Vegan Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Avocado Cookies

Normally I would just call these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. I would keep the vegan/gluten free/avocado stuff a secret so I didn't scare you off of trying them. 

See.... those words would scare me off.

"No, no, no, no, no!" I would scream as I ran away - towards the nearest wheat, egg, butter, and milk filled treat. 

The thing is.... these are so good I'm willing to put it out there that they are also those scary things. 

Anyway, they are super easy and no one will ever guess you have gone all bohemian beatnik on them. 

Make them now, feed them to the kids after school, see if they notice anything. If you have raisin haters in your house sub in some vegan chocolate chips and you are good to go. 

Vegan Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Avocado Cookies

Ingredients

1/3 cup chocolate almond milk

3 Tbsp ground flax seed

1 cup mashed, ripe avocado

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup Cloud 9 Gluten Free Baking Mix

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

2 cups oats 

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the almond milk and flax seed. Let sit for 3 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, puree the avocado until smooth - scraping down sides as necessary. Add in the sugar and process until smooth. Add in the flax seed mixture and vanilla. Process until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together gluten free baking mix, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, and salt. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. 

Stir in the oats, raisins, pecans, and coconut. 

Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop batter onto prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. You can also just drop by the spoonful. Batter will be sticky. Dip your fingers in water and lightly press down each cookie. 

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, until cookies are golden, bottoms are browned, and cookies appear dried.

Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes or so (they are a little fragile until they cool off). Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. 

Sue, of course, didn't like these. She thought they tasted like trail mix. I think we know Sue has a history of  anti-cookie propaganda though so we can just go ahead and ignore her. 

The taste testers at the Senior's Center loved these. Sue's daughter, Kenzie, also really liked them. I missed out as I was too busy eating our Chocolate Avocado Almond Butterscotch Cookies by the handful but these definitely looked like 'normal" oatmeal raisin cookies. There was a few little specks of green from the avocado that might give it away if  they were carefully inspected but otherwise, the secret is safe. 

FYI - any gluten free baking mix can be used. I just happen to use Cloud 9. Also, you can use old fashioned or quick cooking oats for the oats. (Oats can sometimes contain gluten - be sure to check the ingredients list if this is something you are concerned about.)

Be sure to check out Adorned From Above and Dizzy Busy & Hungry and Mama Buzz and Carole's Chatter for some great links!