Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

By Dylan Wilde, Cedar Rose Assistant Teacher

Who doesn’t love cookies? These come together quickly in one bowl and contain no added oil or processed sugars, as they’re lightly sweetened with maple syrup. They’re endlessly customizable and always delicious. Try switching out the peanut butter for a different nut or seed butter, or replace the chocolate chips with seeds and dried fruit for a breakfast cookie. Bon appetit!

Yield: 1 dozen
Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 c natural smooth peanut butter (or almond, cashew or sun butter)
1/3 c maple syrup
2 tbsp milk (or alternative of choice)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c old fashioned oats
1/2 - 3/4 c flour (all-purpose, whole wheat pastry, spelt, gluten-free, or a blend of flours)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 ts salt
1/3 c chocolate chips (can sub fully or partially with dried fruit (raisins, currants, cranberries) or nuts (chopped walnuts or pecans))

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or grease it).

In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Sift 1/2 c flour, along with baking soda and salt, into the wet ingredients. Add oats and mix well with a strong fork. Sprinkle in more flour as needed if the dough seems too sticky (it depends on the texture and consistency of the flour and nut butter) and mix until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop dough into twelve balls onto prepared cookie sheet and press each ball down to flatten.

Bake for 12-14 minutes (longer if you prefer a crispier cookie), until the bottoms are golden brown when checked with a spatula. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy with a cold glass of milk for dunking!