The latest season of my favorite reality TV show, The Great British Baking Show, started this week. Does anyone else just adore that show? I don’t know how it’s possible, but it gets better and better every year. To celebrate, I have a brain-healthier cookie recipe for you – or biscuit, if you’re channeling your inner Paul Hollywood. Crispy Whole Grain Spice Cookies have lower amounts of sugar and butter, which allows the warming spices and nutty flavors of whole wheat flour, oats, and pecans to shine through. These cookies have a lovely light and crispy texture that is the perfect companion for a crisp cool day (especially if some coffee or tea is involved).

I love using white whole wheat flour when baking. Though we typically think of white flour as the over-processed, stripped-down variety, white whole wheat flour is considered a whole grain. It still contains all the fiber, vitamins, and minerals of regular whole wheat flour but has a lighter, fluffier texture. This makes it conducive to substituting for all-purpose flour in many baked goods. I swap it out for all of the white flour in heartier items, like muffins, oatmeal cookies, pancakes, etc. It’s an easy way to get some brain-boosting nutrition while enjoying a baked treat, especially when combined with oats, nuts, and spices like it is here.

I use King Arthur white whole wheat flour. You can find it here.

So please give Crispy Whole Grain Spice Cookies a try. Whether you fancy a cuppa with biscuits while watching the Great British Baking Show, need a treat after a trip to the pumpkin patch, or an addition to your holiday baking, they’ll be a spicy, crunchy, nutty accompaniment to your fall and winter days. I hope you enjoy this MIND Diet dessert!

Crispy Whole Grain Spice Cookies

These cookies have a lovely light and crispy texture with lower amounts of sugar and butter, which allows warming spices and nutty flavors of whole wheat flour, oats, and pecans to shine through.

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Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Servings 20

Notes

Omit the nuts if needed; add 1/2 cup oats for a total of 2 1/2 cup oats. Use any baking spice mix desired, such as pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, etc. Adjust individual spice measurements as needed for availability and preference.

To freeze, roll dough as described in step 4. Place on small baking sheet or plate and place in freezer until frozen solid, about 8 hours or overnight. Remove dough from sheet, place in freezer-safe zip bag, and return to freezer. To bake, remove as many cookies as desired from freezer bag; place on baking sheet. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake as directed in step 5.

Ingredients

  

Ingredients

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking spice mix or 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened but still cool to the touch
• 4 tablespoons avocado oil
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup pecans chopped

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 °F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. In small bowl, mix together white whole wheat flour, baking spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, avocado oil, and sugars together at medium-low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl as needed, about 1 minute. Add egg and vanilla; beat on medium-low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
• Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated and smooth, about 10 seconds. With mixer still running, gradually add oats and pecans and mix until well incorporated, about 30 seconds. Gently stir dough to ensure no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.
• Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll into balls and space 2 1/2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Gently press each ball to 3/4 inches thick.
• Bake until cookies are lightly browned, edges are crisp, and centers just yield to pressure when gently pressed, about 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack. Cool completely before serving.

Keyword Cinnamon, Low sugar, MIND Diet, Nuts, oats, Pecans, reduced sugar, Spices, white whole wheat flour, Whole grain, Whole wheat