Loaded Maple Oat Cookies

These cookies are vegan and filled with healthy flavour from toasted oats, roasted soybeans (aka soynuts), dark chocolate and cranberries, while aquafaba acts as a binder and maple syrup adds a delicate layer of sweetness as well. They stay soft and moist for days and are great with a cup of tea or when stuck in traffic!

Even though we just made it out of the season of indulgence and into the month of resolution making doesn't mean we need to deprive ourselves of a treat every so often! I am a total and complete believer in having at least one sweet treat every day - whether it is cocoa and brown sugar in my oatmeal mid afternoon or a slice of my to die for angel food cake. For someone like me who has a massive sweet tooth, these little daily indulgences keep me from going overboard and allow me to enjoy them truly. 

When two of my Zumba instructor friends both celebrated birthdays a few months ago (yes these took a while to get on the blog!) I knew I wanted to be able to give them a birthday treat that they could enjoy after the usual cake and dinner out. As they're both in the fitness industry, I also wanted to make sure that what I gave them wasn't too contradictory to their goals, and knowing one of the ladies is also vegan I rolled up my sleeves and got to work!

I haven't used aquafaba in a while (mostly because I keep forgetting to save that bean liquid!) but after making three batches of Garden Pasta Salad I had more than enough to work with! The liquid acts as a great binder and helped keep these cookies moist and chewy. I had also come into possession of a bottle of maple syrup thanks to an old student and knew these cookies would go from good to awesome with a hint of the extra flavour. In addition, I tossed in a good deal of "goodies" for texture and a bit of extra sweetness - plus, who doesn't love stuff in a cookie?

The two parcels of cookies were well received and I was thanked afterwards on behalf of some cookie crazy small kids too. Mom echoed the sentiment (I had to save her a couple, of course!) and really loved them frozen and crumbled on Greek yogurt with a sprinkling of diced apples. 

Do you make resolutions? How long do they stick?


Loaded Maple Oat Cookies
Makes ~12
2 tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup aquafaba
1 tbsp vanilla extract
½ cup maple syrup (preferably Grade B / robust taste)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
pinch salt
1 cup quick cooking oats, toasted (gluten free if necessary)
1 cup oat flour (gluten free if necessary)
½ tbsp baking powder
¼ cup roasted soybeans (soynuts)
¼ cup miniature dark chocolate chips
¼ cup dried cranberries (I used reduced sugar ones)

1. In a bowl, whisk together the oil, aquafaba, vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice and salt until well blended.
2. Add the oats, oat flour, and baking powder, mixing until blended. 
3. Stir in the soybeans, chocolate chips and cranberries.
4. Cover and let rest at room temperature 1 hour.
5. Heat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or SilPat
6. Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten slightly. 
7. Bake for 12-14 minutes. 
8. Cool completely on the sheets.