A Southern Grace: crunch time

February 22, 2016

crunch time

Yum

Our wedding is in less than nine weeks. Frankly, crunch time has come and gone and the dilly-dallying has to stop!*


*These are most likely words that have been passing through the minds of my mom and future mother-in-law for a very long time...

As a couple of practiced procrastinators, this whole wedding-planning thing has been quite a unique challenge for me and my fiance. Our to-do list seems to gain a couple of entries for every item we finally cross off. Perhaps I'm in denial, but panic has yet to set in and I still feel confident that things will come together, and with plenty of time to spare. If not, well, we're both my fiance is very level-headed and we'll just have to adapt.


Speaking of crunch*, I've found a way to add some sweetness to recipes without doubling the calories using Crunchies freeze-dried fruit snacks. Their products have just one simple ingredient (fresh fruit!) and are heart-healthy, vegan, and gluten-free. Available in flavors like strawberry banana, blueberry, and cinnamon apple, Crunchies are the perfect addition to anything from breakfast bowls to pancakes or muffins and more. As someone who ate most of the samples I received straight from the bag, I can also say that they're wonderful as a plain snack too!

*Aren't I good at making segues?!

I liked the addition of blueberry Crunchies in these oatmeal cookies. I only wished that I had some white chocolate chips to add, as I feel like that would've made a hard-to-beat batch of cookies. I added mini semi-sweet chocolate chips instead, and they turned out pretty darn tasty. Give this recipe (and Crunchies) a try!

Dried Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies
(printable recipe)
Makes 24 cookies
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup dried blueberries
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cream together the butter and sugars for a few minutes, then beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
In another bowl, combine the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
Beat this mixture into the creamed ingredients until everything is blended and moistened.
Stir in the blueberries.
Chill the dough for about an hour, then spoon out about 1 heaping tablespoon and roll in the palm of your hand into 1-inch round balls.
Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to turn golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet then move from the sheet to a cooling rack.

Disclaimer: Though I received free samples of Crunchies, you can rest assured that these opinions are, as always, my own.

24 comments:

Sue/the view from great island said...

I would never have thought of this, but it makes perfect sense--- I just bought dried blueberries from Trader Joes yesterday!

Alicia Foodycat said...

Freeze dried blueberries and white chocolate would be KILLA!

Good luck with the procrastinating. I mean wedding planning.

Marjie said...

Your crunchies cookies sound great. And as long as you have the locations for the wedding and reception nailed down, the rest will fall in line. No need to panic; you'll enjoy the process much more if you don't.

Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction said...

These blueberry cookies look absolutely delicious! I love crunchy cookies!

Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl said...

Oh goodness, your cookies look great! It's afternoon snack time and I wish I had one to crunch on! :)

Cheri Savory Spoon said...

Hi Grace, I love dried blueberries, will be making these cookies, they look amazing! Sounds like you and your fiancee have everything under control. Take care!

Velva said...

Hi Grace, Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. What an exciting time in your life. The day will be beautiful. I hope you will share some of your moments with us here on the blog.

Freeze dried fruit in baked goods. I love it! Its so convenient too.

Velva

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies said...

When's the date?
Baking one of your other cookie recipes as I type this, and you know your cookies so I know this recipe will be outstanding.

Angie's Recipes said...

These cookies have everything I love, Grace. They look super.

Katerina said...

Best of luck with the wedding preparations, it can be tricky! The cookies look perfect!

Adina said...

Good luck with the wedding plans! The cookies sounds lovely, I've never had dried blueberries, I have to look for some!

Barbara said...

Don't panic....the mother's will have your back. At least mine did!
Love dried blueberries, I use them in lovely healthy breakfast cookies (that I don't eat enough of).

Kate @ Framed Cooks said...

SO EXCITING!!! I hope we will get to see wedding pictures??? In the meantime, we'll satisfy ourselves with these scrumptious cookies. :)

Mary @ Vindulge said...

Wedding?!?! Hooray! How exciting!!
I love this idea with the dried blueberries. This would be fantastic for my little ones to add to the next batch of cookies. Though I could also see them just wanted to eat them directly from the bag!! Yum.

Unknown said...

Good luck with all of your planning! I love this lower calorie idea!
Kari
www.sweetteasweetie.com

Linda@2CookinMamas said...

I just made some oatmeal cookies and those Crunchies would have been a perfect addition. I'm all for a little sweetness in a cookie just not all the calories. These look so delicious I just might have to bake up another batch. Good luck on the wedding prep - I am sure it will be perfect!

Unknown said...

Tell your Mum to take a deep breath and enjoy it all, it
goes so quickly. ... Oh, same goes for you and Hubbie-to-be!
My daughters (2) weddings were the best time ever, we still talk about it!
Oh, yeah, thinking of you and wish you both all the best! xo

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Good luck with it all Grace!! I found the biggest help I had was having a spreadsheet to keep track of everything. I'm sure it will be fine though! :D

Marcelle said...

9 weeks until your wedding?! What an exciting time for you and your family! I agree with you that everything will come together just fine. And these blueberries cookies look like quite a treat. Great recipe!

~~louise~~ said...

Hi Grace:)
I'm amazed that you still have the time and energy to do all the things you need to do, the things you want to do, keep up with your blog, bake amazingingly delicious looking cookies AND speak of your wedding only 9 weeks away!!! Gee, Grace, all will come together, everyone will have a ball and guess what, there will be I dos no matter what!!!

I just have one question about these cookies Grace. Do you find hydrating the berries before adding them would work? Marion gets a bit fussy when it comes to dried fruit. I ask because she is a huge fan of the strawberry crunchies but, she likes them soaked in milk first, lol...

Thanks so much for sharing, Grace...

Pam said...

How exciting - 9 weeks! I really hope you share pictures with us. Pretty please with a cherry on top?

The cookies look amazing. Wish I had one with some milk right now.

Inger @ Art of Natural Living said...

These do look tasty and what a great way to add some health to cookies! How exciting (in most ways) to be so close to your wedding!

Kate said...

These cookies look outrageous!! Oh, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding, very exciting!!

Colleen said...

Yes Yes Yes!!! I love everything about these cookies!!!