Can we talk about how excited I am to eat cookie dough after the little man arrives? That and see my feet, independently tie my shoes, wear normal pants, feel the fingertips on my right hand, walk more than a mile, and be able to stroll instead of roll out of a horizontal position? SO EXCITED! Our little boy is welcome to arrive any day and until that time I’m keeping a lid on my raw cookie dough cravings with Cherry-Almond Cookie Dough Oatmeal.
Healthy Oatmeal with a Cookie Dough Spin
Obviously I’m a cookie dough fiend and, coupled with my summer cherry obsession, this Cherry-Almond Cookie Dough Oatmeal totally and completely hits the spot. The base is my go-to 3-minute stove top oatmeal combined with not only vanilla but almond extract, which I always add to my sugar cookie dough to give it a little extra oomph. Topped with fresh cherries and crunchy almonds, I literally felt like I was eating a decadent bowl of cherry-topped sugar cookie dough for breakfast! (In a non-gaggy actually eating a bowl of sugar cookie dough for breakfast sort of way. You understand.)
The star of the bowl are fresh, summer cherries which are as sweet and delicious as they are gorgeous.
Wash 1/2 cup fresh cherries then use a cherry pitter to pit them. If you don’t have a cherry pitter you can slice the cherries like a mini piece of stone fruit then pop the pit out with your fingers.
Once they’re pitted, slice them in half and set aside. Out of sight, preferably, or there won’t be much left for topping your oatmeal! Ask me how I know…
Next get the oatmeal cooking. Start with 1/2 cup old fashioned oats.
Add the oats to a small saucepan then add 1/2 cup each water and milk as well as 1 small banana sliced thin. Turn the heat to medium then when the mixture starts to bubble, cook for about 3 minutes or until the oats are thick and creamy, using a spatula to help mash the bananas.
Remove the pot from the heat then stir in 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. Almond extract is very potent so a little goes a long way. Almond is such a deliciously classic pairing with cherries though – so good!
Spoon the oatmeal into a bowl then top with the pitted, halved cherries, and a sprinkling of crunchy sliced almonds.
I am telling you – so ridiculously delicious! You will love the combo of almond and fresh cherry with a cookie dough flavor, and the contrast of creamy oatmeal with crunchy almonds is just fabulous.
Cherry-Almond Cookie Dough Oatmeal feels like you’re eating dessert for breakfast. Enjoy every last drop!
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