Meatless Monday: Vegan Apple Drop Cookies

What’s the difference between a snack and a treat?

A snack should have some kind of nutritional value.

Doritos? Treat.

Vegan Apple Drop Cookies? Snack. (And treat.)

These aren’t overly sweet (snack), but taste good (treat). They’re nut-free – so a good choice for most school lunches – and they are easy to make.

These get a double dose of apple from unsweetened applesauce and grated apple. The cookies make use of a ‘flax egg’ for binding.

To make your flax egg, just stir together 1 tablespoon / 15 ml ground flax and 3 tablespoons / 45 ml water and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or until it has thickened.

Drop cookies are fast since they don’t need to be rolled or shaped, but I like to take a little bit of time to round out the cookie batter once it’s been dropped on the tray.

These won’t spread much, so you can place them quite close together without having to worry about them melting into one huge mess of cookie.

They take a little longer to bake then some cookies. Depending on your oven, they could take up to 23-25 minutes. Start checking them at the 15 minute mark. The end result will be soft, not overly sweet cookies.

There is a place for both treats and snacks in a person’s life. It’s nice when you can get both at once.

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Vegan Apple Drop Cookies

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

These cookies get most of their sweetness from the applesauce, apples, and dried fruit. They are a good snack, or could work as a breakfast cookie for picky eaters. The recipe will make 2 dozen large cookies, or 3 dozen medium-sized.

Servings: 2 dozen large cookies

Author: Mary Gillespie

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon / 15 ml ground flax
• 3 tablespoons / 45 ml water
• 1/2 cup / 125 ml vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup / 125 ml brown sugar
• 1 cup / 250 ml unsweetened applesauce
• 1 medium apple peeled, cored and grated (about 1 cup / 250 ml grated apple)
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml vanilla extract
• 1 cup / 250 ml oatmeal
• 1 cup / 250 ml whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon / 2.5 ml ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml baking powder
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon / 2.5 ml salt
• 1/2 cup / 125 ml raisins or dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 176 degrees C. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease.
2. In small dish, stir together the ground flax and water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, or until it has thickened. It should be gelled and have the consistency of a beaten egg when it is ready.
3. While the flax mixture is setting, beat the oil, sugar, applesauce, grated apple and vanilla together until thoroughly blended.
4. In separate bowl, stir together the oatmeal, flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt and raisin or cranberries.
5. Add the prepared flax to the oil and applesauce mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Stir in the oatmeal mixture until all the ingredients are moistened.
6. Spoon large tablespoons of the cookie batter onto prepared sheets. Flatten slightly.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cookies are firm and lightly browned around the edges. (Start checking around the 15 minute mark.)
8. Remove cookies to cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.