These cookies remind me a little bit of one of our favorite children's books, The Seven Silly Eaters. In it, the children each have a favorite meal that they and they alone eat, making for one very exhausted Mama with all that accommodating making and baking. For Mom's birthday, they conspire to bake her something special, and into the pot go all of the ingredients they each love - from pink lemonade to fried eggs - and the result, is a funky, full-of-everything "pink and plump and perfect cake, it's Mrs. Peter's Birthday Cake!" (Sorry. I could go on. Between Steve and I, we can - and do - tell the whole long story of that book word for word.)
These cookies remind me a little of that in that I have some who like chocolate chip cookies, another who is a fan of coconut, and still others who are a fan of those goji berries. Put them together? And well, we've got ourselves the Soule Family Cookie. These have evolved a bit over the years, and the latest incarnation is the result of wanting a nut-free, sort-of sweet, but not so terribly unhealthy snack to share with Calvin's track team, post-race. These were a hit, I dare say (not that teenage boys are a truly picky sort of eater, mind you, but the adults liked them too, so there's that). They make a regular appearance in our house, and I thought some of you might like them too. (Note: I know that's a lot of maple syrup! Since we harvest our own, it doesn't feel terribly excessive, but I realize it may be for others. I think another liquid sweetener would work well - honey might? Or agave? Let me know if you try it with something else. But oh, I do love that maple flavor!)
Something-for-Everyone Cookies
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup goji berries
1/3 cup coconut flakes
1/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350. Mix together dry ingredients, and wet separately. Add wet to dry, then fold in remaining last three ingredients. WIth oiled or wet hands (the mixture is a bit crumbly and sticky!), form golf-sized balls in your hands, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using your fingers or the back of a fork, flatten just slightly. Bake for 15 minutes, until just beginning to appear golden on edges.
Enjoy!
