Recipe Stash Busting: Pancake Cookies

I make a distinction between different kinds of cookies. First, there are fancy cookies for gift-giving that require rolling, shaping, cutting, or decorating. Then there are company cookies suitable for serving guests. These are usually more like an old-fashioned drop cookie, but use unique ingredients or require “real” sugar. Last, are the snack cookies. Made with hearty ingredients like oats and nuts, sweetened with honey or dates, and more cake-like than cookie-like, these are for snacking with a glass of fresh milk.

We’ve begun the spring soccer season in our house, and it seems that the Bean’s practice times inevitably leave me asking myself whether to serve dinner a little bit early, or a little bit late. We usually opt for later, and have a hearty snack around 4:30. Quick to mix, using no special equipment and only one bowl, and easy to adapt to whatever you have on hand, these cookies are just the thing for a pre-game energy boost.

They come out quite large (think Cookie Monster) and the texture is more like a muffin than a cookie, hence the name my children bestowed upon them: Pancake Cookies. You can make them with regular sugar if that’s part of your diet, or substitute Rapadura sugar, or even honey. The texture will be slightly different depending on which you use, but they all work.

The recipe is infinitely adaptable in terms of mix-ins. You can substitute any dried fruit or nuts, or add some coconut or cacao nibs for extra indulgence. However you make them, I guarantee that they will be a delicious (and healthy!) snack for any soccer-playing kiddos in your household.

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Breakfast Fig and Nut “Cookies”

Source: Cooking Light 2006 (adapted)

Course: Desserts (Bars and Cookies)

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Rapadura sugar or honey
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dried figs or dates
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in chopped figs, cranberries, and vanilla.
3. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stirring just until moist. Gently fold in almonds.
4. Drop by level 1/4 cup measures 4 inches apart on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until almost set. Cool 2 minutes on pans. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

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