'Tis the season for giving, for traditions, for spending time with family and friends, and for being truly grateful for what we have. Oh yeah, and a little holiday baking makes the season bright, too. These oatmeal cookies, studded with dark chocolate chips and dried cherries, are fun to make with the kids. They can mix, scoop and shape the dough...and then act as the official taste-testers. You'll see my two boys in action in the video.

These cookies have a bit of a healthy spin. About half of the flour is whole wheat and half of the butter is replaced with unsweetened applesauce and a touch of canola oil. Okay, so there's still a healthy dose of brown sugar in the mix, but I figured we all need a little indulgence during the holidays. Scroll down for the recipe.

This is my first video and, let me tell you, the iMovie learning curve was a steep one for me. So, be kind! My boys make an appearance about halfway through, with my youngest adding in a dose of his silliness as he rolls the cookies.

As I mentioned in the Holiday Chocolate & Peppermint Cheesecake Bar post, I am thrilled to be working with OXO and to help them get the word out about Cookies for Kids' Cancer. At the end of the video, there are some ideas about how you can help to raise money for pediatric cancer research.

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Chocolate & Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

Chocolate and dried cherry oatmeal cookies are great any time of year, though we love to make them for holiday cookie exchanges.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cookies and Bars

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Cooling Time: 10

Servings: Cookies (Approximately)

Calories: 149kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
¼ cup + 2 teaspoon unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups old-fashioned oats
¾ cup dark chocolate chips
¾ cup dried cherries coarsely chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with the rack set in the lower third of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large bowl with a hand-held mixer (or use a stand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the applesauce and canola oil, and mix again.
Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until combined.
With the mixer set on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and beat until just combined. Do not over beat.
Stir in the oats, chocolate chips and dried cherries.
Using 1½ tablespoon for each cookie, scoop out dough, then roll into a ball between your hands. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart, and flatten slightly.
Bake until the edges are set and just starting to brown, and the centers are still soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the built-in recipe card calculator. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.

Nutrition

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Disclosure: This post and video was sponsored by OXO. Regardless of sponsorship, OXO tools are simply my favorite to work with in the kitchen. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.