Description
Delicious and healthy lunch box cookie balls loaded with ALL the things. A cross between a cookie and a granola bar. Gluten free with nut free option.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3/4 cup nut or seed butter (I used tahini)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats
- 1/3 cup nuts and/or seeds (I used a combo of pumpkins seeds and sunflower seeds)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3 tbsp flax meal (** see note)
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/4 tsp cardamom (or cinnamon)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (I use THESE sugar free chips)
- 1/3 cup dried raspberries, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together nut/seeds butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine oats, nuts/seeds, coconut shreds, flax meal, chia seeds, cardamom, and salt. Pulse several times until oats broken up but not powdery.
- Add oat mixture to wet mixture in the large bowl. Mix until well incorporated. I use my hands here. Then fold in chocolate chips and dried raspberries.
- Roll into balls and place into prepared baking sheet. Using a mini cookie scoop will help keep them uniform. Makes roughly 20 balls (1 and 1/2 inch).
- Place into fridge to set for at least an hour. Store in air-tight container in fridge for up to 2 weeks or freezer for several months.
Notes
While you can purchase flax meal at most health food store or online, I prefer to grind my own. The delicate healthy fats in flax seeds can go rancid easily. I keep my flax seeds in the refrigerator and grind up a bit in my coffee grinder when I need some flax meal. Simply place whole flax seeds into coffee grinder and grind until fine. Store any unused flax meal in an air tight glass jar in the fridge.
If balls feel sticky while rolling, use damp hands. If mixture feels too dry, add a teaspoon of water until dough sticks together well.