No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

I remember making these a lot as a kid. It’s hard to beat that peanut butter flavor, but I was always in it for the chewy texture. I’ve taken the original recipe and reduced & replaced the sugar with coconut sugar (you need some to help them harden), and swapped milk for vanilla almond milk. This is also a really easy recipe to add some extra nutritional boosts - flax meal mixes in easily, as well as psyllium husk for some added fiber.

---

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk (I like Malk or Three Trees)

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (no sugar or salt added)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1-1.5 cups rolled oats

• Optional: 1-2 teaspoons flax meal or psyllium husk (start slow, even 1/2 tsp, if new to psyllium husk)

Instructions

Note: It’s very important to follow these steps in this order!

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper.

2. In a large bowl, add oats and salt (and any optional add-ins).

3. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add sugar and let dissolve, then add milk and peanut butter.

4. Pour peanut butter mixture over oats and mix thoroughly. This may feel a little loose; you can either add a bit more oats or let them be and they’ll harden in the fridge.

5. Using a tablespoon, scoop the mixture and form into a cookie shape. Place on the prepared sheet pan and put in the refrigerator to harden.

6. Store in the fridge, in an air-tight container, for up to 5 days. Enjoy!

Serving Ideas

While I’m all for a sweet treat now and again, it’s great to pair something like this with other, nutrient-dense foods, if possible. When I offer these, I try to also include something like:

• Full-fat Greek yogurt

• Cottage cheese

• Carrot sticks

• Cucumber rounds

• Quartered cherry tomatoes

RECIPE & PHOTOGRAPHY BY:  BETHANY MITCHELL-LEGRO