Chocolate Brownie Oatmeal Cookies for Cookie Carnival

Somehow I let January and February get by without joining in the cookie goodness for Cookie Carnival and here I am  posting during the last hour of March!  Both of the cookies we could choose from looked good, so I made sure I got it done this time.  Today I’m going to tell you about the Chocolate Brownie Oatmeal Cookies from Quaker Oats that I made a few healthier changes to and still got a really good cookie.

The cookies are nice and chewy with chocolate and oaty goodness as well as toasted pecans and some added semi sweet chocolate chips I threw in at the last minute.  I kept thinking that the cookies don’t look like much, but after tasting one or two to make sure they were good,

Chocolate Brownie Oatmeal Cookies, adapted by Katrina from Quaker Oats

4 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese

4 tablespoons Bestlife Buttery Baking Sticks

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (6 ounces) semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1  1/2 cups quick oats

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (optional, but good!)

Cream the Bestlife butter and cream cheese together with electric mixer.  Beat well.  Scrape sides of bowl and add the sugar and combine well.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Add the melted chocolate and beat well.  Stir in the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, oats and nuts and extra chocolate chips.  Chill the dough for about one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.   Scoop the dough into about one inch balls spacing them about two inches apart on the baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Let cool a couple minutes on baking sheet.   Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 2 dozen.  

These taste great and were actually better than I thought they’d be with my substitute butter and whole wheat pastry flour.  I have made cookies with cream cheese a couple times before and they have always been good cookies.