First thing is first – I love cinnamon and I’m a total cinnamon-junkie. I am also addicted to cinnamon rolls and I will stop at nothing to dig into one if it’s in my vicinity. However, the truth dawns -- when you hit 30, your body kind of changes; and by that I mean your metabolism kind of progressively starts to slow down… and down... and down… and then you realize you cant indulge in things like giant cinnamon rolls smothered in frosting every afternoon at lunchtime without risking some unwelcome physical ailments.
But I CAN indulge in these cookies instead; guiltlessly, and as often as I want. I don’t have an exact calorie count for these awesome cookies but I promise you this — you will get a butter-free, low-sugar oatmeal cookie that smells suspiciously just like a cinnamon roll and that wont hurt your stomach or make you feel like you’re carrying a small struggling animal in your esophagus. And from someone who’s got a couple of gastric complications herself (yes, moi), that’s a promise.
These cookies are light, extremely fragrant and cinnamoney, and 2 or 3 of them work perfectly well in the morning for breakfast if you’re on the run, or just feeling lazy. They remain soft and chewy, and the icing drizzle on top is optional; if you don’t want the extra sweetness, you can certainly do without. One way or the other, the health benefits of coconut oil and cinnamon in this recipe oozes in nutritional abundance, and gives you both the taste and smell of a cinnamon roll without the doughy heaviness and bucket-load of calories.
Did I also mention that they’re extreeeeeeeemely easy to make?
(Makes approximately 15 cookies)
Ingredients:
Dough:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons coconut oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar (white or brown, leaving that to you! Also works with a few packets of stevia or fructose powder.)
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup wholemeal flour
Drizzle (optional):
1 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons milk
1 sachet vanilla sugar
Method:
Beat eggs, vanilla essence, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut oil, salt and sugar together with a whisk in a large bowl.
Beat in baking powder, then with a spatula, stir in oats and flour until incorporated into a sticky dough. Leave your dough to chill in the fridge for about half an hour.
In the meantime, line your baking trays with either foil or parchment paper, and grease. Pre-heat the oven to 180.C.
With a tablespoon, scoop your dough and roll into a balls, placing them at least 3 cm apart onto your tray.
Wet your spatula by running it under the tap, and flatten cookies down until they’re about 5mm thick. The water keeps the raw cookie dough from sticking to the spatula.
Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the edges begin to turn a golden color. Remove from the oven immediately and allow to cool.
To make your drizzle, mix icing sugar, coconut oil, milk and vanilla sugar together until fully incorporated (icing 101 – if it’s runny, add a little more milk. If it’s too think, add a little more icing sugar. The consistency shouldn’t be runny, but also not too think – it should be light enough to pipe).
Put your icing into a piping bag, and drizzle zig-zag style onto your cooled cookies. Leave to set for a few minutes, and serve.
These cookies stay soft and chewy for up to a week in an air-tight container in the fridge, if they last that long. Enjoy!