Vegan Cowboy Cookies

I recently saw a recipe for cowboy cookies (that wasn't vegan), and I decided that I needed to veganize it because it sounded really good! Also, my Mom who is a big oatmeal cookie lover has been begging me to make some oatmeal cookies so it was the perfect opportunity! Although I like to spend a lot of time outside on the weekends I also like to take a little time to do some baking. Cookies are one of the things I bake most because the aroma of freshly baked cookies is one of my favorite and I love sampling the dough, plus nothing beats a warm cookie freshly baked!

These ones are super simple to make. No fussy beating the dough or chilling or anything, just mix, roll and bake! So, you can be enjoying warm freshly baked cookies in about 45 minutes or less! I always love desserts that are almost instant gratification.

For the base on these I used an oat flour, because I figured why not make them as oat filled as possible! I am a huge oat fan and in fact I have eaten oatmeal almost every day for the past 16 years of my life I love oats that much. My Mom always said oatmeal cookies are healthier so they don't count so much as dessert. Well, I kinda have to agree, they have a lot more nutrition in them then say just a sugar cookie with white flour. I just love them because of their texture.

Once the base was all made I mixed in some coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans to make them cowboy cookies. I actually really love this flavor combination! It is so heavenly! The coconut in the dough makes it a little sweeter, the pecans add a nutty crunch, and who doesn't love gooey dark chocolate chips! These cookies are my favorite while still warm from the oven. If you are in the mood for some cookies, give these a try!

Vegan Cowboy Cookies

Makes 16 large cookies

• 3/4 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid
• 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar
• 2 flax eggs*
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Ingredients:

1. preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment (or oil it).
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the coconut oil, and sugar until well blended. Add flax eggs, vanilla, and beat until well combined (the mixture will become very thick).
3. Mix in the flour, soda, spices and sea salt until well blended. Mix in the oats until well combined, then add , chocolate chips, coconut and pecans and mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
4. Lower the oven to 350F degrees with the rack set at the middle position.
5. Roll the dough into 16 large balls, and spread them out on the 2 cookie sheets with plenty of room in between. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden, but not over baked. Let cool on sheet a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack lined with parchment to cool.
7. Enjoy!

*For the flax eggs, whisk together 2 Tbsp ground flax seed, 1/4 cup and 2 Tbsp water in a small bowl.  Allow to sit in the fridge for 15 minutes until the mixture has set up (or become kind of thick).