The Heart Healthiest Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 cups walnuts
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups oat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet vegan chocolate chips (I use only 3/4 cup chocolate chips, to cut calories)

Directions

1. 1

   1. Preheat oven to 350°F Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.

2. 2

   2. Blend walnuts in food processor 30 seconds, or until ground into a fine meal. Add canola oil, and blend 2 to 3 minutes more, or until mixture has the consistency of natural peanut butter, scraping down sides of food processor occasionally. Transfer to bowl.

3. 3

   3. Whisk together brown sugar and ½ cup water in small saucepan, and bring mixture to a boil. Pour brown sugar mixture over ground walnut butter, add vanilla extract, and stir until no lumps remain.

4. 4

   4. Whisk together oat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in separate bowl. Stir oat flour mixture into walnut mixture. Cool 10 minutes. Fold in oats, then chocolate chips.

5. 5

   5. Shape cookie dough into 2-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten cookies with bottom of drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown and tops look dry. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.