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, 2-3 Tbsp. lemon zest, ½ tsp. rosemary (optional)
• 1/8 – 1/4 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 fridge.
2. In a medium bowl hand-stir the avocado, vegetable oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and apple sauce. Make a well in the middle. Add baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Stir until even. Add whichever variation you would like to make. Stir in oats.
3. Spray a baking tray with cooking spray or cover in 1 sheet of parchment (not wax!) paper. Bake 10-12 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