Vegan Cookie Recipe: Healthy Rolled Oats Oatmeal Nut Cookies

While we normally go deliciously rich and decadent desserts—as witnessed here and here—there are times when we want a snack that’s good for us and not filled to bursting with sugars and carbs. Today, we decided to come up with a vegan cookie that has no added sugar and yet still has tasty flavor that gives us a little boost whenever we taste it.

The base of these cookies is oats and cashews (though you can choose any nut butter you like), and it’s packed with seeds and peanuts and dried fruit, and everything comes together to form this perfectly crunchy and chewy bite-sized treat. If you want to make it a little sweeter, you can always add some honey or dates into the mix, but we’ve gotta say, we like them just how they are!

Rolled Oats and Nut Cookies

Yield: 1-2 dozen

Ingredients

• 3 large, very ripe bananas
• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 3/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F, position oven rack in the middle of oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Combine ripe bananas, cashews, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until mixture is smooth and there are little to no lumps remaining.
3. In a bowl, combine oats with dried fruit, sesame seeds and chopped peanuts, and pour wet banana mixture into the dry ingredients.
4. Mix together so everything is fully incorporated and combined, then, using a spoon or your hands, begin forming your cookies and transfer them to your baking sheet.
   Note: you can place them close together since the cookies won’t rise.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until edges just begin to brown, but centers are still a little squishy.
6. Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes and serve warm (or warmed up in the microwave).

Recipe adapted from Yummly