Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL...

show your loved ones you care...these are healthy...kinda sorta...

old fashioned oats and a bit of flax makes it healthy...right?

this cookie is a winner.  it has the taste and texture of a brownie, BUT the best part of a brownie...you know, the  crispy chewy edge that is sooo sought after.i don't know about you, but i'm and edge person.  something about that crunchy chewy chocolate...yummmm.  they even make a special brownie pan that makes more crispy edge per batch...genius idea...wish i would have thought of it.  if you've never seen one check it out HERE.  i haven't bought one yet because I DON"T HAVE ROOM FOR ANOTHER PAN !  if i bring one more item in to the kitchen i might be shot.  the waffle iron almost got me kicked to the curb...that is, until fresh homemade waffles were served and all was forgotten.

back to this fabulous "healthy?" chocolaty cookie.  i love my OATS!  and i love my CHOCOLATE!  i have a little of both every morning.  something always makes me feel a little better about eating my sweets if there's a little somethin' good for ya along with it.  quite often you'll find me sneaking flax or some kind of bran in whenever i can, hence the little flax specs you see in the photos...they are optional, of course,  BUT please do use old fashioned oats for the recipe...i think it adds to the chewiness and the old fashion are more nutrient packed than the instant.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES

adapted from Cate's World Kitchen

makes 24-30...i made them BIG.  i made 24

10 Tbsp butter (2/3 cup) softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1 1/4 cup white sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

4 cups old fashioned oats

2 Tbsp flax seeds...optional

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1/4 tsp (more or less) cayenne pepper...optional

preheat oven to 350 F and line cookie sheet with parchment

beat the butter until smooth and add both sugars.  mix well, then beat in eggs and vanilla.  mix well

in a separate bowl mix the flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda and cayenne.

add dry mixture to wet mixture in 3 batches and mix until just combined.

add...stir or use mixer... oats, mini chocolate chips and flax.  try not to over mix.

scoop out 2-3 Tbsp of dough and flatten slightly...

NOTE....i flattened them quite a bit with the bottom of a glass dipped in cocoa powder...made for a nice cracked look on top.

bake for about 15 minutes or until edges are set, BUT slightly gooey looking in the middle...they will harden a bit more when cooled