Pecan-Cran Oatmeal Bites
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 40
Ingredients:
½ c brown sugar
¼ c granulated sugar
1 egg
4 oz yogurt ((plain or flavored, Greek style or regular))
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ c all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon ((I prefer Ceylon cinnamon))
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ c oats ((quick cooking or old fashioned can be used))
½ c pecans ((chopped roughly))
½ c dried cranberries
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a mini muffin pan with mini muffin cups.
In a large bowl, combine the sugars and egg until light and creamy. Then, add the yogurt and vanilla. Mix well.
In a medium bowl, separately, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just moistened and combined.
Stir in the oats using a spatula or wooden spoon. Lastly, fold in the chopped pecans and dried cranberries. The batter will be thick and very sticky.
Using a 2-teaspoon-sized cookie scoop, add one scoop to each muffin cavity.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned and firm.
Cool fully before storing. These can be left in an airtight container for 4-5 days. They can also be frozen for 3-4 months.
Notes:
Even healthier swaps:
One thing on my baking list is to test out some swaps for the egg, yogurt, flour, and sugar. I love these little bites as is, but it would be great to make versions that are dairy-free and gluten-free too!
The importance of the yogurt is to add plenty of moisture to the bites. You could probably try using coconut or almond milk-based yogurt to knock out the dairy.
The egg helps bind the ingredients together, so one suggestion here is to add a ‘chia egg’ instead (1 tablespoon chia seeds + 2.5 tablespoons water, let sit for 20 minutes).
Nixing all-purpose flour may change the soft texture; however, I know some of the pre-made gluten-free flours are pretty close to AP.
Lastly, this recipe calls for a mix of white granulated sugar and brown sugar. If you want to substitute them for something a little more wholesome, I would experiment with coconut sugar or even maple syrup!
Recipe courtesy of Owl Baking.com
