Oatmeal Sunbutter Cookies (Oil-Free!) - If you've been searching for a way to help teach your kids the joy of baking, this is the perfect cookie recipe to start with, and they're delicious!
Sam started kindergarten on Friday.
All of our kids have gone to the same preschool/kindergarten, so I'm happy to have him in a place that we know and like!
My girls will stay homeschooled for the time being, but we have hopes that they may return in their later years.
Since Sam will be at school through lunch, I am in the mode of creating various snacks for him.
Given there is a child in his class with severe nut and peanut allergies, these cookies are made with Sunbutter!
The best recipe for kids!
This is a great beginner cookie recipe for kids!
There are multiple 'jobs' involved for them, including mashing the banana (if using), measuring the Sunbutter and other ingredients, stirring, and (the best part) adding chocolate chips.
While some cookie recipes can be particularly 'fussy' with measuring exact amounts, this one is fairly forgiving.
Not only do my kids love making and eating these, but they also love nibbling on the batter (which is egg-free!).
Sunbutter makes green cookies
Before you make these, I will warn you that the combination of Sunbutter, baking soda, and heat will turn these cookies GREEN.
They have NOT gone bad, and it could be a fun way to teach kids that eating green is cool!
My tots are used to veggies and having to eat them, so they don't mind. They are too focused on the chocolate!
Other Sunbutter recipes you might enjoy:
Jade's Chocolate Sunbutter Smoothie
Chocolate Chip Cookie Slice
Oatmeal Sunbutter Cookies (Oil-Free!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup mashed banana (or applesauce; see Notes)
- ½ cup Sunbutter
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup oats
- 6 Tbsp brown rice flour
- ¼ cup chocolate chips (or mini M&Ms or other add-ins)
- a few drops of stevia, if you like it sweeter to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix everything together in one bowl until well combined.
- Spoon the dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (this makes 12 good-sized cookies or 15 smaller ones).
- Bake 10-12 minutes.
- Cool and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Notes:
This recipe will work with peanut butter or almond butter as well.
Using applesauce will create a larger, more spread out cookie, as the applesauce reacts more with baking soda than banana.
If you use applesauce, use one that is thicker and similar to mashed banana in consistency, otherwise, you may need a bit extra flour.
My Instant Pot Applesauce works well here!
Some of the items I use to make this recipe include:
Here's an old picture of Natalie enjoying these with peanut butter. That's how long we've been making this recipe!
Shared with: Busy Monday, Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party, Inspire Me Monday
Alice.
In 2019 the links to Country Choice take you to Nature's Path website. I think the company may have changed their name as the logo looks similar. Just an observation 🙂
Donna
These oats say 'toasted'. which I like better than the 'raw' oats. I wonder if that is why you can tolerate them better? thanks again D
Monica
Thanks for the great recipe. I can't wait to try it out. Not sure why Shirley & Co vented like that. Nowhere did you say those oats were gluten-free. Thanks for handling that so gracefully. And thanks for taking care of my sweet tooth with an oil-free recipe that marries two of my favorite flavors--peanut butter and chocolate.
Lauren
Thanks Monica! I hope you enjoy these if you try them!
Emilee
I just made these and they turned out wonderful! I added a tbs of brown sugar and flax instead of chocolate chips ! Can't wait to have someone else try them before I eat them all
Lauren
Hah, that's awesome Emilee, thanks for trying them, and I'm happy you enjoyed them! 😀
Sasha
I tried these and they were great! My three favourite cookies, all rolled into one! Thanks for sharing. I've posted step-by-step photos on One Small Vegan. http://onesmallvegan.com/2013/09/20/peanut-butter-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Erin @ Texanerin Baking
These look awesome! Such a great ingredient list. 🙂
And we don't have bulk bins where I live but if we did, I don't think I'd use them. People and their dirty hands. No. Just no! 😉
Barb @ A Life in Balance
I'm so glad you posted this, and commented about it. I didn't know about possible cross-contamination with bulk bins, though it makes sense.
Your recipe looks delicious, and definitely one we are going to try. Your little one is SO cute!
Thanks for linking up at Motivation Monday!
Lauren
Thank you Barb! 😀
Laura | My Little Gourmet
Oh, Arik would absolutely love these!!
Nancy
These cookies look and sound amazing and oh, how I would love them, but they may not be oil-free (and I am on an oil-free program). As you probably know, most peanut butters have vegetable oils added to them.... so sadly, I cannot enjoy your lovely recipe.
Lauren
Hi Nancy,
I never use peanut butter with added oil, so perhaps you could seek out one of those? Laura Scudder's makes a great peanut butter, and it is sold at most regular grocery stores.
Amanda
I've been re-thinking the bulk bins too because of gluten contamination. I typically buy rice and dried beans and always rinse them well, but that's probably not enough (especially if other grains get mixed in!).
Your cookies sound great! I don't have chocolate chips on hand...do you think they'd still be (almost) as tasty without them? 🙂
Lauren
Thanks Amanda! I think you could use anything you want in place of the chocolate...raisins or another dried fruit would be nice! 😀
Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts
Lauren, while those cookies look great and your daughter is adorable, I have to be a party pooper and point out that Country Choice Oats are NOT safe for anyone on a gluten-free diet. It's more than about cross contamination in the bins in stores. With oats, it's cross contamination with gluten-full plants in the field, on harvesting equipment, on processing equipment, etc. One must use certified gluten-free oats that are grown in dedicated fields and are processed on dedicated equipment from the fields to the final processing and packaging. Country Choice Oats were one of the brands that was tested back in the landmark study by Tricia Thompson and others. (Here's a summary: http://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/newsletter/gluten-free-oats/ and here is the complete info when published in New England Journal of Medicine with specific results in the table graphic: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM200411043511924) They tested from less than3 ppm (a safe level) to up to 220 ppm gluten! Less than 20 ppm gluten is the newly approved standard and some folks (including me) react to far less than that. Country Choice Oats says the following on their site: "ARE YOUR PRODUCTS WHEAT-FREE? Some of our products do not contain wheat. However, all of our products are processed on shared equipment that uses wheat. Please read the ingredient list carefully before purchasing. ARE YOUR PRODUCTS GLUTEN FREE? Our oats are not considered to be gluten free due to the possibility of cross contamination with wheat or similar grains." We all know that if products are processed on the same equipment that they are not safe, but with oats, it's far more than that. This recipe will only be gluten free as labeled if made with certified gluten-free oats, of which there are several brands now, but Country Choice Oats is definitely not one of them. Sorry to be so adamant, but I don't want gluten-free folks who don't know about the issues with oats to get ill/do damage to their bodies.
Shirley