Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup unsweetened soy/nut/other milk
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 1/2 cups thick rolled oats (split into 1 cup and 1/2 cup) - ensure these are gluten-free oats if allergies are a concern
  • 1/4 cup ground flax meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup natural peanut/almond/other nut butter/tahini (purchase a freshly ground butter from the bulk section of your grocery if possible, otherwise choose an organic/natural butter without any additives - do not use big box brands)
  • 2/3 cup maple syrup (or honey if not strictly vegan)

Method

  • Heat milk in a small bowl in the microwave until warm. Add chia seeds to the warmed milk, stir and set aside to thicken for 12-15 mins.
  • Move oven racks to allow for baking in upper and lower third of oven with 2 baking trays. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking trays with Silpats or parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a food processor, add 1 cup of the oats and pulse/process until the oats form a coarse flour. (Alternatively, if you have oat flour already on hand, you can mix by hand in a bowl) Add the flax meal, salt, baking soda and baking powder and pulse/mix to combine well.
  • Add the thickened "chia egg" (milk + chia seeds) to the dry ingredients and pulse until well combined. Add the peanut butter and maple syrup and pulse until well combined, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as needed. Finally add the remaining 1/2 cup of whole oats and pulse to thoroughly combine.
  • Spoon 12 heaping tablespoons of batter, equally spaced, onto each prepared baking sheet. Use either a fork or your lightly wet fingertips to round out the shape and flatten each batter mound to ~1/3 inch height.
  • Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking, until cookies are firm to the touch and lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and place cookies on a rack to cool. These keep well for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, stored in an airtight container. Enjoy!