Honey Graham Oatmeal Cookies (Baked or Not!)

These oatmeal cookies are chewy, sweet and full of "bits" accented by @nakednutrition Naked Shake Peanut Butter Blueberry powder. The best part? You can eat the dough raw by the spoonful if you want - Graham crumbs replace flour in the eggless recipe so there is little e.coli risk!

I love my home ec classes. Even on Zoom, the kids love being able to watch me cook or create treats (and sometimes they even mix along!). I altered my curriculum this year to incorporate more "no bake" items, partially due to the unpredictable format of lessons and partially due to the limitations on lifting and carrying my car accident placed on me. These oatmeal based "cookies" were one such invention - filled with safe-to-eat graham cracker crumbs, oats and optionally a few scoops of protein powder in place of flour, sweetened with honey and packed with tasty mix-ins, what more could a kid want? 

One of my favourite discoveries with this recipe is that it is absolutely bake-friendly, if standard cookies are more your speed. I baked off some of the extra dough that didn't get consumed raw, and when eaten in a day or so they're a great chewy-crisp texture. After that, they do get really soft and fall-aparty (yes, that's a word now) so I tossed a tray of them in the freezer for future ice cream sandwich making. I'm very tempted to make a honey-vanilla frozen yogurt to nestle in between these cookies, since the flavours would mesh really well!

Honey Graham Oatmeal Cookies (Baked or Not!)

Makes 8

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
3 tbsp honey (or liquid sweetener of choice)
3 tbsp milk
¼ tsp vanilla
pinch salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup graham cracker crumbs 

3 scoops Naked Shake Peanut Butter Blueberry powder

1 scoop Naked Rice protein powder

½ cup quick-cooking rolled oats
¼ cup of “mix-ins,” such as chopped dried fruit, chocolate chips, shredded coconut or candy

1. In a bowl, cream together butter, sugar, honey, milk and vanilla until well mixed.
2. Mix in the salt and cinnamon.
3. Slowly mix in the graham cracker crumbs (or flour), oats and mix-ins to make a dough. Add a splash of milk if the mixture is too dry.
4. Cover and let sit for 2 hours.
5. Roll into 8 balls with lightly dampened hands.

For no-bake: Enjoy immediately, or store in a covered container in the fridge up to one week.
 

To bake: Heat the oven to 325F. Place cookies 2" apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes, until set and beginning to crisp. Cool completely on the sheets and consume within 1 week (they get soggy otherwise) or freeze for ice cream sandwiches)