Apricot-Cardamom Oatmeal Cookies

A vegan culinary cruise is not complete without delicious all-green desserts. Just imagine yourself biting into a delectable sweet as you watch over the deck of a riverboat over a beautiful stretch of shoreline. Alas, we’ll have to wait a bit before we can make such river cruise dreams a reality. However, what we don’t have to wait for is the chance to savor great vegan dishes, like these tasty apricot-cardamom oatmeal cookies. Looking for a different kind of vegan cookie? Then this recipe is just for you!

Portions: 24

INGREDIENTS:

• 225 gr dates, pitted and chopped
• 75 ml water
• 136 gr oates, rolled (will be ground into flour)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 34 gr tahini
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 200 gr oats
• 70 gr apricots, chopped
• 34 gr sesame seeds

PREPARATION:

• Place the pitted and chopped dates into a small bowl with the ¾ cup water, then set aside for 2-at least 15 minutes so the dates can soften.
• Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Grind 136 gr of rolled oats into flour with a blender. Transfer to a medium bowl, and whisk in the cardamom, cinnamon, and baking soda.
• Transfer the dates and water to a blender, add the tahini and vanilla, and blend until smooth (Use a tamper if necessary, as this will be a little thick).
• Add the date mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until all of the dry ingredients disappear. Stir in the oats, apricots, and sesame seeds.
• (To get the most uniformly sized cookies, use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop.)
• Place 12 scoops of dough onto each baking sheet. These cookies will not spread out during baking, so press each scoop with your fingers or a small piece of parchment, until it is the size and shape of an already-baked cookie.
• Bake for 16 to 17 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes:

Cardamom: Cardamom is a sweet, peppery spice used in sweet and savory cooking. You can buy cardamom pre-ground or you can get the light green pods that have the black seeds inside of them, and then crack open the pods and grind the seeds yourself in a small blender or coffee grinder.