Blueberry Oaties

It is a new year and like everyone else, I'm thinking healthy, especially in my baking.  I started with the idea of an oatmeal cookie and from there I pumped up the fiber with ground flax seed and added dried blueberries instead of raisins or chocolate chips for their anti oxidant properties. 

Oats have been around since 1000 B.C. in Central Europe and was brought to North America in 1600s.  They were planted on Elizabeth Island, off the Massachusetts coast as well as, up and down the eastern seaboard, and used mostly to feed livestock and make a porridge or gruel.  In 1901, the Quaker Oats Company put a recipe for oatmeal cookies on their box and the rest is history...so to speak.  Oatmeal cookies were part of my childhood and remains one of family's favorite.  It's one of those cookies that provides a base for your creativity to add other ingredients to change the taste.

Flax seed has been an attention getter for it's healthful properties--delivering high soluble fiber and can even lower bad cholesterol.  Adding it to your baked goods doesn't alter the flavor, but can certainly make a better snack choice.

Blueberry Oaties
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Butternut flavoring (optional) 
1/3 cup ground Flax seed
1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups Old-fashioned Oatmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup dried Blueberries

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
In a bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until light--about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the flavorings and beat again.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low to combine, then, add the blueberries and mix on medium until thoroughly combined. 

Use a 2-tablespoon size scoop to portion out the dough onto the baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies.  Press the tops slightly to flatten.

Bake in preheated oven 12 minutes or until brown and completely cooked in the center.

Let cool about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, before transferring to a rack to cool completely.  Makes about 2 dozen--3-inch cookies.

As I was baking them, I turned around to see a little hand take a cookie.  Ari said, "I try them??"  Of course, they're good for him and he doesn't even know it.  Enjoy!