Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Soy, Nut and Fish-Free, Can Be Wheat, Milk and Egg-Free)

When I think about Valentine's Day, I automatically think about chocolate.  I also think about all the New Year's resolutions that go down the drain.  That being said, I got to thinking about something that would satisfy the chocolate craving, but still be a bit better for you than a box of chocolates (and that fit your allergen needs a bit better, too).  This was the result: Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.

These cookies are a variation on my Cranberry Almond Oatmeal Cookies.  They are soy (if you use all soy-free ingredients), nut and fish-free, and can be wheat, milk and egg-free.  Did I mention they were full of dried cherries and chocolate chips, giving you almost a chocolate-covered cherry taste?  Yah - they are quite yummy!  You're welcome! :)  

 Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 Cups soy-free flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 to 1 teaspoon salt

1 Cup (2 sticks) salted, full-fat butter, softened

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Cups oatmeal

1 Cup dried cherries (yes, they must be dried cherries)

1 Cup soy-free chocolate chips (I recommend Enjoy Life brand)

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt (amount of salt based on personal preference).

3. In another big bowl, mix butter, sugar and brown sugar until mixture has doubled using a mixer.

4. Add eggs and vanilla to the sugar mixture and mix well.

5. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, beating it in at low speed.

6. Finally, add in the oatmeal, dried cherries and chocolate chips and stir in with a wooden spoon.

7. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, placing them on ungreased baking sheets, leaving space of 3 inches between each cookies; flatten the dough. (You can make these cookies smaller if you wish, but note that the cooking time will be shorter.)

8. Bake 13 minutes or until cookies are golden but lightly soft on top.

9. Let cool on a sheets for 2 minutes.

10. Put cookies on a wire rack or on brown paper or waxed paper and let them cool completely. (These cookies can be eaten while warm, too, but they tend to fall apart easier that way.)

Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies.

Variations:

• Wheat-Free: Use a gluten-free, cup-for-cup flour for the flour in this recipe.  I recommend  Pamela's Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour or King Arthur Flour's Gluten-Free Baking Mix.  Note: Neither Pamela's Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour or King Arthur Flour's Gluten-Free Baking Mix claim to contain soy, but Pamela's contains guar gum and King Arthur Flour's contains xanthan gum, which can cause issues with people who have soy sensitivities and allergies, so keep that in mind if you have issues with those ingredients.  You can use another gluten-free flour of your choice.  Keep in mind that if your blend doesn't contain guar gum or xanthan gum, you may need to add between 1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground flax seed, guar gum or xanthan gum to help with textural issues, too.
    
• Grain-Free: If you have trouble with all grains, including oatmeal, sub quinoa flakes for the oatmeal, use a gluten-free, grain-free flour, and make as directed.
     
• Milk-Free: Use a dairy-free butter or solid fat such as coconut oil in place of the butter.  Also, make sure your chocolate chips are dairy-free (Enjoy Life brand that I recommend is).
    
• Egg-Free: Use an egg replacer in place of the eggs.  For ideas on what to use in place of the eggs, check out my ingredient substitutions page.  The flax seed "egg" would be a good fit with these cookies.
      
• Sugar Substitutions: You can use all one type of sugar or use Stevia or another sugar-free, approved for baking alternative for the sugars.  Use this chart to help you determine how much Stevia to use.  Here is one for determining how much Splenda to substitute with.  Here's another conversion chart that may be useful: Sweetener Equivalency & Usage Chart.  I do NOT recommend using a liquid sweetener in place of the sugar as it will greatly alter the texture of this recipe.
      
• Other Types of Chocolate/No Chocolate: You can use dark, milk or white chocolate chips for these cookies or a combination of your favorite that fit your allergen needs (do not exceed 1 Cup of chocolate chips, though).  You can even leave the chocolate chips out entirely.  Peanut butter chips (if you can have them) would be a tasty substitution, too.
    
• No Cherries/Different Fruits:  You can leave out the cherries, if you wish.  You could sub another dried fruit that you like with chocolate (dried blueberries, dried cranberries, dried berries, dried pomegranate seeds, etc.), but I do NOT recommend substituting canned, fresh or frozen fruit as this will greatly alter the texture of these cookies.

Happy Valentine's Day (a little early)!

(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)