My fiancé is currently teaching multiple sections of college composition, which means that every few weeks, he comes home with dozens of essays (usually all on the same topic!). Essay cycles require hours of grading, often late into the night. To help him get through the stacks, he created a rewards system for himself: for every five essays graded, he gets to do something fun for a few minutes–watch cat videos, take a walk, eat a cookie, etc.

Yesterday he came home from the grocery store, lamenting that he saw some delicious apple crisp cookies but restrained from bringing them home and incorporating them into his rewards system because the first ingredient was sugar.

It took me all of two seconds to know I could do way better. These gluten free, vegan apple crisp confections are sweetened only with granny smith apples and stevia.

You’re welcome to try any variety of gluten-free flour blend. I used oat flower, which you can easily make in the blender with rolled oats, because it’s naturally sweet (and I always have oats on hand–which makes impromptu cookie invention a breeze!)

Gluten-free Apple Crisp Cookies

Ingredients:

(Makes about 15.)

1 cup oat flour

1 1/2 cup rolled oats (I like the combination of the blended flour with the chunky whole oats)

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid form)

1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)

3 tsp. powdered stevia or stevia baking blend (more if you like it sweeter!)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup chopped granny smith apple (about one apple)

handful chopped walnuts (optional)

3 tsp. egg replacer + 2 tbs. warm water OR 1/4 cup ground flax seed (Egg replacer and water should be combined separately before added to the batter).

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients except apples and walnuts, if using. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine wet ingredients. If you’re using egg replacer, be sure to make your “eggs” before adding them to the liquid batter. Add liquids to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

2. Fold in apples and walnuts, cover bowl, and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. I’ve found that allowing gluten-free batter to chill before baking makes ingredients cohere much better.

3. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll about 2 tbs. of cookie batter into a ball and place on sheet, making sure there’s at least a few inches between each cookie.

4. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes before removing from tray. As in real apple crisp, the apple chunks in these cookies remain moist. Store cookies in the fridge to preserve their apple-y freshness. Enjoy!

Also in healthy, gluten-free snacks: Cajun Kale Chips

Yoga Cookies

Vegan Oatcakes

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Photos: Mary Hood