a sweet treat for a sweet tooth

I'm a huge cookie monster. Seriously. I love cookies. I loved them before I ever got into smoothies. In fact, I start my day with a glass of goodness just so I can have a guilt-free cookie later in the day (joking... well, kind of)! Inspired by Chocolate Covered Katie's Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies, I created my very own chocolate chip almond butter cookie squares! I didn't think I had it in me. I'm good at smoothies, but baking--not so much! Well, they turned out to be pretty fantastic. The best part? They're vegan and gluten free with just over 3 tablespoons of sugar! And just one little square (okay, maybe two) satisfies my not-so-little sweet tooth!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats (Try Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp + 2 tsp white sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes

Mix the dry ingredients in a food processor until the oats are ground. Then add,

2 tbsp dark chocolate chips (If you follow a vegan diet, substitute for vegan chocolate chips)
1 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp almond milk
2 tbsp almond butter (or your favourite nut butter)

Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix to form a dough. Scoop into a greased (or parchment paper-covered) 8" x 8" pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes. Let cool.