They say going cold turkey on the dessert front gets easier the longer you keep yourself away from it, but I've never found that to be the case. Instead, what generally happens is that I'm "good" for a while until I just can't stand it anymore and then you'll find me in the pantry, stuffing handfuls of chocolate chips into my deprived mouth! What works so much better at keeping me on a healthy eating plan is the knowledge that I can have those 3 spoonfuls of ice cream or that sliver of cake at the end of the day. I don't need a ton of the yummy stuff but I do need SOMETHING!! If it's that way for you too, keep reading this post about these fantastic and fairly sensible biscotti (if complete and total abstinence is the only thing that works for you, stop reading now and go for a run or something!)

If you're still with me, then let's talk about these delicious, immensely satisfying and fairly sensible Cherry Almond Oatmeal Biscotti. You're in love already, right? Dried cherries, almonds, oatmeal and unsweetened coconut which I left out of the title but you should NOT leave out of these cookies, makes for a crunchy, chewy, begging-to-be-dipped-in-something-hot treat that won't derail your diet. And they come together easily without a mixer!

They're sort of like eating a handful of granola, only so much better (not that I have anything against granola, but a cookie's gonna win out every time!!)

And because you really do have to chew these, I find that it's not too hard to keep yourself to just one (or two) at any given time. For me, it's the thought of my son's wedding in June keeping me in line--always good to have an event to shoot for! Still...dreaming about that biscotti and a cup of tea tonight! 

Cherry Almond Oatmeal Biscotti

Makes about 3 dozen

Prep Time:  10-12 minutes; Bake Time:  20 minutes, plus an hour of cooling and then a second bake for another 20 minutes or so

Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting your board or counter
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (you could also sub in coconut oil)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds (you could also use sliced almonds or walnuts or pecans or leave the nuts out entirely)
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup dried cherries (or any dried fruit you have on hand or like better)
• 1 egg white

The Recipe

1.  Preheat oven to 325ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl, mix the flour, oats, baking powder and soda and salt. In a separate large bowl whisk the melted butter and both sugars together. Then add in the eggs and vanilla and whisk again. Use a spoon to stir in the flour mixture, nuts, coconut and dried fruit. The batter will be stiff.

3.  Flour a board or your counter as well as your hands. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 12-14-inch log and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Pat each of the logs down so that they become more oval shaped. In a small bowl, beat the egg white until foamy and use a pastry brush to brush it all over the logs.

4.  Bake for 20 minutes, until the logs are lightly golden brown and have little cracks on top of them. Let the logs cool on the sheet on a wire rack for 1 hour, then transfer to a cutting board.

5.  Use a serrated knife to cut the logs into thin slices on the diagonal, about 1/2-inch slices is good. These might be a bit crumbly and break so be gentle. Transfer the slices back to the baking sheet, laying them down on their sides in an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes, turn then over and then bake for another 10 minutes so that each side is golden brown. Let cool completely. These keep for at least a couple of weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Note:  Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen Every Day by Deb Perelman.