Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

These jazzylicious vegan Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies feature a crisp outside and super moist center. Ripe, mashed bananas stand in for the eggs and sweet raisins add punch. This cookie is a real classic!

Makes 34 to 38 cookies (with gluten-free option)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ cups quick cooking, rolled  oats (use gluten-free if needed)
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (for gluten-free, use your preferred “1-to-1” variety of certified gluten-free flour)
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegan cane sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup ripe, peeled and mashed bananas (from 2 large or 2 ½ medium)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegan buttery spread, brought to room temperature 
• 2 to 3 tablespoons plain (or vanilla-flavored) unsweetened or sweetened dairy-free milk
• 2/3 cup raisins (see "Variation" below)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 large or 2 medium-sized cookie sheet(s) with unbleached parchment paper. Put the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and stir with a dry whisk to combine.

Put the mashed bananas and vegan buttery spread into a medium-sized bowl and mash together using a potato masher or large fork, until well-combined and only small flecks of the vegan buttery spread are visible.

Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until the dough comes together. Add 2 tablespoons of dairy-free milk and stir to combine. (If the dough seems dry, add 1 more tablespoon of dairy-free milk.) Fold in the raisins.

Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoon, drop the dough onto the lined cookie sheet, spacing the cookies about ½-inch apart. Bake for 8 minutes.

Remove from the oven, put the sheet on a wire rack, and gently flatten the top of each cookie (slightly) with a flat spatula. Bake for an additional 6 to 7 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are golden, but the tops are still a nice blonde color. Remove from the oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack. Cool for 15 to 30 minutes before serving. Stored in a tightly covered container, leftover cookies will keep at room temperature for about 1 day. Stored (tightly covered) in the refrigerator, cookies will keep for about 3 days.

• Variation - CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES: Substitute vegan dark chocolate chips for the raisins. Proceed with recipe as directed.