Cookies to the Rescue...

When all else fails, these cookies NEVER do me wrong. These are the most amaaazing vegan cookies I've had. You can really tweak them to include whatever "mix-ins" suit your cravings that day. Ready for these bad boys??

Let's get baking!!

What You'll Need:

2 cups of walnuts (if you prefer pecans they work just as well...or you can mix the two!!)

3 Tbsp canola oil (or whatever other mild flavored oil you have)

1/3 cup light brown sugar (I don't like my cookies too sweet-alter for your tastebuds)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups oat flour (or you can use whatever you have; I used a mix of white and buckwheat)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips (or if you aren't concerned about keeping them vegan, ANY chocolate works just fine)

How to Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a food processor, blend the 2 cups of nuts for about 20 seconds until fine. Add 3 Tbsp of oil and bled for 2 minutes, or until you get a "peanut buttery" consistency. Place this mixture into a large bowl.

3. Whisk together brown sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan on medium/high heat. Remove as soon as the mix begins to boil. (This doesn't take but a minute so stay close).
4. Pour sugar mixture into bowl with nut mixture. Add in vanilla extract & whisk until nice & smooth.
5. In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients ( Flour, Baking soda, salt, cinnamon).
6. Once well mixed, add into first bowl & stir until just combined.

The mixture will appear thick, don't worry...this is normal.

7. In a small bowl, combine raw oats with chocolate chips (or any other mix-ins you prefer). As long as the total sum of mix-ins equals 1 1/2 cups you're fine. I used one cup of Ghirardelli choc chips and 1/2 cup dried cherries.

Y'all...these Ghirardelli 60% cacao chips are insanely good. I'm not joking. TRY THESE, asap. They put semi-sweet choc chips to shame with their decadence. Also, when a chocolate craving strikes, you can eat 16 of these for only 6g of sugar...but I assure you, after 3-4 your craving will subside because they are RICH! I realize these ruined the "vegan" part of the cookie but I don't care...because they are delicious...AND i'm not a vegan :)

(Choc chips + Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats)

8. Add your mix-ins to the bowl with the nut/flour mix & stir with a wooden spoon until evenly combined. This is a little difficult due to the thickness of the mix. If all else fails, mix with your hands. BEST part... you could totally eat this raw if you can't control yourself because it's VEGAN! No raw stuff to worry about.

9. Take out two cookie sheets and line with parchment paper (or use baking spray). Using a mini ice cream scooper, fill up your baking sheets with even balls of cookie dough. I usually get at least 30-40 cookies.

10. Gently press cookies down to flatten slightly. Bake for EXACTLY 9 minutes & 30 seconds. This timing has been perfected by my trial and error. Any less and they'll be smooshy; Any longer and they'll be too dry.

End result...

Drooooooool!!!!!

I totally ate 4 of these back-to-back at 3am last night and then went straight to bed...and guess what?? I don't care!! Guilt free my friends. Not only are these PACKED full of whole grains & fiber, BUT they are also heart healthy with lots of nuts & dark chocolate. As we speak I'm going to eat one...for breakfast. Who said you can't eat cookies in the morning??