HAH! We think we really did it this time. We found a healthy and truly delicious cookie! These thumbprint cookies taste decadent, yet are made with ingredients that have healthful benefits: Oats, almonds, fruit and chocolate. The thumbprints are versatile as well–use a different type of filling or different extracts to create a completely different cookie.

Raspberry-Chocolate Cookies
Yield: 2 dozen

1 cup whole almonds
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
1/2 cup oat flour (see Note)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup light oil, such as safflower or canola
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup chocolate chips, preferably bittersweet
2 tablespoons raspberry preserves

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
Process almonds in a blender in 2 batches until finely ground. Transfer to large bowl and add whole-wheat flour, oat flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk oil, maple syrup, apple juice, almond and vanilla extracts in a medium bowl.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; combine. Use your hands to knead dough together; add 1-2 Tbsp additional apple juice if mixture is too crumbly.
Form level tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball into a disk, then make an indentation in the center using your thumb or a small spoon. Place a few chocolate chips in each indentation, then cover with 1/4 teaspoon preserves.
Bake the cookies, one batch at a time, until golden around the edges, 15 - 17 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Recipe Notes:
Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains.
Oat flour, made from finely milled whole oats, is a good source of dietary fiber and whole grains. It can replace a portion of all-purpose flour in many baking recipes and adds an oat flavor and texture.

Recipe Nutrition
Per cookie: 128 calories; 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 4g mono unsaturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 71 mg sodium; 26 mg potassium.
Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate serving, 1/2 starch, 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1 1/2 fat.