Orange Oatmeal Cookies

No butter, no oil, no egg yolks. These oatmeal cookies get all their moisture from a blended mix of banana, orange juice concentrate, and honey. The result is a soft, cakey cookie that tastes more like a breakfast treat than a dessert.

Blending the banana with egg whites and thawed orange juice concentrate is the foundation. The banana adds natural sweetness and acts as a fat replacement, binding the dough together the way butter normally would. Orange juice concentrate (not regular OJ) packs a wallop of citrus flavor in a small amount of liquid. Regular juice would make the dough too wet.

Orange zest goes in at the end with the walnuts and golden raisins. That’s intentional. Zest is delicate. Mix it in early with the wet ingredients and the volatile oils disperse and fade. Fold it in last and every other bite gets a bright burst of orange.

Use a wooden spoon, not a mixer. This dough is loose and sticky, and overmixing develops gluten that toughens the cookies.

Pro Tips

• Use a ripe banana. Underripe bananas don’t blend smooth and won’t add enough sweetness.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls, not tablespoons. These spread more than you’d expect from such a thick batter.
• Watch closely after 10 minutes. The honey browns fast, and the jump from golden to burnt is quick.
• Store at room temperature in an airtight container. The banana keeps them moist for 2-3 days.

Variations

• Swap golden raisins for dried cranberries for a tart contrast to the sweet orange.
• Add a handful of chocolate chips for an orange-chocolate combo.
• Use pecans instead of walnuts for a sweeter, more buttery nut flavor.