Ready to try the best cookies in the world? These are technically oatmeal cookies, but you’d never guess. They’re nothing like those crumbly things you’d find in a health food store. Oh no, these chewy, almost toffee-like cookies make instant fans out of everyone who tries them. This recipe comes from my grandma’s kitchen and has been passed down and veganized to perfection by my late birth father, Greg Hicks, whom we’ll remember every time we eat these delicious cookies.
Yield: 24 cookies
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 12 minutes | Total time: 2 hours and 32 minutes
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
½ cup water
1 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
2¼ cups packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup powdered sugar
1. In a small ramekin, mix together the flaxseed meal and water. Set aside, allowing the mixture to rest and thicken for at least 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, beat the shortening and brown sugar together until thoroughly combined. Then stir in the vanilla extract and flaxseed meal mixture.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until well combined.
5. Mix in the rolled oats.
6. Using your hands, roll the dough into 1-inch balls. The dough will be sticky—don’t worry, that’s fine. You can rinse your hands with water as you work to help prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers and to make it easier to work with. Place the dough balls in containers or on a baking sheet (use parchment paper between layers of dough balls, if you’re stacking), and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or freeze until you’re ready to bake).
7. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Pour the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Roll each ball in the powdered sugar, place the balls 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet, and flatten them by pressing down with a flatbottomed glass dipped in powdered sugar.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are puffy and golden around the edges. The exact baking time depends on the size of your cookies. Allow them to cool on the pan for at least 15 minutes before enjoying (they should flatten and caramelize soon after you remove them from the oven).
Meal Planning Tip: If you like to plan ahead, you can make this cookie dough, roll it into balls, and freeze them for as long as you’d like (days, even weeks) until you’re ready to bake.
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