There’s nothing like baking in the kitchen with your family.
Something about the warm, sweet aroma of freshly baked goods just has family gatherings written all over it.
A few weeks ago, I embarked with my dad on a baking project: to make the most good-for-you cookies ever, but still have them taste delicious.
After two hours in the kitchen, adventures with a spice grinder, discussions over whether dates are high-glycemic (now you know where my food-nerdiness comes from), and random other discussions about life, we ended up with 20 delectable cookies: perfect for a guilt-free dessert or a filling snack.
If you can believe it, these cookies don’t have any added sugar, but they’re still sweet thanks to the dates, coconut, raisins and nut butter.
I realized that these could almost be no-bake cookies if you were ok with a super gooey consistency. When you bake them, they become crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
Just be forewarned, this isn’t one of my “quick-and-easy-30-minute-recipes.” With all of the prep time, this takes about 1-2 hours before you can pop them in the oven, and the baking time is longer than usual too.
But it is totally worth it.
I think you could also shape these into mini-bars, and they’d be the most wonderful little granola bars ever. That’s sort of how I saw them – as a mix between a cookie and a granola bar.
Any way you look at it, the amazing aroma of cinnamon, vanilla, oats and raisins all baking together fills your kitchen and excites your senses before you even take a bite.
It’s like having a permanent scented candle going in your house.
Oh and did I mention these cookies have chia seeds (a powerful superfood) in them? You can’t taste them at all, but they add a punch of protein, vitamins and fiber, and help the cookies bind together.
The Ingredients (Dry)
- 2 cups finely ground rolled oats
- 1/2 cup dried, unsweetened shredded coconut (ground)
- 1/2 cup currants or raisins
- 1 Tbsp ground chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp whole chia seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
The Ingredients (Wet)
- 2 Tbsp raw almond butter
- 1/2 cup dates, chopped and soaked in 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
The Directions
Nutritional Info Per Serving (if you make 30 cookies): 64 Calories, 2.8g Fat, 0.5mg Sodium, 9.6g Carbs, 1.6g Fiber, 4.4g Sugar, 1.2g Protein
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely ground rolled oats
- 1/2 cup dried, unsweetened shredded coconut (ground)
- 1/2 cup currants or raisins
- 1 Tbsp ground chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp whole chia seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp raw almond butter
- 1/2 cup dates, chopped and soaked in 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Soak the dates in 1/2 cup water for an hour or more.
- Grind the oats and unsweetened coconut into a flour using a high powered blender.
- Grind the chia seeds into a powder using a spice grinder.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Place the almond butter, soaked dates (with their soak water), applesauce, vanilla and coconut oil in a food processor or high powered blender (like a Vitamix). Blend until smooth, then add to the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Form cookies on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil or covered with parchment paper (I used parchment paper because the cleanup is way easier!). Use about 1 Tbsp of batter for each cookie, and spread the cookie out on the parchment. The cookies won’t spread as they bake so be sure to spread them out into a “cookie shape” using a fork or spoon.
- Bake at very low heat: 200 degrees for 1.5 to 2 hours (mine took 1.5 hours in the oven, but it depends on how hot your oven is). When they’re done, they’ll be slightly browned and crispy on the outside.
TAGS: breakfast, dessert, gluten-free, kid friendly recipes, oatmeal, snacks, vegan, vegetarian
Cute and yes I do wish I could take a bite…would you want to mail some to the East coast?
A labor of love for you and your dad.
Hehe I would be open to that – they do travel well! It truly was a labor of love – couldn’t have said it better myself 🙂
I must try these! I have wanted a recipe using dates for a sweetener and I love cinnamon. Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! Then this is the perfect recipe for you 🙂 Enjoy!
I love your blog! I will have to try your recipes asap:) Thanks for all your hard work!
Aw thanks so much Angela! I’m sure you will love these recipes!
These look great! I just bought some chia seeds, but haven’t made anything with them…
Thanks!! This is a great recipe for using up your chia seeds – they blend in so well into these cookies, you barely even know they’re there! Can’t wait to hear how you like this recipe!
Have been looking for different recipes. I will be trying this one.
Oh great! Let me know how you like it Rebecca!
These look great! I love how healthy you made them, I love new recipes for my chia seeds! I am just starting a food blog myself (I am taking a social media class and never thought I would have a blog!) and tonight experimented with some healthy no bake cookies, with a lot of the same ingredients you have in this recipe (dates, oats, chia seeds, coconut)! I can wait to try them both and compare. I will be sure to mention your delicious blog on my site, as your blog is awesome! Keep up the good work and great recipes! ~Jamie
Aw thank you so much Jamie! Your no bake cookies sound delicious – I’ll have to try those soon. Hope you liked this version too! 🙂
Oh my gosh I need these in my life ASAP! I love how you use chia in the flour concoction!
Hehe yay! I’m sure you will love these Sara 🙂 It’s pretty cool because you can’t even taste the chia seed flour in the cookie, but you get all the protein and yummy nutrients from the seeds!
Yummy! thank you so much for your wonderfully beautiful and healthy recipes!!!
Aww no problem at all!! Thanks so much for your kind words Carrie! 🙂 I’m sure you will love these cookies!
is it safe to give toddlers chia seed?
Hi Sarah, I haven’t heard anything about chia seeds being unsafe for toddlers since it’s not a known allergen or anything like that. But I’d recommending double checking with your pediatrician to make sure they’re ok with you giving your toddler chia seeds! If you do and your pediatrician gives you the green light, I would probably stick to ground up chia seeds (vs. whole chia seeds) just because it’s easier to eat and chew. Hope that helps!
this looks so yummy! i would love to order some here to saginaw MI:)!!!
Awww haha thanks Layne! If I ever open up a little bakeshop I will let you know 🙂 In the meantime, these are super easy to make at home! You should try it – let me know how it turns out!
My oven starts at 180c.is that too high for this recipe even if I cut down baking time?
Hi Yas! Hmm honestly I’m not sure. 180C is about 350F — and this recipe calls for it to bake at only 200F. It doesn’t hurt to try though – if you do I’d recommend cutting the baking time in half and seeing how the cookies are when you pull them out of the oven. Let me know how it goes and good luck!
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