Cookies+ Oat Groats = Groaties. That makes sense right? If only math could be this simple…
These cookies were inspired by my addiction with pecans. They look very similar to my Banana Nut Cookies, but we all know that looks are deceiving. I really should get more creative with my cookie decorating… perhaps you’ve got some suggestions for me? Oat groats are the least processed form of oats in the market, as we all know that freshly harvested stalks of wheat aren’t available in our grocery aisles. They are made by simply harvesting oats and removing the inedible hulls of the grain. For this recipe, you can use oat groats or steel cut oats if you want the texture to stay nice and chewy. Steel cut oats are simply oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces for faster cook time. If you don’t have either of these, feel free to use the same amount of old fashioned rolled oats as a substitute! However, the latter would be called “oaties” instead 😉
Although oats are naturally gluten-free, there are chances of cross-contamination with wheat, barley, or rye during the harvesting, milling, processing, and packaging process. So if you are following a strict gluten-free diet, ensure you purchase certified gluten-free oats!
Enough notes about oats and groats (eek, that rhyming is kind of cool). I just lost my train of thought because of that epic rhyme, so without further ado, here’s the recipe!
- 2 c. oat groats, divided*
- ¾ c. spelt flour
- 2 c. pecans, toasted
- ⅓ c. coconut sugar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. pink himalayan sea salt
- ⅓ c. dates,pitted
- ¼ c. maple syrup
- 3 tbsp. coconut oil
- 3 tbsp. almond milk
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a food processor, add 1 cup of the oat groats and give it 6-7 pulses until the groats resemble a course flour.
- Add in the pecans and pulse again until the nuts become a meal and combined into the flour. Do not over process or the nuts will release its oils.
- Add in the rest of the oat groats, coconut sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into the food processor. Pulse until all the dry ingredients are well mixed.
- Add in maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Give the food processor another few whirls until the ingredients become a dough. Add in the dates and pulse 2-3 times so the dates are studded within the dough, and not thoroughly mixed in. This dough should be sticky, so use a cookie scoop or two spoons to create little cookie bites on your lined cookie sheet.
- Optional: press pecans on each cookie before putting in oven.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely.
When do you add in the flour in the recipe it doesn’t say..
It should go into the food processor with the rest of the dry ingredients
Do you use uncooked groats? What flour can be substituted for spelt flour?
Hi Becky, try whole wheat or all purpose flour instead of spelt flour