Flourless Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies.

In a medium bowl, toss the oats, cinnamon, and baking soda together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Mix in the peanut butter and brown sugar with a large rubber spatula until combined. Pour in the dry ingredients and slowly mix until everything is combined. Depending how thick and/or cold your peanut butter is, you’ll have to use some arm muscles. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Scoop the dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons each, onto prepared baking sheet. Bake two batches – 7 cookies on each baking sheet. Gently press down on the dough mounds with the back of a spoon to slightly flatten as pictured in this recipe. If you find the cookie dough balls are oily-looking from your peanut butter, blot each with a paper towel.
Bake for 9-10 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and underbaked, but that’s ok. For crispier cookies, bake for up to 11-12 minutes. Sometimes I press a couple more chocolate chips into the tops of each cookie immediately after coming out of the oven. This is optional and only for looks!
Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh stored covered at room temperature for up to 7 days, if they last that long!
Make ahead tip: For longer storage, freeze the cookies for up to 3 months then thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Gluten intolerant readers: make sure your oats are certified gluten free.

I typically use 3/4 cup of oats in these cookies, however 2/3 cup makes the cookie dough a little easier to handle and the baked cookies less crumbly. Make sure you use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats.
About the peanut butter: you can use homemade, natural, or commercial peanut butter, however the type you use will alter their texture slightly. I found the best texture was with 1 cup of my homemade honey roasted peanut butter or 1 cup Skippy Natural Peanut Butter. If using my homemade peanut butter, make sure it is at room temperature or cold. Freshly processed, it’s quite warm and you do not want to use warm peanut butter in the cookie dough. I find natural and oily peanut butters tend to dry out these cookies, so keep that in mind.
About the sugar: you can use white sugar instead, but keep in mind you’ll lose the mild molasses flavor from brown sugar. If the peanut butter you are using is not sweet and on the salty side, increase brown sugar to 1/2 cup.

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