Low-Fat Oatmeal Cookies

I know, Oatmeal Cookies are not the grandest recipe to be my first posting on Twice as Yummy—and I rarely even bake; it's not even my recipe.  However, these cookies ARE yummy, and right now, a necessity for my tummy: I just ran 4 miles.

The credit for this recipe goes to About.com.  It was not the lowest fat oatmeal cookie recipe out there, but looked like the tastiest.  I modified the recipe a bit by adding walnuts, dried sour cherries and omitting the orange peel.  The walnuts do make the cookies higher in fat, but it's the "good" fat, and how I justify the addition.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups quick or old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp butter, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries / cherries / golden raisins
• 3/4 cup walnuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl; stir with a whisk.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg whites and vanilla extract. Gradually add flour and oats mixture, stir with a wooden spoon until blended. Fold in cranberries. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons on to cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.