A Researcher’s Test Kitchen: Heart-Healthy Cookies

One of the foundations of a heart-healthy lifestyle is a diet rich in whole foods (like fruits, vegetables, whole grains) and low in saturated fats – but there’s still room for dessert. Amanda Folberg, RN, clinical research coordinator at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, recently developed a cookie that prioritizes cardiovascular health without sacrificing flavor. By using fiber-rich oats and swapping saturated fats for surprising ingredients like creamy avocado, she’s created a base that’s easy to customize with your favorite flavors.

Heart-Healthy Cookies

Ingredients

• ¼ cup mashed avocado
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp applesauce
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup quick/rolled oats

Variations to mix and match

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder, ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ cup white chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp crushed walnuts, 1 tbsp crushed pecans, 2 to 3 tbsp lemon zest, ½ tsp rosemary (optional)
• ⅛ to ¼ cup crushed freeze-dried strawberries, ½ tsp lime zest, 1 tsp caramel

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. If not baking immediately, dough should be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator.
2. In a medium bowl, hand-stir the avocado, vegetable oil, brown sugar, vanilla and applesauce. Make a well in the middle. Add baking powder, baking soda and flour. Stir until combined. Add whichever variation you would like to make. Stir in oats.
3. Spray a baking tray with cooking spray or cover with one sheet of parchment (not wax) paper. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let rest on the baking sheet until cookies are just set. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Best if eaten within 2 days. Keep in the fridge - freezing will change the texture.

Yield: 6-8 cookies

Nutritional analysis per serving 
Serving size: 1 chocolate cookie 

Serving size: 1 strawberry lime cookie 

Serving size: 1 lemon walnut pecan cookie