These little cookies are portable, freezable and filling — and heavenly rich and nutty. The go-to brownie mix I use is Arrowhead Mills; despite its chocolate chips, the cookies aren’t messy-melty even in hot weather. Substituting applesauce for the oil cuts the fat; the nut and nut flours and oats make them high-fiber and low on the glycemic index. Makes about 3 dozen. Recipe by Susan Clotfelter.
Ingredients
1 box brownie mix that calls for a 13×9 pan and 1/2cup of oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
About 2 cups of rolled oats
1 cup hazelnut or almond flour
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/4 to 1/2cup dried coconut flakes (unsweetened)
Directions
Preheat the oven according to brownie package directions. Prepare a cookie sheet or sheet pan with greased foil or nonstick spray. Prepare the brownie mix according to directions, substituting the applesauce for the oil (and using a total of 2 eggs). Add the salt, then oats in two batches, stirring to combine. Add the remaining ingredients a cup or so at a time. If the texture’s not like a fairly stiff cookie dough, add another handful of oats or tablespoon more nut flour. Using two soup spoons, drop golf-ball-sized mounds of dough onto the cookie sheet. (The cookies will not spread, but you can flatten them to about 1/2 inch thick if you like; they will bake faster). Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are firm. Store in refrigerator.
