Trying to make a healthier oatmeal cookie

[walterbyrd]

I am a vegan, my wife is gluten intolerant. We both want to cut down on sugar.

We found an oatmeal cookie recipe which we like:

• 1 vegan egg
• 2 cups oats
• 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup walnuts

Not bad. But I am trying to make this even healthier.

I tried to make a pumpkin spice variation. I substituted pumpkin puree for the oil, and substituted sugar-free pancake syrup for most of the sugar. I substituted the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice.

Unfortunately, the cookies come out tough and chewy on the outside, and gummy on the inside. The flavor is not bad, but the texture is not what I want. I want a crispier cookie.

I have read that more protein would help make the cookie crispy. Since there is practically no protein in the GF flour I was using. I tried substituting half the GF flour with soy isolate. Did not hurt, but did not really help.

I have read that baking the cookies at a lower temperature, for a longer period of time would make the cookies crispier. Again, no help.

Anybody have any ideas?

 

[ChesterV]

WHAT THE *&^$% IS A VEGAN EGG????

LMAO


Have you tried oat flour or rice flour instead of gluten free regular flour?
Also, coconut flour is supposed to be a really good sub for white flour.

Oat flour would help for getting a crunchier cookie, as it would soak up more of the liquids while baking.

If you want to sub the oil, you can try applesauce. I've only used it once to sub for oil in a recipe, only because I wanted to see if it really worked or not. It does, but it changes the consistency of the dough....well, in cakes anyway.

Some vegans will use avocado instead of applesauce for an oil sub. I'm not sure how it will affect an oat cookie, but if you are trying to go as vegan as possible, its worth trying.

If you want some sweetness without using sugars, then you can use honey or molasses. Honey should help make the cookies a bit crunchier, but molasses will change the flavor.

Thats about the extent of my knowledge for something like this. Norcalbaker should have some good feedback for you.

 

[Apocalypso]

You might want to save the pumpkin spice for actual cooked oatmeal. I tried it, and I'm not even a big fan of oatmeal, but the canned pumpkin really addressed the wallpaper-paste texture of oatmeal I don't care for.

I went with about a 2:1 ratio of dry rolled oats to canned pumpkin by volume, and have made with almond milk or dairy. I add only a small amount of brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup to cook it, and pumpkin pie spice to taste.

I made a crockpot full of it at the office a few years back for one of those rare cold Central Florida days. I made the base oatmeal vegan, but had cream, butter, dried fruits, coconut, and additional sugar for folks to add to taste. It was a pretty big hit!

 

[walterbyrd]

WHAT THE *&^$% IS A VEGAN EGG????

LMAO

A vegan egg is a vegan substitute for an actual egg. There are many different kinds: flax and water, chia and water, aquafaba, and commercially made substitutes.

Have you tried oat flour or rice flour instead of gluten free regular flour?
Also, coconut flour is supposed to be a really good sub for white flour.
Oat flour would help for getting a crunchier cookie, as it would soak up more of the liquids while baking.

In my experience, oat flour, and coconut flour, do not make cookies crispy - just the opposite.

If you want to sub the oil, you can try applesauce. I've only used it once to sub for oil in a recipe, only because I wanted to see if it really worked or not. It does, but it changes the consistency of the dough....well, in cakes anyway.

I have been reading that a lack of fat in the cookie dough makes the outside tough and chewy, which is just what is happening. I am afraid that applesauce would have a similar effect as pumpkin puree.

Some vegans will use avocado instead of applesauce for an oil sub. I'm not sure how it will affect an oat cookie, but if you are trying to go as vegan as possible, its worth trying.

Might work. Avocados are high in oil. In a way, that would not really substitute for oil, just using one oil for another. Still, I think avocado oil is healthier than coconut oil.

If you want some sweetness without using sugars, then you can use honey or molasses. Honey should help make the cookies a bit crunchier, but molasses will change the flavor.

Honey and molasses are high in sugar, especially honey. Molasses might not be a bad idea.

 

[walterbyrd]

You might want to save the pumpkin spice for actual cooked oatmeal.

I make pumpkin spice oatmeal in my instant pot, and it's great. Here is the recipe:


Instant Pot Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup steel cut oats
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 Tbsps maple syrup
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Add coconut oil to instant pot, select Sauté.
2. When coconut oil is melted add the oats and toast, stirring constantly, until they smell nutty, about 3 minutes.
3. Add water, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
4. Select high pressure and 12 minutes cook time.
5. When beep sounds, turn off pressure cooker and use a natural pressure release for 12 minutes and then do a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure.
6. When valve drops carefully remove lid.
7. Stir oats.
8. Remove cooking pot from the pressure cooker and let oats rest in the cooking pot uncovered for 5 – 10 minutes until oats thicken to desired consistency.

 

[ChesterV]

A vegan egg is a vegan substitute for an actual egg. There are many different kinds: flax and water, chia and water, aquafaba, and commercially made substitutes.




In my experience, oat flour, and coconut flour, do not make cookies crispy - just the opposite.



I have been reading that a lack of fat in the cookie dough makes the outside tough and chewy, which is just what is happening. I am afraid that applesauce would have a similar effect as pumpkin puree.



Might work. Avocados are high in oil. In a way, that would not really substitute for oil, just using one oil for another. Still, I think avocado oil is healthier than coconut oil.



Honey and molasses are high in sugar, especially honey. Molasses might not be a bad idea.

Hmmm, well, with all recipes........you are gonna have to sacrifice something.........for me, its usually the sugars I dont sub.

As for the other subs, I'm just going on what I've been told by vegan bakers. I really don't like vegan desserts, so I have never really gotten into that. Other than using applesauce once as a test, I've never really done anything else of that nature.

Well, let us know if you find a recipe that works for you!!!

 

[Apocalypso]

I make pumpkin spice oatmeal in my instant pot, and it's great. Here is the recipe:


Instant Pot Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats

Nice! I know this makes me a heathen, but I don't like steel cut oats much either, though using the instant pot would sure get them cooked through nicely. My boyfriend got one, and loves it.