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Oatmeal Cookie with Chocolate and Goji Berries

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on January 2, 2020

Time

55 minutes, plus 20 minutes cooling

Yield

Makes 24 cookies

Oatmeal Cookie with Chocolate and Goji Berries

Ingredients

1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) dark brown sugar ⅔ cup expeller-pressed canola oil 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large organic egg plus 1 large yolk3 cups (9 ounces/255 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup goji berries 3½ ounces (99 grams) 70 percent dark chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces

Before You Begin

Do not use quick, instant, or thick-cut oats in this recipe. If you can't find goji berries, you can substitute dried unsweetened tart cherries or dried cranberries. We prefer the flavor of 70 percent dark chocolate in this recipe, though higher cacao percentages will also work.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together in bowl; set aside.
  2. Whisk sugar, oil, water, and vanilla together in large bowl until well combined. Add egg and yolk and whisk until smooth. Using rubber spatula, stir in flour mixture until fully combined. Add oats, goji berries, and chocolate and stir until evenly distributed (mixture will be stiff).
  3. Divide dough into 24 portions, each about heaping 2 tablespoons. Using damp hands, tightly roll into balls and space 2 inches apart on prepared sheets, 12 balls per sheet. Press balls to ¾-inch thickness.
  4. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are set and centers are soft but not wet, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Let cookies cool completely before serving.
Oatmeal Cookie with Chocolate and Goji Berries
Styling by Marie Piraino.

Oatmeal Cookie with Chocolate and Goji Berries

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

55 minutes, plus 20 minutes cooling

Yield

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) dark brown sugar
⅔ cup expeller-pressed canola oil
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large organic egg plus 1 large yolk
3 cups (9 ounces/255 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup goji berries
3½ ounces (99 grams) 70 percent dark chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) dark brown sugar
⅔ cup expeller-pressed canola oil
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large organic egg plus 1 large yolk
3 cups (9 ounces/255 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup goji berries
3½ ounces (99 grams) 70 percent dark chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup packed (7 ounces/198 grams) dark brown sugar
⅔ cup expeller-pressed canola oil
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large organic egg plus 1 large yolk
3 cups (9 ounces/255 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup goji berries
3½ ounces (99 grams) 70 percent dark chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

As we love the soft chew and heartiness of the oatmeal-raisin variety, we used that as our starting point. A hefty 3 cups of fiber-rich rolled oats would ensure plenty of whole-grain benefits. We initially tried to solely use oat flour, but this resulted in a crumbly, difficult-to-work-with dough, so we ultimately stuck with all-purpose flour to provide the necessary structure. We wanted to increase the nutritious mix-ins as much as possible, so for an antioxidant boost, we stirred chopped dark chocolate and a full cup of chewy, sweet-tart goji berries into the dough. Heart-healthy canola oil kept the cookies dense and chewy. A bit of salt complemented the oats and brought out their sweet-nuttiness, and a tablespoon of water helped the cookies spread to the perfect size.

Before You Begin

Do not use quick, instant, or thick-cut oats in this recipe. If you can't find goji berries, you can substitute dried unsweetened tart cherries or dried cranberries. We prefer the flavor of 70 percent dark chocolate in this recipe, though higher cacao percentages will also work.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together in bowl; set aside.
  2. Whisk sugar, oil, water, and vanilla together in large bowl until well combined. Add egg and yolk and whisk until smooth. Using rubber spatula, stir in flour mixture until fully combined. Add oats, goji berries, and chocolate and stir until evenly distributed (mixture will be stiff).
  3. Divide dough into 24 portions, each about heaping 2 tablespoons. Using damp hands, tightly roll into balls and space 2 inches apart on prepared sheets, 12 balls per sheet. Press balls to ¾-inch thickness.
  4. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are set and centers are soft but not wet, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Let cookies cool completely before serving.

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