Simply Sugarless: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Welcome to Simply Sugarless, our monthly sugar-free recipe column written by Starr Struck's own Sara Meeks. Once per month, Sara picks a "regular" recipe and adapts it into a sugar-free version of that same recipe using only natural sweeteners (fruit, sweet veggies, etc.). A perfect option for those trying to eat less added sugar on a daily basis...

Take it away, Sara!

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This is a big one. I decided to take on sugarless cookies. {Gulp.} I took a risk here, but it definitely paid off.

These sugarless cookies are super soft and chewy and have every ounce of sweetness, but the sweetness is created by some friendly natural sweeteners, instead of sugar (think bananas and applesauce). I do have one confession to make, though: I opted for a chocolate chip variety of the cookie. I know, the choco chips have sugar, but I’m just not a fan of raisins in my cookies so I had to add this *smidge* of sugar. I hope you’ll forgive me.

For the record, I am confident that the cookies would be delicious with raisins instead (if you like that sort of thing), so you can go totally sugar-free with just that slight modification to the recipe.

I’m really thrilled with how these little cookies turned out, and believe me, I was skeptical. Give ‘em a try. I think you’ll agree they are a completely acceptable substitute...

Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Cooking time: 15 minutes hands-on, 20-25 minutes baking, 35-40 minutes total time
Yield: 16 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas*, mashed 
• 1/3 cup of peanut butter 
• 2/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• Dash of ground cloves 
• 1 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats 
• 1/4 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips (or raisins) 
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
• Mix together the bananas, peanut butter, applesauce, vanilla, and spices.  
• Add in the oats, chocolate chips, and coconut; stir until well combined. (I did this in the same bowl that the wet ingredients were in. Save dishes and time!)
• Spoon a rounded 2 tablespoons of the cookie mixture onto the lined baking sheet, leaving an inch or two between each. These do not spread out very much so take that into consideration when deciding what a “rounded 2 tablespoon” looks like.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookie is brown when you peek underneath it, and allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.

*I didn’t have any frozen bananas for this recipe so I wanted to share the fun new [to me] trick to ripen bananas. Just put them in a 300 degree oven until they turn black and shiny. Depending on how ripe the bananas are before you put them in the oven, this could take 20-45+ minutes. 

{Created by modifying this recipe.} 

MEET SIMPLY SUGARLESS:

Each month, I’ll be scouring the internet and my own personal recipe box for simple, sugarfree recipes that you can make without a bunch of exotic (and expensive) ingredients. I’m not suggesting that all the recipes will be super healthy (we’re still talking about baked goods and sweets, people), but I promise the recipes highlighted will be *healthier* versions of delicious treats, yummy snacks, and long-time favorite eats.

My goal here is to completely avoid refined white sugar and/or any of the artificial sweeteners that are usually present in sugar-free recipes. I’m also going to try my very hardest not to use any super-sugary syrup substitutes like honey and agave  (although maple syrup and molasses might make a cameo every now and then because they have a few more beneficial qualities in the form of vitamins + minerals). 

And one final note: you’ll notice that the recipe is listed right at the top of this post. Does it drive anyone else crazy when you have to scroll down forever to reach the actual recipe on most websites? Hope this intentional formatting makes your life just a bit easier ;)

MEET SARA:

​My interest in finding sugarfree recipes stems from my quest to find healthier snack options for my sons (3.5 and 1.5 years).

As it turns out (spoiler alert!) sugar is in everything. I started substituting different ingredients for sugar and have realized that a lot of times I don’t miss it at all.

When I’m not dreaming up or testing new yummy recipes, I love spending my time with my husband and our boys, crafting, practicing yoga, reading, and taking photographs.

​If you’re interested in learning a little more about me, here’s the introduction Mary Catherine wrote up when I joined the Starr Stuck team and here’s my little one-photo-a-day blog that journals the daily adventures of living with little ones in Washington, D.C.

​As always, thank you to Sara for sharing her sugarless wisdom with us! This one sounds pretty incredible and might be just what the doctor ordered for this pregnant gal ;) 

Enjoy, everyone!