Walnut Butter Cran-Raspberry Chia Seed Jam Cookies

Maria and I are heading down to Miami tomorrow for the Rock’n’Roll Miami Beach Half Marathon on Sunday, and since we are going to be spending 8 hours in the car over the weekend, I wanted to make bake some healthier snacks to deter me from buying a bunch of gas station junk food to munch on en route. I’ve been craving nut butters lately like no one’s business, and I have had this packet of Artisana Raw Walnut Butter in my pantry for a few weeks now just begging to be used, so I decided to bake up a clean version of Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprints.

Walnut Butter Cran-Raspberry Chia Seed Jam Cookies

Makes 16 small cookies
Adapted from here

2 tbsp natural walnut butter (I used Artisana Raw)
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup fat free ricotta cheese (I used Calabro brand)
5 packets (or to taste) Stevia
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp Cran-Raspberry Chia Seed Jam (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Mix everything all ingredients other than the chia seed jam together, stirring until the ricotta and walnut butter are thoroughly incorporated. The cookie dough will be on the wet side.

Using a small cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared pan. Smooth the dough into a round cookie shape using the back of a teaspoon. Make a small indentation in the middle of each cookie and spoon about 1/2 - 3/4 tsp of raspberry cranberry chia seed jam into the center of the cookie.

Bake for 13 - 15 minutes or until tops of cookies start to brown.

 

Raspberry Cranberry Chia Seed Jam

Makes 16 One Tablespoon Servings

1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
8 packets of Truvia (or to taste)
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract

Add raspberries, cranberries, Truvia, and water to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until the raspberries and cranberries have broken down and become a slightly watery jam-like consistency, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes. Add the chia seeds and vanilla and stir. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.



The cookies turned out soft and chewy, with a nice nuttiness from the walnut butter and a slight tart tanginess from the chia seed jam. These are small (think 2 – 3 bites), not overly sweet cookies, and they taste like the healthier version of cookies that I wanted to make. Speaking of the health aspects of these cookies, the nutrition stats aren’t bad for a treat. As an added bonus, you’re getting clean carbs from the oats and fruit, a dose of omega-3 fatty acids from both the walnut butter and the chia seeds, and a bit of protein from the nut butter, chia seeds, and ricotta cheese. I’ve become a fan of using chia seeds before long runs to help keep me hydrated, so I can feel good about eating these all the way down to Miami Beach tomorrow!

Nutrition Information per cookie
Calories: 32
Fat: 1.5g
Carbohydrates: 2.6g
Protein: 1.9g
Calculated on Sparkrecipes.com