Oat & Flax Cookies with Chocolate

You didn’t think I’d let slip by without some edible celebration did you? I mean, I don’t really need an excuse to eat a cookie (fine, a few) but I do like having an excuse to, especially one that involves one of my favorite people on the planet. I was hesitant to offer such a unique cookie to our crew and try to pass it off as the half-birthday celebration desert (I mean, this is a vegan, gluten-free cookie and looks nothing like a birthday cake) but happily everyone adored these treats and didn’t question the copious amount of seeds and goodness bursting out of them.

So, if you need a solid healthy cookie recipe this is one to try. The fact that it happens to be vegan and gluten-free is an added bonus for those of you who have diet restrictions or party with those who do.

Oat & Flax Cookies (with chocolate)

makes 12 to 15 cookies

2/3 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup flax seeds

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 tablespoons almond meal

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chunks

1. First, preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix all the oats, flax seeds, coconut, almond meal, coconut sugar, chia seeds, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt together.

3. In separate bowl, whisk the melted coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix to combine. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

4. Scoop tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheet (flattening each with the back of your spoon). Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden with crisp edges. Let cool slightly and dig in.