Healthy oatmeal cookies with dates and chocolate chips

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of oatmeal
• 2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 90 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour for baking or white whole wheat flour
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup chopped pitted dates
• 0.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate pieces

Preparation:

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 175°C.
2. Spread the rolled oats on a baking sheet and bake until light golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Set aside 1/4 cup of rolled oats for topping, and transfer the remaining oats to a medium bowl and let cool. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until very fluffy, another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to the bowl with the cooled oats and mix until evenly combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the flour mixture to the butter and knead into a dough. Stir in the dates and chocolate with a spatula.
5. Drop 1 tablespoon of dough into mounds on baking sheets, spacing them at least 2.5 cm apart, for about 30 cookies. Sprinkle the cookies with the reserved oats. Bake until lightly golden, 12-15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.