free from gluten and the top 8 food allergens
Made with gluten-free rolled oats, chocolate chunks and dried fruit, these Oregon trail oatmeal cookies are bursting with ooey gooey chocolate goodness!
Is there anything sweeter than a soft, thick, chewy cookie with crispy edges? We don’t think so.
I’ve always been a fan of oatmeal cookies because there’s so many fun things you can add.
We’ve dubbed these cookies Oregon trail oatmeal cookies because of our love of Oregon and their fabulous flavors. The beaver state produces some pretty robust cherries, so we threw cherries in the mix. If tree nut is not an issue, filberts (a.k.a. hazelnuts and the official Oregon state nut) are an amazing edition to these cookies.
We always use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free rolled oats. Did you know that Bob’s Red Mill is located in Milwaukie, Oregon?
mise en place
To make these cookies, combine oats, salt and baking soda and set aside. Then, in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together Earth Balance buttery sticks, brown sugar and white sugar.
Add a flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons of water whisked together) or your favorite egg replacer and a little vanilla. Add sunflower seed butter and mix on low speed just until combined. Add the oats. Fold in chocolate chips and your favorite combination of dried fruits. Cherries rock!
Portion the dough onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. We like to use a portion scoop to portion the dough, also known as a disher. This ensures the cookies are uniform in size and will bake evenly. For these cookies we used a #30 scoop, which often is identified with a black handle. The scoop holds about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough.
In the oven the cookies go for about 20 minutes.
Yum! The cookies are best when allowed to sit several hours after baking so flavors can blend.
Store in a sealed container and enjoy these cookies for several days.
Chef’s Corner
The creaming method of mixing is used in many cookie recipes. This means the butter or fat is mixed with the sugar until the mix is light and fluffy. This method incorporates air which leavens the cookies.
Since we are using Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Sticks in place of butter or other fats, we want to blend the Earth Balance with the sugar just for a minute or so, until incorporated. These buttery sticks have a lower melting point, so overmixing will cause the fat to warm and the cookies to spread excessively.
If you’re up for good cookies, check out our recipes for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Drops and No-Peanut Butter Cookies.
Oregon Trail Oatmeal Cookies
Yield 21 Cookies
Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.
Made with gluten-free rolled oats, chocolate chunks and dried fruit, these Oregon trail oatmeal cookies are bursting with ooey gooey chocolate goodness.
Ingredients
1 flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons lukewarm water), see recipe notes
2 1/4 cups gluten-free quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
8 tablespoons soy-free buttery sticks, such as Earth Balance, cold
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup sunflower seed butter, such as Sunbutter
3/4 cup allergy-friendly chocolate chips or chunks, such as Enjoy Life
1/4 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flaxseed meal and water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Combine oats, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. It may be necessary to sift the baking soda into the bowl if it contains lumps. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the margarine and sugars for about 1 minute. Since Earth Balance has a lower melting point than butter, you don't want to over-mix. Over-mixing will cause the cookies to spread too much during baking.
- Return to the flax egg and whisk vigorously. Add flax egg and vanilla to sugar mixture and blend on low until combined. Add sunflower seed butter and briefly mix to combine.
- Add oats, chocolate chips, dark and golden raisins, and cherries. Mix on low just until combined. Finish mixing by hand.
- Portion dough onto cookie sheets. We like to use a portion scoop, also known as a disher. This ensures the cookies are uniform in size and also bake evenly. We use a #30 scoop, which holds about 2 tablespoons of dough. The #30 scoop is often identified with a black handle.
- Slightly flatten the cookies to just under 1-inch thick, as the cookies will spread.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until done. The cookies will crisp up as they cool.
Notes
If egg allergy is not an issue, you can replace the flaxseed and water with one large egg, slightly whisked.
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