Old-fashioned Hermit Cookies (reduced-fat)

Jack and I enjoy sweets, but we enjoy healthy sweets the most.

Those are the ones we can eat and enjoy and never regret.

Bitter regret doesn't go at all with sweet cookies.

{The cookie jar is almost empty.}

Usually, I make Citrus Biscotti, but today I just felt like baking something different.  

I found a recipe for Old-fashioned Hermit Cookies that are only 90 calories each, and after swapping some ingredients, they could be even healthier.

{Why is baking soda in the picture when it's not in the recipe?  Because I'm losing it.}

 Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Pull all your ingredients together, including flour, prunes, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, molasses, oil, vanilla extract, and one egg white.  

Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.

Chop up your prunes and add them to the mix.

In another bowl, blend the egg white, molasses, oil, and vanilla extract.

Pour your molasses mixture into your flour mixture.

At this point you may get the theme song to The Beverly Hillbillies stuck in your head.  Blame it on the molasses mixture looking like oil.  There can be no other explanation.

Stir the mixture together until combined.  The dough will be pliable and moist.

Divide the dough and shape into two 12" x 2" logs on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until just browned; take into consideration your oven's personality.  We, for instance, have a hot oven, which is a nice way of saying it burns everything.  That's right, my oven burns things - not me.  We also have a hot coffee pot and a hot toaster.  I don't know why all our appliances do this; it's freaky.

Set the cookies out to cool slightly and cut into 1/2" bars.

These are warm.

These are spicy.

These are chewy.

These are, no joke, my new favorite cookie.

Enjoy!

Old-fashioned Hermit Cookies

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup prunes, chopped
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg white