate.
Drop level tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with silicone mats, spacing 2 inches apart (about 12 per sheet). Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Bake 12-14 minutes until edges are light golden brown, rotating pans halfway. Cool on sheets 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack.

These cookies spread during bakingbake on three sheets if you want space between them!