Scraps and Snippets ~ Amazing Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies from Classic to Vegan....

I lied. I said I wasn't going to post another peanut butter cookie recipe. Because, I reasoned, how many peanut butter cookie recipes does one person need? 

Well, this one. For sure. 

The classic Better Homes and Garden red gingham cookbook has a recipe for peanut butter cookies that I felt the need to completely remodel. Maybe it's because I've been making pear and apple sauce like a crazed beast and needed a vehicle. Maybe it's because peanut butter and chocolate is pretty much my favorite flavor combination. Anyhoo. These suckers have been modified to include healthy ingredients. Half applesauce to replace butter, coconut oil with a very low coconutty flavor. Flax eggs, old-fashioned oatmeal, whole wheat pastry flour. I cut the sugar in half without touching the burst of yumminess. 

Dare I admit to making a half sized batch which didn't make it 24 hours. And then again a full sized batch that makes about four dozen. And this was all from Thursday to present. There is not one delicious crumb left. None. 

I am going to put this recipe in my to go to favorites. And I'm going to add to it and turn it into monster cookies as the occasion requires. The addition of chopped peanuts, Vegan chocolate candies and/or other goodies would take them into the next level. 

In the meantime, here's the recipe. 

Amazing Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Classic Gone Vegan

1/2 Cup coconut oil
1/2 Cup applesauce
1 Cup peanut butter
1 Cup brown sugar
2 Flax eggs (2 TBSP ground flax, 6 TBSPS water, combined and set aside to gel)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 and 1/2 Cups whole wheat pastry flour (or flour of your choice)
2 Cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 Cup chocolate chips

Cream the oil, peanut butter, applesauce and sugar together. (it's best that you use everything at room temperature or a mixture because cold peanut butter or applesauce will crunch up the coconut oil if it's liquid)
Add the flax eggs, salt, soda and stir. Add vanilla and mix well. Blend in flour and add oatmeal and chocolate chips and mix until incorporated. 

Roll into walnut sized balls and press lightly onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 11 minutes. I used a stone and didn't need to grease the pan.