breakfast cookie with tamarin and cranberries

what's tamarin you ask? well let me tell you. "tamarin is a new speculoos spread introduced to europe in 2008. based on a traditional european speculoos wafer, tamarin offers a unique, complex flavor - mildly sweet with a hint of cinnamon. when spread on a slice of bread, a biscuit or croissant, it is the ultimate compliment to a tall glass of milk, a cup of coffee or hot tea!"

i was giving the opportunity to try a complimentary jar from the tamarin sandwich spread  folks via elle over at elle's new england kitchen, on one condition, that i come up with a recipe using the spread. okay, i am game.

well, i promptly got my jar and dug in. it is different. it is delicious. it looks like, but tastes nothing like, peanut butter. it is sweet, creamy with a hint of cinnamon and other spices.

hmmmm, what can i make?

what did i make?

i made this....

beth's big  big ol'breakfast cookie with tamarin and cranberries!

heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit

in a bowl, mix together the following:
1/2 cup of rolled oats
1 T of all purpose or whole wheat flour
1/4 t of baking powder
1/2 t of real vanilla extract
big dash of cinnamon
1 heaping T of tamarin sandwich spread
1 T of dried cranberries
1 heaping T of unsweetened applesauce

thoroughly combine and spread onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet shaping into a large cookie. bake for about 25 minutes, cool briefly and enjoy.
a few notes, you might need to add a tad bit more applesauce, use your own judgment, you want the cookie to just come together, but not be too wet. also, there is no additional sweetener in the recipe. the tamarin spread makes it slightly, but not overly sweet as is, but you could always add a little sugar, honey or sugar substitute to your own taste. me, i would only add a teaspoon at a time tasting as i go, until satisfied with the sweetness of the mixture.

let me tell you, it was yummy. i ate it straight from the oven while it was still warm. the cookie was chewy and full of flavor. i am not a fan of your typical breakfast fare, so this was over the top for me. i paired it was an ice cold glass of low fat milk. yum. the tamarin spread lent it creamy cinnamon goodness to the cookie, but did not overpower the sweet tang of the cranberries. oatmeal has been praised for its fiber and its "staying" power. it sticks with me. i felt good about eating this "cookie".  i think this was a healthy start to the day, not only does it taste good, but it is good for you. enjoy.