These crumbly, shortbready oatmeal cookies taste like summer to me with bright lemon and warm lavender. They get a little crunch from macadamia nuts and a bit of chew from the oats. They’re the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea sipped on a late, sunny summer afternoon as you take in the breeze on the shady back porch.
What’s to love about:
Oats:
- rich in dietary fiber
- regular consumption may help prevent heart disease and help lower blood pressure
- may lower the risk of colorectal cancer
Lavender:
- a powerful anti-fungal that works by destroying the cell’s membrane
- helps heal wounds and soothe rashes and bug bites
- has a calming effect and helps reduce anxiety, insomnia, and depression
May 2016 Update
A reader noticed that the recipe was missing a key ingredient – OATS! – and asked me how much should go into the cookies. Well, I searched my virtual recipe files and my file folder crammed with stained, crumpled, and nearly illegible recipes and couldn’t find my original. So I had only a guess as to what I used. I decided I had to make the recipe again to make sure. I soon discovered that I didn’t have all of the ingredients so I very nearly started from scratch. I’ve kept the original recipe here (with the addition of the missing oat info) but have also included the updated version below. The changes: I used whole wheat pastry flour instead of a gluten-free blend; I used coconut oil rather than coconut butter; coconut milk was replaced with lemon juice; applesauce was replaced with unsweetened plain yogurt; liquid stevia went bye-bye and instead I used a granular stevia-sugar blend which I’ve been playing around with of late. There are some other minor tweaks. The cookies bake up a little differently from their earlier counterparts due to the coconut oil, and their appearance is also slightly different. I have to say, the taste is outstanding. I much prefer it to the original. So, thanks to my reader for getting me back into this recipe and making it even better!
Lemon-Lavender & Macadamia Nut Oatmeal Cookies
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
These cookies taste like summer to me, with cool, bright lemon and fragrant lavender. Gluten-free, sugar-free, and with no added oil, they are nearly guilt-free!
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free flour blend
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. arrowroot powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup coconut butter
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp. flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp. water
- 1 1/2 tsp. lemon-flavored liquid stevia
- zest of 1 small lemon
- 1/2 cup toasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp. – 1/4 cup lavender buds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, and arrowroot powder.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the applesauce, coconut butter, coconut milk, flaxseed meal/water, stevia, and lemon zest until creamy. Add the nuts and lavender and pulse a few times to incorporate into the dough.
- Scoop up about 2 tablespoonsful of dough, roll into a ball, and place on a cookie sheet. Flatten. Proceed with the remaining dough. Bake the cookies for about 25 minutes, switching pans halfway through for even baking.
- Let cool on the pans for about 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 352
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 5
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Unsaturated Fat: 2
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 31
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 0
2016 Lemon-Lavender & Macadamia Nut Oatmeal Cookies
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
The whole wheat version of my summery cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- contents of 1 lemon tea bag (such as Lipton’s Tuscan Lemon)
- pinch sea salt
- 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil
- 1/2 cup stevia-sugar blend
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup toasted macadamia nuts
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. lavender buds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, dry tea and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the coconut oil and the stevia-sugar blend until smooth. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, and lemon zest and mix just until combined. Add the nuts and lavender and pulse a few times to incorporate into the dough.
- Divide the dough into 12 cookies, spreading and flattening them slightly. Bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes or until firm to the touch.
- Let cool on the pans for about 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
I love macadamia nuts! And cookies….soooo I’m pretty sure I’d love these!
You know I love lavender everything – I must try these!!
These look wonderful, I haven’t tried a lavender recipe yet and really want to now. Thanks!
loove macadamia nuts!! Sounds like a delicious combination 😀
https://aspoonfulofnature.wordpress.com/
These are so fresh and beautiful! I’m in love with the lavender…it’s just gorgeous and I love how natural your photos look here!
These cookies look SO delicious!!
Creepy….I bought a 4 oz. jar of lavender this past weekend and have nothing to use it for…till now! 😉
Brain waves, girl! Brain waves!
Gorgeous. Thank you for another incredible sounding gluten free cookie recipe. Gotta try these 🙂
Aah, summer. I would very happily sit on the back porch with a stack of these cookies and a nice cup of tea or two.
So pretty!
These look delicious! I would like to try the recipe, however, I didn’t see oats listed in ingredients or instructions. Could you advise on how many? Thanks!
Oh boy…yes, I somehow neglected to add a main ingredient! I just looked through my pile of scribbled recipes and – – I can’t find that one! So I’m not sure on the exact quantity. My best guess is 1 – 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats. If you do go ahead and try these, start w/ the smaller quantity and add if needed until you get a “typical” cookie dough texture. So sorry about that!!
I finally made these!!! There were AH-mazing! I used your revised recipe and they turned out perfectly. Thank you!!
just came across your website & was interested in these cookies. I need to be gluten free and dairy free. I noticed on your second recipe you added whole wheat pastry flour & plain yogurt. I thought vegans don’t eat dairy ? Can u please clarify. Look forward to trying your recipes. Thank you
Hi Debbie – I use non-dairy yogurt. Sorry for any confusion! And if you make the cookies, I hope you enjoy them.