A Tale of Two Ingredient Cookies (And “Exceptional” Carob Fudge Fingerprint Cookie Recipe)

When I was in Catholic grammar school back at the dawn of time, the nuns taught us Phonics. Phonics was full of rules to help us remember how to spell and pronounce words correctly. The rules always had exceptions. It was no good learning the rules unless you knew when the exceptions applied. The one that has always stuck with me was a spelling rule that contained both the rule AND the exception in it. I thought that was handy, and besides that, it rhymed: “i” before “e” except after “c.” So when spelling a word like “friend,” it was “i” first. But when spelling a word like “receive” that “after c” exception kicked in and the two vowels were reversed.

If only baking two ingredient cookies was straightforward as this phonics rule. I’m sure many of you have seen the two ingredient cookie recipe making the internet rounds. I first saw it on a site called Burlap Bag, courtesy of McDougall Friends on facebook. But here’s the thing: these two ingredient cookies are NEVER photographed ( or eaten, I’m assuming) without one or more of the recommended “add-ins.” Healthy Girl’s Kitchen recently posted her version with add-ins  of cranberry, walnut and flax, which sounds pretty tasty. Both these recipes put me in mind of the Classic Oatmeal Millet Raisin Cookies I posted last fall  (which also happen to be sugar free flour free and gluten free). But I never pretended you could make those cookies taste great with only banana and oats. I knew even then when it comes to cookies (which start with a “c” by the way) exception is the rule–and the trick–to making healthy cookies taste great. In the case of my Classic Oatmeal Millet Raisin Cookies, the secret is good vanilla extract and lemon zest–and VERY ripe bananas.

In these so called two ingredient cookies on Burlap Bag, the not so subtle secret seems to be that the “two ingredient” cookies in the photo are studded with melty chocolate chips. Now for some reason this bothers my sense of fairness. Well of course banana and oats are going to taste better with warm chocolate chips baked into them. Oh, and some cinnamon for good measure. That makes four ingredients, not two. Let’s face facts: exception is the rule when it comes to good cookies, even relatively healthy ones.

For some reason I had just had it with those lucky people who can eat chocolate without getting restless leg syndrome or feeling like crap. And as my readers know, I love carob, but store-bought carob chips are out because they are all made with palm oil. And long ago Dr. Swank wrote that palm oil is “forbidden” for those of us with MS. I know from long experience his “no exception” is worth following. But dang it, I wanted some semblance of a chocolate chip without coconut or palm oil

And thus my carob fudge fingerprint cookie was born. Just one big fudgy centerpiece in each cookie.

And the cookie itself? I had read on Burlap Bag that there were variations of pumpkin or even peach two-ingredient cookies. The versions you see here are brazenly over the two ingredient limit. They combine bananas, dates, pumpkin or persimmon in whatever combination you like to make a nice fruity  base. And of course spices. And a few ground nuts. To hell with the rule. When it comes to good cookies, even healthy ones, it’s all about the exceptions.

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The Burlap Bag talks about eating these cookies in place of oatmeal for breakfast. But I’m a both/and kind of person. I love my oatmeal, even plain without almond milk, and just a chopped dried fig cooked in it. And I love my cookies. But not with just two ingredients, with all the exceptions that make delicious the rule. I tried these out on one of my omni friends just last Sunday. She loved them and all their “exceptional” ingredients. And though she warned me she isn’t a carob lover, she ate two of the three on the plate, exclaiming how good they were with every bite. Yet another fun exception to another old rule.

ps: If you’d like more healthy cookie inspiration, check out my Holy Shadow Cookies and Hawaiian Holy Shadow Cookies.