Wheat Free Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

My sister and I have been baking this recipe for so long, I am not sure where we got it from anymore. She makes it so often she knows the recipe off my heart (along with my mother's recipe for pie dough and baking soda biscuits). When I stopped cooking with dairy and wheat, this recipe was great for experimenting with. Oats, I found, are forgiving to other types of flour and moisture and the cookie's soft chewiness covers all kinds of baking substitutions.  

Some people with gluten sensitivities have difficulties with oats, making these cookies impossible to enjoy. If you can't find gluten free oats, (try Bob's Red Mill) you could easily substitute something else here: various gluten free granola cereals, coarsely chopped, or simply replacing the oats with flour would probably be fine, though less chewy. 

The reason I am posting this recipe today is because this weekend marks the first time I made them with this new (to me) trick for substituting eggs. I often eschew recipes that call for flax because I find the taste too strong. This weekend I whisked 1 tbs of ground flax seed with 3 tbs of water and before my very eyes, the mixture became the consistency of egg whites, perfect for holding all the ingredients together. Of course, if you'd prefer to use a vegan egg replacer or a real egg, that is fine. If you are nervous about the taste of flax, this is a good recipe to experiment on because the molasses and spice compensate for the little seed's most pronounced taste. 

Makes aprox. 2 dozen cookies. 

COOKIE INGREDIENTS:

1 cup coconut oil, melted

5 tbs prune puree

2 tbs molasses

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg replacement

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups gluten free oats

1 1/2 tsp xantham gum

pinch salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips (or to taste)

COOKIE INSTRUCTIONS

In an electric mixer, beat the coconut oil, molasses, prune puree, and sugar until combine. Add the egg and vanilla. While this is all whirring together, in a separate bowl sift together the wheat free flour, baking soda, salt, xantham gum, and spice. Add this flour mixture to the wet ingredients slowly. When combined, remove bowl from mixer and stir oats and chocolate chips in my hand with a wooden spoon. Drop 1 tbs sized blobs of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for eight minutes. The cookies will be soft for three to five days and can be frozen.