Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Made with Splenda)

These classic cookies are a favorite in our house. We came across a similar recipe online and created our own family version in the past few years so my diabetic husband could enjoy a sweet treat that uses Splenda. He has had diabetes for over ten years but has always kept in shape and never gave into eating sweets -- not even on his own birthday. My kids used to eat extra desserts saying, "This bite is for daddy." We finally found and created a cookie recipe that tastes great, isn't too bad for you, and uses Splenda as a sweetener. Now he always looks forward to the girls coming back home because he knows they'll make him a big batch of these oatmeal raisin cookies. This recipe makes about 40 small 2 inch diameter cookies. 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup granulated Splenda
• 1/2 cup egg beaters
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups uncooked old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup raisins (or dates)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a separate large bowl, mix the butter and Splenda until it is fluffy. Then add the egg beaters, honey, and vanilla extract to the fluffy mixture. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients until the dough is consistent throughout. Mix in the oats, walnuts, and raisins slowly to the dough. You can also substitute the raisins with chopped up dates if you want a cookie that's a little bit sweeter. 

On two greased cookie sheets, create dough balls that are about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. When you place them on the sheet, you need to shape and press them so they become flattened and about 2 inches in diameter since they do not expand very much in the oven. 

Cookies before being placed in the oven.

Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes in the oven. They will look a little crispy on the outside and golden brown on the bottom. The inside remains very soft. Let them cool down and then enjoy!

Ready to eat!