When he was small, my youngest son had a habit of filling his pockets with treasures he encountered in his daily adventures. I didn't always understand the value he saw in his chosen objects -- really, how many rocks and sticks could one boy keep? In his eyes, though, each one was beautiful and important. Life is just like that on a larger scale, isn't it? We gather up the precious bits of our experiences and save them all to learn from and enjoy later. Perhaps you'll find a little something here that you'd like to keep in your own pockets. Thanks for visiting.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Cashew Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (gluten-free, vegan)

Baking cookies has been a favourite Saturday or Sunday afternoon activity for me ever since I was a teenager.  There has always been something very comforting in the measuring and mixing of ingredients and a warm, sweet smelling kitchen on a chilly afternoon, and sharing fresh homemade treats with others makes me happy.  My mixing bowls were calling me one recent weekend afternoon, and I decided to combine elements of several of my best-loved childhood cookie recipes to create something new and delicious for my family to enjoy.  These treats are made from almond flour, pure oats, cashew butter, coconut, and chocolate to satisfy all kinds of cookie monsters!

Cashew Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

2 1/2 firmly packed cups blanched almond flour
1 1/2 cups certified pure oats
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp ground chia seeds
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup natural cashew butter
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

For the chocolate topping:

 2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate
2 tbsp natural cashew butter

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the almond flour, oats, coconut sugar, chia seeds, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the cashew butter, melted coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well to form a crumbly dough.  Stir in the walnuts, chopped dark chocolate, and coconut.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Press heaping tablespoons of dough between your fingers to make it stick together, and roll the dough into balls that measure approximately one and a half inches in diameter.  Place the balls in rows on the parchment paper lined baking sheets, and press them down with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass to make flat circles measuring about half an inch high.  Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until they are lightly golden.  Cool the cookies completely.

 To make the topping, melt the chopped dark chocolate and the cashew butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often.  Spoon this mixture into a piping bag with a small round tip, and pipe the topping over the top of each cooled cookie in a zigzag pattern. 

 These cookies combine so many favourite baking ingredients that they can't help but be totally scrumptious!  They are a perfect mix of chewy and crumbly, rich in flavour but not too sweet.  I hope the nut butter, chocolate, oatmeal, and cookie fans in your house love them, too. 
This post is linked to Gluten-Free Wednesdays. 



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6 comments:

  1. gfe--gluten free easilyNovember 6, 2014 at 7:37 PM

    These look amazing, Lisa! Love the special chocolate drizzle on top, and especially that's it made of dark chocolate and cashew butter. Thanks so much for sharing on Gluten-Free Wednesdays. :-)

    Shirley

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    Replies
    1. LisaNovember 9, 2014 at 2:34 PM

      Thanks Shirley -- I'm glad for the opportunity to share! My boys especially love the chocolate drizzle, too. :)

      Delete
  2. AnonymousNovember 11, 2014 at 12:52 PM

    If I don't add the chia seeds would I need to add an egg instead?

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    Replies
    1. LisaNovember 11, 2014 at 9:13 PM

      Hi there! Yes, I think an egg would be necessary as a binding ingredient without the chia seeds. (I use chia seeds for baking because my son is sensitive to eggs.) If you try making these cookies with an egg, please let me know how they turn out!

      Delete
  3. UnknownNovember 12, 2014 at 6:58 AM

    Can you omit the oats?

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    Replies
    1. LisaNovember 12, 2014 at 3:23 PM

      Hi Mary. You can try omitting the oats, but that will likely change the consistency of the dough quite a bit. If you like, maybe try substituting something like quinoa flakes for the oats and see how they turn out. Let me know your results if you experiment! :)

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