Light and Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies

These are light in color and more on the crispy side. For the test recipe, I used coconut and pecans, but you can substitute dried fruits and nuts in the same amounts.

Traditionally, oatmeal cookies are made with added raisins and walnuts, but you could add any dried fruits and nuts you would like, or grain-sweetened chocolate chips.

Makes about 3 dozen

DRY ingredients:
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

WET ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, cooled
1/2 cup brown rice syrup (replace some of the brown rice syrup with barley malt syrup to give a richer flavor)
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla or rum

FRUITS & NUTS
3/4 cup coconut
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet, or rub with softened butter.
3. Mix oatmeal, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
4. In a smaller bowl, whisk together butter, sweetener, water, and vanilla until sweetener is dissolved.
5. Stir wet ingredients into dry until blended, then fold in coconut and pecans.
6. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons to baking sheet, leaving about an inch of space between cookies. Flatten by pressing gently with a fork or your fingers.
7. Bake until edges and undersides are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. They will be brown on the bottom, but still light in color on the top.