Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know about my quest for the perfect oatmeal cookie (see here and here if you're just catching up!).  Well, a couple of months ago I discovered Sweet + Natural, a great blog for desserts made with wholesome ingredients.  I've already had great success with Carrot Cupcakes and Banana Pumpkin Oat Muffins from the site, so I thought I'd give her Blueberry Coconut "Oaties" a try, too!  The idea of throwing dried blueberries into a cookie was intriguing, and the recipe was pleasantly healthy for a cookie - if eaten in moderation (not easy!), they are moderate in sugar, have oil instead of butter, and get lots of good nutrition from oats, whole wheat flour, and blueberries.

After a couple of taste testers, the concensus seems to be that the blueberries could easily pass for raisins if they didn't know better, so feel free to use whichever you have/prefer.  But the cookies themselves came out great.  Not the most moist I've ever had, but I didn't miss the butter or extra sugar in a traditional recipe.  I think the quest may have to continue, though, for a more decadent version when I'm in need!

Blueberry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

adapted from Sweet + Natural

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened dried blueberries
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and oats.  In a separate larger bowl, mix together oil, sugar, egg and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until blended. Stir in blueberries and coconut.

Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to work with (it will be sticky if used right away).  Preheat oven to 350 when you put them into the fridge or whenever you are ready to bake.

Roll tablespoons into balls (I used my 1 tablespoon cookie scoop), flatten slightly and place on cookie sheet (note that these cookies do not spread at all, so make them into whatever shape you want your final cookie to be). Bake approximately 8 minutes until edges are just barely starting to brown.

Makes 24 small cookies