Coconut Oil Pistachio Cookies

I love to make cookies.
I hate to gain weight.
I am a house divided against itself.

I'm always experimenting with healthier substitutes.
Avocado Brownies.
Agave Nectar Cookies.
For example.

This is my newest attempt at healthifying my favorite unhealthy treats.
Swapping coconut oil for shortening.

COCONUT OIL PISTACHIO COOKIES

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1/2 cup LouAna solid coconut oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups oatmeal
3 cups flour
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate baking melts*
1 cup shelled pistachios**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whip the butter and solid coconut oil.
Add the sugars, and keep mixing until fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla.
Add soda, powder, salt and oatmeal.
Add the flour 1 cup at a time and mix completely.
Stir in the chips and pistachios.

NOW, I need to tell the truth.
The coconut oil does affect the texture of the dough.
You will find it is flakier and crumblier than your normal cookie dough.
So I would grab a golf ball sized chunk of dough
and really squeeze it hard in my hand.
It will stay together if you squeeze it together.
Then Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes.
The dough will pretty much keep the same shape as it did when it was raw.
So while the cookies are really warm, I just smashed them softly with a spatula.

The result in switching to coconut oil is, in my opinion,
a much more flavorful cookie.
It is more dense and thick.
You can really sink your teeth into these babies.

I made them for a party recently and I couldn't believe how fast they went.
I thought for sure someone would find me out and ask,
"What's different about these cookies?"
But they couldn't tell.
So, let's just keep it between us, eh?
{wink}

Try Coconut Oil as a replacement for butter in all your recipes.
See if you can tell the difference.
I know your hips will.

* I used baking melts because I was out of chocolate chips, 

and I was SO happy how it worked out.

It was large gooey chunks of chocolate in each bite! I'll never go back now. 

** I love pistachios and nuts are good for you, but if you are gagging at the thought, try pecans, or leave them out completely.