Sugar-free Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

These are seriously good. And seriously vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free (except for the tiny amount of sugar in the pumpkin puree). BAM. A tri-fecta of guilt-abolishing truths about desserts. I've made them a few times now, and while the texture isn't quite perfect, they stay together pretty well considering how many substitutions are in them. And everyone I've shared them with to (n=10) loved the flavor -- even though most don't follow a vegan, gluten-free, or sugar-free diet.

**These are loosely based on this recipe.

Sugar-free Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup Stevia in the Raw
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
4 - 5 tbsp. coconut oil, warmed to liquid
3 - 4 tsp. vanilla extract (to taste)
1/2 cup gluten-free oats OR quinoa flakes (I've tried both and either way, you'll eat every last one)
1/2 cup pecan pieces (either raw or roasted will work)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the almond flour, sorghum flour, baking powder, stevia, shredded coconut, salt, and cinnamon together. Add the pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract and mix well. Add in the oats or quinoa flakes and pecan pieces and mix well. It will be slightly crumbly, but it should still be stick enough to roll into little balls. If it's not, add a little more melted coconut oil and/or vanilla extract until it is.

Roll into tablespoon-sized balls and line up on a lined cookie sheet. These don't really spread much, so you can put them pretty close together. Bake for 7 - 11 minutes or just until light golden brown on top. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Eat as many as you want before storing in an airtight container (for best results so they don't crumble when they rub against each other, separate layers with waxed paper). 

Flourless Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Oh my GOD were these good.  I scarfed down more of them than I honestly care to admit, although I did give a significant portion of them away, too.  So at least there's that.

Trader Joe's makes gluten-free oats now - did you know that?  I just discovered them recently - and not only are they certified gluten-free, they are also a lot cheaper than their competition - by several dollars.  AND they come with a recipe for oatmeal cookies on the back.  What more could you want from a bag of oats, celiac friends?

I modified the recipe quite a bit, of course.  I added a few different ingredients, reduced the fat, etc. (all my usual courses of action).  And they turned out to be fabulous - they were chewy, moist, and full of flavor.  Everyone who tried these loved them, and I suspect you will, too.

**Update: Since giving up sugar a few months ago, I also created a modified version of these that - in addition to being free of gluten and dairy - is also sugar-free. That modification is below!

Flourless Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen medium cookies

Regular version:
1.5 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1/4 cup fig butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sunflower butter or peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups gluten-free oats
5 tbsp. unsalted roasted sunflower seeds
3/4 - 1 cup chocolate chips

Sugar-free version: 
1.5 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1/4 cup plain pumpkin puree
1/2 cup Stevia in the raw
1/2 cup nut butter (I used plain salted almond butter, but sunflower or peanut butter will do, too! Just be aware that many nut butters have added sugar)
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups gluten-free oats
1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/2 - 3/4 cup pecan pieces
**Chocolate chips are usually full of sugar, but if you find ones that aren't, add them back in by all means!

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Whip together the Earth Balance, fig butter/pumpkin puree, and white and brown sugar/Stevia until well-mixed.  Add the egg and mix together well.  Add in the nut butter and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, and salt.  Stir them into the wet ingredients and mix well.  Add the extras (sunflower seeds, pecans, and/or chocolate chips) and stir in to combine.

Scoop the cookies out by the teaspoonful or tablespoonful onto the cookie sheets and space 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes (JUST until they start to brown on the edges), then remove from the oven.  They probably won't look completely done - that's ok.  Let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for another 3 - 5 minutes or until you can scrape them off onto a wire rack without their falling apart.  Cool completely, then store in an airtight container until ready to serve.