When the holidays roll around, I’m expected to show up with a batch of Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies at both my in-laws’ house and my parents’ house. It has been decided – by both sides of our family – that no one makes these quite like I do.
These cookies should definitely be a limited treat at 125 calories per cookie. Unless you have amazing self control (or a lot of family members to help you eat them), do not even make these cookies when you’re watching your calorie or carb intake.
That said, here’s my recipe, along with my secret to making these cookies just right!
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 stick butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
Directions
Set up your drop zone by spreading parchment or wax paper on a table or counter. Place a towel or trivet to the side for a safe place to hold a hot saucepan while you drop the cookies.
Place butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, milk and cocoa powder. Stir to blend, then stir occasionally, breaking up the butter into smaller pieces as the mixture heats up. Get the remaining three ingredients ready so you’ll be able to add them quickly when the chocolate mixture is ready.
Here’s my secret step. Before the mixture comes to a boil, place two ice cubes and cold water in a small bowl. You will use this to test the chocolate mixture to see if it has cooked long enough. Some people check the temperature of the mixture with a candy thermometer. I have tried that, but I have had consistently better results using the ice water test!
As soon as the mixture starts to boil, set a timer for two minutes. Stir gently while boiling. When the timer has about 10 seconds left, use your stirring spoon to drip about a 1/2 tsp of the mixture into the ice water. Use your finger to push the chocolate together in the water. It should form a soft ball. If it does not come together into a ball, wait about 10 seconds after the timer stops and do the ice water test again. I have never had a batch that needed more than the extra 10 seconds to reach the perfect consistency. If you cook the chocolate mixture too long, it will be dry and quite possibly gritty!
When the chocolate mixture passes the ice water test, remove the pot from the heat and turn the burner off. Add vanilla and peanut butter, then stir. Add the oats 1/2 cup at a time, blending them into the chocolate quickly. Try to have these final ingredients stirred into the mixture within a minute of removing the pot from the heat.
Finally, take the pot to your drop zone, and drop the cookie mixture by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared paper. Work quickly – the cookies form best and are easiest to drop while the mixture is hot.
This recipe makes about 30 cookies at 125 calories, 19g carbs, 5g fat and 2g protein per cookie.
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