In the spirit of the holidays I thought I would share a delicious oatmeal cookie recipe that is somewhat healthier than your traditional cookie recipes. This recipe can be made gluten free and/or vegan depending on your needs. So everyone can enjoy a delicious cookie! Now I’m not proclaiming these cookies to be “healthy” because they do still have a decent amount of sugar, so they are still a treat, but they contain a good amount of fiber and nutrients to help balance out the bad stuff. 🙂
Ingredients
2 cups organic, gluten free rolled oats
½ cup gluten free flour
½ cup almond meal
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 scant tsp salt (This might be a little too salty for some, but I like the contrast with sweet. You could cut it to 1/2 tsp depending on your taste.)
Wet ingredients
1 stick organic unsalted butter, softened (can sub vegan butter/margarine if vegan, or maybe 1/4 cup coconut oil, but I have not tried this, so don’t take my word for it!)
1 cup coconut sugar (You can use regular sugar here, but I think the coconut sugar lends a more complex flavor. As far as it being “healthier” that is up for debate, but it is less processed and so contains more trace nutrients and some fiber.)
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup “aquafaba” (liquid drained from can of chickpeas) (If you are not vegan or egg free, you can use 2 eggs here instead of aquafaba and chia seeds)
2 TBS chia seeds
2 tsp vanilla extract
Add ins
½ – 1 cup white chocolate chips or chocolate chips (optional)
½ – 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In large bowl whip aquafaba until very frothy, add butter and sugar and continue to beat until smooth. Add chia seeds and vanilla, continue beating until well blended. (If you are making the version with eggs, cream butter and sugar first, then add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.)
Sift together flour, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon into the creamed mixture, add oats. Stir until combined. Add chocolate chips and nuts, stir until evenly combined.
Drop batter onto baking sheet by tablespoon.
Bake for 15 – 17 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.