Fruitslinger, also known as my friend Dan, came over the other day.  He’s got this fun new blog based on the thought-provoking question will it waffle?  It turns out lots of things will waffle, including burgers.

And s’mores!  Yowza.

When he asked me to participate, I was intrigued to come up with a recipe that’s approachable enough for people to actually make, since I understand there’s a lot of smoke involved in a waffle burger.

I discovered that waffled oatmeal does not make my heart sing.  But it makes me more grateful for my tidy husband who cleaned up the waffle iron after this well-intentioned experiment.

My shot at the best of both worlds

Since this winter is feeling a little bleaker than usual (maybe just darker, without enough fluffy, light-reflecting snow), I find myself craving comfort and encouragement.  But since spring is around the corner (please) I also want to not go too nuts with indulgence.  Thus, I came up with some little portion-controlled cookies to dip into creamy strained yogurt. These can’t really be called health cookies by any means — butter and sugar are key ingredients.  But there’s a little whole wheat flour and a big punch of fruit with a hit of sunflower seeds.  Not too bad.

As with any dessert-type food, moderation is key.  So I form the dough into balls, then stash them in the freezer where they are out of sight until a legitimate craving comes along.

Dried fruit waffle dipping cookies

Makes about two dozen

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 cup finely chopped dried fruit, such as dried plums and apricots

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Strained yogurt for dipping*

Whisk together flours, salt and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and set aside.  Using an electric mixer or sturdy wooden spoon, blend butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl until well combined.  Add egg and vanilla and continue mixing, then stir in flour mixture and blend well.  Stir in oatmeal, dried fruit and sunflower seeds.  Scoop about two tablespoons of dough at a time and form into balls.  At this point you can freeze the dough in a tightly covered container if you plan to exercise portion control.

Preheat waffle iron and lightly brush grids with oil.  If dough is frozen, let rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes.  Place a dough ball on one quadrant of the grids.  The waffle iron should accommodate four cookies at a time.  Close the lid and press tightly to squish the dough balls into little round waffle cookies.  Waffle until deep golden brown (time will vary depending on your waffle maker).  Serve with strained yogurt.

*Why I love strained yogurt, and how to make it

To me, strained yogurt is a miracle food.  Relatively low in fat compared to sour cream and other creamy treats, it delivers a nutrient boost with live active cultures and calcium.  It’s a perfect snack that feels indulgent and virtuous all at once.  And it can go savory too, as the basis for a dip with the addition of mustard and herbs.  But I mostly like it sweet.  I use it for sundaes, beside cake, or, in this case, as a dipping sauce for mini waffle cookies.

To make it, buy a big container of plain yogurt.  I don’t care for the fat free version because it doesn’t have enough body for me, but that’s your choice.  Line a colander or large strainer with a coffee filter or paper towel, then set over a large bowl.  Strain for a couple hours, transfer to a clean bowl and stir like mad to get a creamy consistency.  If you strain it overnight you’ll have something that looks like cream cheese.  Doctor it up for spreads.  If you like, drizzle with a little honey, ginger syrup, or simple sprinkle with cinnamon.

If you enjoy this post, please consider subscribing to my newsletter, or my feed. Or tweet with me!  Recipe and photo compliments of Janine MacLachlan, www. RusticKitchen.com. All rights reserved.

Update:

Here’s Dan’s post about his visit (with a gorgeous photo).

And in 2012, Dan announced he’ll be writing a Waffleizer book!

Tags: waffles cookies

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