CHOCOLATE OATMEAL HAYSTACKS
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Chocolate Oatmeal Haystacks made with quinoa flakes and served with an iced loaded matcha latte.
No-bake chocolate oatmeal “haystacks” were the first cookies I ever made growing up. Here I have put a healthy spin on the sugar-laden recipe of my youth.
Now don’t get me wrong — I’m more than happy to indulge in some good old fashioned (or shall we say “un-healthified”) comfort food from time-to-time. But I also love remaking recipes so that they are both nutritious AND delicious. When we put some thought and consideration into our ingredients, we can create tasty treats with actual health benefits. And who doesn’t want to give their family cookies — maybe even for brekkie —and feel good about it?!?
In case you're curious, the original family recipe called for a cup of white sugar as well as sweetened shredded coconut. Here I have used a smaller amount of sugar-free monk fruit sweetener and unsweetened coconut. Monk fruit is a natural fruit-based zero calorie, zero carb, zero glycemic sweetener that I love to use in my recipes. However, you can certainly substitute coconut sugar if you prefer. I have also used maple syrup (2 to 4 Tbsp) plus one ripe mashed banana with good results. Given that these are egg-free, no-bake cookies, you can ‘taste as you make' and increase the sweetener as desired.
I have also modified the recipe to be dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free (except for coconut), and packed with antioxidants, fibre, healthy fats, and protein! I love them with the addition of Nuzest Rich Chocolate protein, but they work well without protein powder or using quinoa flakes or powdered almond or hazelnut butter instead, so there are lots of options!
These were a big hit with my taste-testers, especially my middle chicklet who thought they were the best oatmeal cookies she’d ever had. Please give them a whirl and let me know what you think!
Ingredients for 12 cookies:
1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut
1/4 cup Nuzest Clean Lean Rich Chocolate protein (or substitute gluten-free quinoa flakes, powdered almond or hazelnut butter, or additional oats)
2 Tbsp Giddy Yo raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp gluten-free shelled hemp seeds (or use additional oats)
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup Lakanto Golden sugar-free monk fruit sweetener (or coconut sugar)
1/3 cup vegan butter (or substitute grass-fed butter or coconut oil)
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a medium bowl, combine oats, coconut, protein powder, cacao, hemp, chia, and salt.
Put sweetener, vegan butter, and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to prevent from burning. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Pour wet ingredients over oat mixture and stir well to combine.
Drop by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheet and press together firmly so they hold their shape. Chill for at least 30 minutes until firm and enjoy!
Chocolate Oatmeal Haystack cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or frozen for up to 2 months.
Chocolate Oatmeal Haystack Cookies made with Nuzest Clean Lean Rich Chocolate protein.