Nikki's Healthy Cookies Recipe
September 14, 2008 | by Heidi | Filed under Baked Goods Recipes, Chocolate Recipes, Cookie Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Heidi's Favorites, Quick Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
I keep in touch with one of my best friends from high school. Her name is Nikki and she lives in rural Pennsylvania with her husband and four kids. Four! She's an inspired cook who can throw a meal together on a whim from a refrigerator she keeps packed with all manner of whole, natural foods. She's an enthusiastic supporter of local growers and producers and regularly sends me emails highlighting recent cooking triumphs and trials. A few months back she emailed me her recipe for butter-less, flour-less, egg-less, and potentially sugar-less cookies - I promptly filed it under "can't possibly be good." How wrong I was.
When I made a trip to Philadelphia a few weeks back and spent the day with Nikki the topic of the cookies was revisited. Nikki mounted a compelling argument for these banana-battered treats, and I quickly bumped them to the top of my to-do list. My only regret is that I didn't try them sooner. The shredded coconut gives each cookie a hint of macaroon-esque texture, the oats lend heartiness, and melted chocolate chunks deliver bursts of dark, intense richness. You get just enough golden crustiness where the cookies touch the pan to play off the tender coconut-flecked center of the rest of the cookie.
Wayne and his brother Greg drove me out to see Nikki in Kennett Square, and for those of you who find yourself in the area I'll list off a few of the places Nikki took me to visit that day. First thing in the morning, on the drive out, we stopped off at Terrain at Styers. I bought enough that my suitcase barely squeaked under the fifty pound mark on the flight home - I should also thank Terrain for stocking my book! With Nikki we made the short drive from her house to Va La Vineyards, and then onto an organic mushroom grower to pick up a case of portobellos (which we would throw on the grill later). We hit "downtown" Kennett Square and I got a coconut popsicle at La Michoacana before hitting up their wonderful farmers' market (more on this later), on to Talula's Table, and then back to Nikki's house for an impromptu feast with the kids and a few of Nikki's wonderful friends.
Three of Nikki's four kids in a tree at the Kennett Square Farmers' Market, and a collection of birdhouses at Terrain at Styers
Give the cookies a try and let me know if you like them as much as I did.
Nikki's Healthy Cookie Recipe
You can use unsweetened carob, or grain sweetened chocolate chips, or do what I did and chop up 2/3 of a bar of Scharffen berger 70%. I sort-of shaved half the bar with a knife and then cut the rest into bigger chip-sized chunks. You can make your own almond meal by pulsing almonds in a food processor until it is the texture of sand - don't go too far or you'll end up with almond butter. And lastly, the coconut oil works beautifully here, just be sure to warm it a bit - enough that it is no longer solid, which makes it easier to incorporate into the bananas. If you have gluten allergies, seek out GF oats.
3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.
In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.
Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies.
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Your Comments
Wow this is such an exciting idea! Truly guilt-free, all-natural cookies. I thought this was impossible!! I can't wait to give it a try...
Wow this is such an exciting idea! Truly guilt-free, all-natural cookies. I thought this was impossible!! I can't wait to give it a try...
Is Kennet not a foodie paradise? A shame you missed the mushroom festival. Thanks for the inspiration to get to Terrain. I'm usually so stuck on Talulah's I don't get much further! And thanks for the excellent use for bananas!
These look so deliciously yummy I can't wait to make them!
I'd love to try this out! I feel guilty feeding cookies with high sugar and fat to my son.
I'm living in Malaysia and have been reading your blog for years.
A question, what is almond meal?
Almond meal? Is this very finely chopped/ground almonds or what is this? Anything I can substitute it with?
Sounds like you had a very fun time! I will try these straight away - I love all these ingredients, so it just makes perfect sense! Thanks!
Re: almond meal - the head notes tell you how to make it from almonds.
These sound fantastic and right up my alley, however I'm allergic to tree nuts, any suggestions for what I could replace the almond meal with?
This sounds amazingly scrumptuous but I really hate bananas. Do you 1) taste them in the final product and 2) Is there anything I could substitute them with?
Thank you for the insight :)
Sounds amazing! All of my favorite things together... I like that there is no flour or sugar added, and I LOVE coconut oil; I've began to put it in anything that I can.
Trader Joe's has almond meal, and for a decent price!
PS your friend sounds amazing! Just the kind of cook I love and want to be... creative, resourceful. I am always looking for the interesting sugar-free, flour-free, yet DELICIOUS recipes. - That's why I am a HUGE fan of the black bean brownies, I have made them several times!
You and Nik have certainly come a long way! Whenever we visit our family in PA, we are astonished at the local cuisine, as well as, the artistic adventure our daughter has taken into the realm of gourmet, natural, whole foods and her inspirational new recipes. We always leave a little heavier and a lot happier. The both of you have not ceased to amaze us. I am so glad you finally got a chance to hook up in her kitchen! Aren't my grandkids the most wonderful kids on this planet!
Mimi Vecchiarelli, Nikki's Mom
HS: It was GREAT to see Nikki in PA! And I can't wait for our next west coast reunion :) xoxo -h
Oh yum! Now to get my oven back to functioning so I can make these.
Anne,
You can substitute the bananas with applesauce with good results.
Replace the chocolate with raisins, use olive oil instead of coconut, and skip the vanilla. Sometimes I throw in a dash of freshly ground nutmeg for fun. These aren't quite as sweet, depending on the variety of applesauce you use.
This recipe is so highly adaptable.
I can't even remember who gave me the original, but everyone I've shared it with has changed it to their liking. It's one of those ever-evolving recipes. So fun!
P.S. Thanks Mom!
Yea! another gluten-free cookie recipie that is actually healthy! THANKYOU!
MMMMmmm! so whipping up a batch first thing tomorrow on my rainy day off!!!!
Perhaps oat bran instead of almond meal? (I'm also allergic to tree nuts) If I try it I'll let you know how it turns out!
Looks like a winner! Must try ... must try ... must try :-)
Oh my! Can not wait to try this out!
What are your thoughts on canola oil to replace the coconut oil? Since coconut oil solidify, does the olive oil change the texture of the cookies? Is coconut high in saturated fat for someone who is watching their cholesterol? Thanks for your response!
HS: I never cook or bake with canola oil. For a host of reasons I cover in my book.
These look delicious, I'll have to try them as is and with a granola mix.
Some notes though, almond meal has 14g fat per oz, and a single banana has 27.5grams of sugar, so while not entirely guilt free, these look to be absolutely delicious.
They look delicious, but i don't know if they would work as well with olive oil - i think you need the solidity of coconut oil when it cools to help hold them together. By the way coconut ol is a saturated fat but it doesnt act like an animal sat fat when its in the body so doesn't raise cholesterol, its great for energy!
Just found this recipe! Looks amazing. I am in England and over here almond meal would be called just ground almonds. Thanks Nikki and Heidi!
Woh thet soundus great,i cano't wait to try this recepie!I live in Kosovo and im not sure what is Almond meal?
With thanks Nora
Love the recipe.
Are you able to include number of calories in each your recipes?
Tx.
So lovely that you and Nikki have kept in touch after all these years!! And so lovely that she shared her FANTASTIC-sounding vegan cookie recipe :0)
When making the almond meal, should the almonds be blanched or does it matter? These look amazing - I can't wait to try them!
HS: Either is fine. -h
I had 3 bananas going ripe and I didn't know what I was going to do with them - low and behold comes this recipe! I've got a fresh batch out of the oven just now...and they're wonderful!
I added about 2 more tablespoons of oats to the mixture to make it firmer. I used olive oil and they came out great, plus I like the fact that they're not overly sweet :)
I have three ripe bananas in my kitchen right now, carefully saved for your banana-espresso muffins, but I think they'll be taking a little detour this afternoon, right into these cookies. The banana means it's okay to eat these for breakfast, right?
I have a variation of this recipe as well. You can use applesauce, baby food fruit, or even some jams work as a substitute for the bananas.
You can tell Nikki's a mom, she has all kinds of "artful" stuff on her fridge. And it looks like a fun wall of photos in the hallway! Wish I had a better look. :-)
Melissa
hi! This recipe sounds great! With wheat allergies in our family, we are always looking for something sweet that won't make us sick! Any substitute for the flaked coconut? the coconut oil is ok cuz it doesn't taste like coconut--but the flakes themselves....any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks Nikki for your creativity! As a mom of 4 also, we HAVE to be resourceful-there is always so much to do!!
It should be noted that these cookies are not actually gluten-free due to the presence of the oatmeal. You would need to substitute the oatmeal with GF oatmeal to ensure its' gluten-free status. The issue with oatmeal is cross-contamination. Fortunately there are GF oatmeal options out there including Château Cream Hill Estates: http://www.creamhillestates.com/en_order.php and, I'm told, Bob's Red Mill.
Yes, feel free to seek out GF oat if gluten is an issue for you. -h
Where does one find coconut oil?
HS: I believe Whole Foods Markets will carry it, as well as many health food stores.
I am always looking for new ways to use up brown bananas so this sounds perfect!
Absolutely love this website!
The picture looks delicious and I love the idea of a cookie without butter and sugar, but I loathe bananas (a sin, I know). Is there another fruit or other food that could be substituted?
I'll probably make these, they look fantastic...but my kids can't take any nut products to school. I might substitute flax meal for the almond meal.
For people who don't like bananas: use baby prunes !! and no, you don't taste them.
These cookies are just what I've been looking for in a gluten-free recipe... something delicious all on its own without trying to be something else.
It's also fun to see your post reflect some of my home sites in Pennsylvania! I work in horticulture and would be happy to help you find other great gardens and garden centers to visit on your next trip to PA.
Oh, Heidi! I have never been more excited about one of your recipes!
I'd say I'm making these today, but frankly it's supposed to be over a hundred awful degrees here in my part of sunny southern California, so I'm going to have to wait another week or so. Sad. :(
Thank you so much for sharing your trip, and your friend, with us!
Wow, I'd file this under "too good to be true" -- and then celebrate when I realized that it's not! I have a whole crew of friends who will like these for one reason or another -- my Celiac friends will be thrilled, as will my vegan pals. Then there are the fats-conscious group -- what a thrilling recipe. Can't wait to prove it not too good to be real.
These cookies look amazing!
Would they tolerate a trip in rhe mail ? Do they need refrigeration?
HS: I'm not sure a trip in the mail is the best bet for these cookies, they are quite moist which could cause problems.
Those look absolutely wonderful! I love recipes that prove that healthy treats can be delicious too.
What an intriguing idea! They sound delicious. Thanks for sharing.
I have been dreaming about how to make a gluten free cookie that is actually reminicient of the kind I used to eat....and I think this is it. I am going to try and substitute buckwheat flakes for the oats(because I am allergic to quinoa). Will post back and let you know my findings.....thank you for posting a recipe for such a wholesome treat. For those of you concerned about coconut oil - you need not be. The stuff is a miracle food. Antiviral, great for candida, and is full of the healthy kind of saturated fat. Sadly, coconut got such bad publicity in the 1970's and 1980's because of the way it was processed (hydrogenated). Pure, unrefined, extra-virgin, raw coconut oil is available at Amazon. Or at your local health food store. I use it in most baking and some high heat cooking because it's smoking point (425 degrees) is much higher than olive oil (325 degrees).
I am going to have to try these...
This recipe could be a dead ringer for a raw cookie recipe! The main differences would be dehydrating rather than baking, omitting baking powder, and using raw cacao nibs/chips. I think I will even try it this way...Thank you Heidi!
I also don't love bananas (in recipes)... I'm wondering if I could somehow mash raspberries (and attempt to remove of the extra water/juice) and use Flaxseed as someone mentioned above, since I'm allergic to treenuts as well. The dark choc./raspberry mix would be delish. Love this site - I've never posted before but I come on almost once a day!
kennett square - mushroom capital of the world!
I just tried making the cookies. They are fabulous for when you want a treat but don't want something super fatty or sugary. And the best part is the cookies require no mixer or other heavy kitchen machinery so clean up is a snap.
These look really good! I hate bananas, though, so maybe I will try the applesauce like someone suggested. I wonder how this would work with organic peanut butter?
For the person asking about coconut oil: Try the ethnic sections of your local grocery store. Where I live (Maryland), coconut oil can be found in that area--plus it's cheaper than the health food stores. Actually, I've found that almost all of the spices and oils are slightly cheaper in the ethnic aisles.
These sound fabulous! I'll have to find some GF oats and give these a try. Maybe I'll make these as holiday cookies around Christmas-time.
I just made these cookies, but I used canola oil instead of coconut oil. They turned out great! Chewy and sweet. The banana flavor is fabulous! It's like eating chocolate chip banana bread in a the form of a cookie. Thanks for the recipe!
Heidi, I noticed you said you don't cook with canola oil -- why is that? So many of my vegan cookbooks call for canola oil. Yikes!
I will definitely try these this weekend and get back to you - they look amazing!
I'm allergic to oats, almonds, and coconut... what to do? The cookies sound so good!
Excellent! I hardly eat sugar and I am trying to raise my 1 year old the same way. (We'll see how long that lasts). So these look great. I will definitely give them a try - despite being mostly sugar free I just don't feel that a cup of tea is complete without something adorable to nibble on:)
Wow I really want to try this recipe. The picture looks amazing.
I'll be trying out this recipe this week :)
Beautiful recipe and beautiful friend! Sounds like a nice combo! I'll have to try that cookie sometime.
I will definitely try these cookies tonight. i'll try and substitute the coconut for hemp hearts and see how that tastes. Thanks again for the great recipes. Van, BC. Canada.
I'm another reader who's allergic to tree nuts. I've seen some of y'all mentioning different alternatives, but has anyone actually tried the alternatives yet?
Also, I just plain don't like shredded coconut (no problem with the coconut oil). What is its purpose in this recipe and any ideas for alternatives? Or could it just be left out?
In resonse to "substitution for bananas" --- I think you could mix date puree and applesauce and probably replicate the moistness that bananas provide. Applesauce alone might even work ...
Man, how I love wholesome sweets. No, I wouldn't say they are guilt-free at all; moderation in all things. But by using the natural sugars in bananas (or prunes, applesauce, etc.) and the inherent sugar in chocolate, this makes it easy for you not to *add* sugar. Maybe it is now time for these new neighbors to make a batch and meet our neighbors! Thanks for sharing, Nikki and Heidi...and whoever was originally responsible for the recipe.
p.s. Just wondering, Heidi...what's the texture like on these? Look pretty crunchy, but I know the almond meal will function as an emulsifier in place of eggs...are they chewy or soft?
Looks interesting, just a note about coconut oil.Even though it is a saturated oil if you use Virgin coconut oil it does not have the negative cholesterol effects that most saturated oils do. Don't touch hydrogenated coconut oil, you might just as well use butter as it tastes better and has less trans fats.
these do look great! I will have to give them a try with quinoa flakes. I'm so glad you shared these.
Amazing! She should be blogging!
I made these this evening--with a few alterations. I hate bananas, so I added a bit of peanut butter, applesauce and pureed dates. I did add a teeny, tiny bit of brown rice syrup. I decreased the chocolate to about 4 oz.
My 17 y/o daughter, who absolutely HATES "healthy" stuff loved them! Even my mom who is not a cookie lover said they were pretty good.
I forgot to say that these remind me of Samoas--the Girl Scout cookies--which are the best cookies ever!
I have every single ingredient in the kitchen and plan on making these tomorrow. After riding out Hurricane Ike, I am ready to get back to something wholesome and natural and comforting.
These cookies are incredible. I love how healthy they are yet they look delicious! They look more like a haystack than a traditional "cookie". How is the texture compared to like a chewy Chip's Ahoy?
I have every single ingredient in the kitchen and plan on making these tomorrow. After riding out Hurricane Ike, I am ready to get back to something wholesome and natural and comforting.
hmmmmmmmmm
that is some delicious cookies.
it sures taste delicious.
good for tea.........
yahmmy
yummy! these do look like the tastiest cookies ever! I'd gladly switch places with Nikki for these!:)
can I use hazelnuts in stead of almonds? I have a lot of hazelnuts from my own garden...
They look and sound really delicious :) I love all the main components! Must try one day.
Also, you, your friend and her kids are beautiful :)
I made a gluten-free version of these last night using 1/4 cup chopped walnuts plus quinoa flakes in place of the oats. They taste good! Very good!! - much like banana/chocolate chip bread or muffins like another poster said. This recipe is a keeper - thank you !
I guess they would freeze well? Do you think they'll keep for 3 or 4 days without refrigeration?
A cookie lat is lowcarb, whole grain and has chocolate- I definitely need to try these!
I understand they're gluten, flour, and sugar free but I'd be careful about the 'healthy' moniker. After going to nutritiondata.com and totaling this all up, each one of these very tiny treats (30g) still has 100 calories, 6g of fat (3g saturated), 40g sodium, and 10g carbs.
These look very good. Thanks for the recipe. Just a comment on the "healthy", a 1 ounce serving which would be roughly a bite (your recipe states a serving would be a bite size cookie) would have approx. 93 calories, 6g fat, 5g sugar. If you can stop yourself at a bite, great! It's a healthy cookie. If not, it's not so healthy anymore.
Hutch-that's really not a bad nutritional analysis. Especially for a "cookie". Most of the saturated fat you mentioned comes from the coconut (we now know that this kind of saturated fat is not unhealthy like the kind that comes from animals). The amount of sodium is small and the carbs for the most part unrefined. And 100 calories in 30g? 30g of plain, unroasted almonds comes in at around 175 calories. Would you call that an unhealthy snack? Just my 2 cents.
Has anyone come up with a suggestion as to what can be used as a SUBSTITUTE for the SHREDDED COCONUT?
I'm heading to the kitchen right now! I've got to try them. I have sensitivities to dairy and eggs. I am so excited!!!!
Will let you know how they turn out;-]
Cindy-You could add an extra 1/3 cup of the rolled oats, or add some dried fruit or slivered almonds.
Ooh la la--thanks, Nikki and Heidi. I'm making these tonight!
Just posting an update to my "gluten free" version of these. They came out amazing. I am too fearful of getting sick from gluten free oats. So, I chose buckwheat. (I am allergic to quinoa). I used Cream of Buckwheat cereal by Pocono (only 1 1/2 cups). I made half the batch with raisins and the other half with Enjoy Life chocolate chips. The texture was so moist and chewy...A winner either way.
I did have to increase the coconut oil slightly to 1/3 cup and I added 2 Tblsp of raw honey. And I upped to a full tsp of cinnamon. As such, I had to increase the cooking time to 18-20 minutes.
for whoever was asking about canola oil - I just went to this nutrition lecture last night -and they did a little expose on canola oil. It is made from the rapeseed plant - in an 80 step process (yikes !!!)- which obviously 1.) makes it highly refined. 2.) it actually doesn't stand for anything but "canadian oil" 3.) is chock full of omega-6's - scary thought as most americans are getting 40 times the amount of omega 6's than our bodies need. It is not going to kill you - but chances are we are much better off choosing fats and oils wisely - ones that come from a much larger VARIETY of nutritional sources (i.e., olive oil is full of omega-9) etc....
I am DEFINITELY trying this recipe out. Yum. I love coconut oil, in fact, it is the only oil I use. I recently wrote an article about the health benefits it provides - most people don't know what a gem it really is. Thanks for another great recipe, as always!
Sheila
PS If you are interested, you can check out the article here.
How ripe should the bananas be? Ripe as in banana bread ripe, or just some black dots?
Thanks for yet another wonderful recipe!
I just made these; the last batch is in the oven. I'm not a huge fan of coconut, so I skipped the shredded coconut and used grapeseed oil instead of the coconut/olive oil. I had all of the other ingredients in the pantry, so I just threw it all together, and they're great! My roommate is a big fan.
Carolina - did they turn out well without the shredded coconut? Does the shredded coconut serve a purpose other than flavor (ie. for the texture, to hold them together, etc)???
Not having a sweet tooth, I've never really been tempted by too many cookie, cake or pie recipes. But this one appeals to the subtle sweet palate. The bananas/coconut combo is as sweet as I need.... chocolate is the one exception to my savoury preference. Definitely going to try this one.
Yikes! All this time, I've been substituting canola oil for butter in my baking. After some reading on canola oil, I was better off using butter than replacing the butter for canola oil. What would be a good oil to use besides olive oil (since olive oil delivers a strong olive taste)? Soybean oil?
Thanks to all who have written about canola oil.
OK, I did some quick reading and one of the oil to replace butter is COCONUT OIL! I'm gong to the health store on Friday!
Again, thanks for informing me about canola oil. Here I've been doing everything possible to be healtn/fitness conscious and I'm killing myself with canola oil. :(
Cindy, I didn't have any problems with texture or consistency. They turned out just fine without the coconut.
I baked these up last night to take to work today, and believe me -- a third of them didn't make it out of the house!
I used olive oil instead of coconut oil (isn't coconut oil really high in saturated fats?), a little extra almond meal. They came out great!
A side note: the second day, when they're not hot out of the oven and have had a chance to meld flavors, you can REALLY taste the bananas. It's a big bonus in these babies. Very good!! Thank you!
Oh yes -- my co-workers loved them. :) They're very happy to be my spoiled little guinea pigs.
i made these cookies and they rock!! next time i might try making them like a bar instead of drop cookie. thanks for the awesome recipe!!
They are fantastic, I made them yestedrday and the coconut oil flavor is great!
They are fantastic, I made them yestedrday and the coconut oil flavor is great!
These ARE fabulous! For those who have a convection oven, I baked mine at 325F for 14 minutes and that was exactly enough -- the tips were deep brown on the top and they were evenly brown on the bottom.
Also I found coconut oil at my local co-op. Actually it took me 15 minutes to read the labels on all of the different varieties of coconut oil they had there! Price points were from $8 for 15 oz to $20 for 16 oz! I certainly couldn't tell from reading the labels what the difference was, so if anyone has a clue, I'd love to hear.
This recipe is just perfect for when I want to give my little 2-year old daughter a treat, she loves them!! And as a Mum I feel extra generous and totally guilt-free! ;o)
Have to add that I love them too, always looking for healthy food-recipes! Oh, and I tried one version with fresh blueberries instead of chocolate, and cardemom instead of cinnamon. LOVELY!!!
I just made these, and they came out great!
Since I only had three small apple-bananas, I added mashed papayas, and since I don't like shredded coconut, I replaced them with more rolled oats. They have just a hint of sweetness, which I love. I think I'm going to experiment by adding different ingredients! The recipe seems so versatile.
Excellent recipe! My only concern is it is so humid here in S.C....should I put them in the refridgerator?
These looked SO good that I had to make them right away, which meant no trip to the store for almonds or coconut oil. I substituted peanut butter and olive oil, and they still came out super yummy. I will try it your way next time...
Here's my soapbox since I'm a lover of good stuff including virgin coconut oil. Olive oil is usually my 2nd choice. You can get it now without the coconut smell or without it pretty easily, it lasts a lot longer and stays fresher longer. Unrefined virgin coconut oil is a medium chained fat that does not behave the way other oils may in the body. It ranks right up their with olive oil as good for you. Make sure it expeller pressed without chemicals or hydrogenation. No added hexane, made from fresh not dried palms, no heat processing, and no GMOs. There are several nice ones available online or from Whole Foods. Refining, bleaching, deodorizing removes many of the good natural properties from the oil such as the Lauric acid (same stuff in mother's milk). The commercial stuff is not the same once it's been added, changed with additives, heated, etc. A little organic coconut oil is fine for the body. This also works better for cooking unlike corn, soy, canola, sunflower, etc. This is a healthier saturated fat from a vegan source and as a MCF (medium chain fatty acid) behaves differently in your body and digestive system. This recipe sounds delish but don't go overboard just 'cause it's got so many good for you tasty things in it :-) There are people in many parts of the world that use nothing but fresh coconut oil and it's available in their commercial products as well. Tropical Traditions is one brand I'm familiar with.
Perhaps shredded carrots could be subbed for the coconut? They have sweetness to them, and the texture, but don't taste like coconut (which i don't enjoy myself). You'd want to maybe let them dry a bit or increase the oats if it was too moist, but I bet it'd work fine.
I made these following the instructions, except I left out the shredded coconut. My husband and I thought they were yummy, but my toddler took a couple bites and wouldn't eat anymore. I was bummed because I made these with her in mind. She's usually not too picky about food, so I'm not sure what turned her off. The texture is definitely moister than a regular cookie.
Hi! First time to comment but long time lurker! Heidi, I love your website - it is such a treat to pull up your site and see what wonderful treat awaits me!
I made these cookies and they are delicious!! The only problem is my cookies did not stay together very well. I'm not good in the kitchen :) so wondering if someone can tell me what the binder is in the cookies so my next batch (which will be soon!) can stay together a little more! Any tips?
FYI: Very resourceful info regarding coconut oil and coconut milk:
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/
I made these last night, and they are truly delicious! Beautiful photos as well!
Yum, these are so good! I made them last week and substituted some peanut butter for some of the coconut oil. They fall apart very easily though, so I'm wondering how they would be as a bar instead..... My friends all liked these, too!
Oh my! I followed the recipe as is, using olive oil. I ground the almond meal as instructed. These cookies are OUTSTANDING! Just the right amount of sweetness, nice texture and tons of flavor. Officially my favorite cookie recipe ever. Thanks so much for sharing Nikki!
Tried these yesterday - my husband has a nut allergy so I replaced the almond meal with flaxseed meal - they turned out great! If I'm not mistaken, that cuts down on the fat somewhat and boosts the fiber...
Thanks for this great recipe! These are a treasure!
Karen
These cookies are outrageously good! I-can't-stop-eating-them good. Even people who usually eat gluten-ful cookies enjoy them.
I sub-ed Hazelnut flour for Almond because that's what I had on hand, and they're still great. I also added chocolate chunks and raisins, lovely!
This is one you'll make over and over.
I JUST made these!!!! I've already eaten 4... I used vegan chips and added a tiny bit of nutmeg and ground cloves.... SO GOOD! Thanks :)
These cookies ROCK!! I added dried cranberries to the mix, which added a bit of tartness to the semi-sweet cookie. Sooo good!! Even my picky-about-desserts boyfriend likes them. Thanks Heidi (& Nikki too!)!!
These are truly wonderful! I am on the First Place 4 Health eating plan and this fits in wonderfully! Thank you for sharing. MMMMMM
These cookies are divine! I actually put them in the the bottom of muffin tin holes, to keep the nicely round shape. Thanks for that!
I've made them, they are incredible, i've use a little ice cream spoon to put them in little chunks, i didnt use the sea salt and used chocolate chips.
Thank you so much for the recipe, its all you can ask for a vegan dessert!
I just finished making these half an hour ago. They're AMAZING. Even more delicious than normal cookies in my opinion. Probably cause I don't feel guilty when I eat them. Haha.
Will they taste the same if they're refrigerated?
Just made these today. I mixed up the wet mixture, went to go mix all the dry ingredients and realized my oats were steel cut instead of rolled oats. Definitely gave them a crunchier/chewy texture, but I love them! My 2 1/2 year old loved them as well, my crazy texture sensitive 4 year old took a couple bites and nicely said "I like them mommy, but I'll eat the rest of mine later." Sweet of her, but that meant she wasn't crazy about them. She'll come around though, they're delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Pressed into a pan, this recipe makes a yummy base. In response to other comments, you do taste the banana (or at least you would if you hate banana!) - I presume banana is important for liquid properties (?) so can easily be sub'd...maybe even with yoghurt... (Heidi?)
btw I made some kind of light banana mousse stiffened with gelatine for the next layer and topped off with more coconut - think cheesecake - rather proud ;o)
I am trying this with ground brazil nuts instead of almonds--crossing fingers
I replaced the coconut flakes with coarsely ground flaxseed, and used olive oil. Delicious!
These were amazing! Better then i could have wished. I made them very tiny, so almost 4 dozen and brought them into my office where they were instantly gone. I added extra coconut and used a 72% dark coco Lindt bar. I was thinking of making one version with rasins instead of chocolate.
Mmmmm...I used brazil nut powder instead of almond (all I had on hand), and it was so yummy! My only complaint is the chocolate, but I'm pregnant and I guess it just tastes too strong to me, right now. But I can tell, despite the chocolate debacle that this is a darn good cookie.
I made these last week, exactly as the recipe calls for, and I have to say I was disappointed! I love this blog and have made dozens of recipes from it that have all come out beautifully, so I'm wondering if I did something wrong. Can it ruin the coconut oil if it gets to hot when you warm it to a solid?
I was so sad, these looked delish in the photos, and apparently everyone else who has made them was pleased with the outcome... don't know where I went wrong!
HS: hmm, not sure what happened Eliza. Send me an email and describe to me what you didn't like about them, and I'll try to figure out if you just don't like them, or if there was a bigger problem.
Oh my gosh, these cookies were amazing. My hubby is a sweet freak and I have been dabbling with the idea of making him a semi vegan. He is such a great sport and these cookies have done much to prove my point that healthy can be delish. Fabulous