Vegan Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Sweet, satisfying oatmeal peanut-butter cookies - no one will know they are oil-free!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Keyword cookies, oatmeal, oil-free, peanut butter

1/3 cup chunky peanut butter or almond butter or other nut butter, see note and nut-free option
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp plain non-dairy milk
2 tbsp flax meal
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup oat flour use certified gluten-free for that option
1 1/2 cups rolled oats use certified gluten-free for that option
1/2 cup almond meal see note for nut-free option
3 tbsp coconut sugar can use date sugar, or sucanat, etc
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt *see note
1/4 tsp rounded cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins
2-3 tbsp non-dairy chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. You can use a bowl and spoon and stir by hand, or use a mixer. If using a mixer, first combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, milk, flax meal, and vanilla in the mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for a couple of minutes until creamy (if mixing by hand, simply combine all these ingredients in a bowl and set aside). Then, combine the oat flour, rolled oats, almond meal, coconut sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon in a bowl and stir through. Add raisins and chocolate chips, and stir through again. If using a mixer, add this dry mixture to the wet on a low speed until just nicely incorporated. If mixing by hand, simply add the wet mixture to the dry, working through until well combined. Take spoonfuls of the mixture (about 1 1/2 tbsp) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 11-12 minutes (not longer, they can scorch on bottom). Remove from oven, let cool on pan for just a minute and then transfer to a cooling rack. Take a nibble... Repeat. Try to share. :)
Makes 15-17 nibbly, scrumpdillylicious cookies!

Note: Some peanut butters and almond butters contain salt - even natural brands. If you have a brand with salt, then reduce the salt to just a pinch or two, no more than 1/8 tsp.
Nut-Free Option: To make these nut-free, substitute sunflower butter for the peanut/almond butter. Then, for the 1/2 cup almond meal, substitute with 1/4 cup of oat flour (in addition to the 1/2 cup oat flour already in ingredients) and 1/4 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut. IF you cannot consume coconut, then use hemp seeds (coconut gives better flavor/texture). Sunflower butter has some natural bitterness that nut butters do not have, so to compensate for this flavor differential, ALSO increase cinnamon to 1 tsp, and the vanilla to 2 tsp. It will add some extra natural sweetness that helps the overall flavor. (You can also add another 1-2 tsp of maple syrup or coconut sugar to bump up the sweetness if you like, taste test the batter and judge as brands of sunflower butter can vary.)