Nut Free Monster Cookies are a fun easy cookie to make with the kids. It comes together quickly, and is gluten free as well as top 9 allergen free.
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Jump to:
- Why We Like This Recipe
- Ingredients
- The Ingredient Low Down
- Top Tip
- Instructions
- Hint For Making Perfect Gluten Free Monster Cookies
- Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations for Making Nut Free Monster Cookies
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Equipment
- Quick Bake Tip
- What To Serve With Nut Free Monster Cookies
- Other Recipes You May Enjoy
- 📖 Recipe
- Food Safety Tips for Making Gluten Free Monster Cookies
- Allergy Resources
- 💬 Comments
Why We Like This Recipe
Our kids love this nut free vegan cookie because it is one they can easily help make. It has the flavours of a peanut butter cookie without any of their allergens. It is also a great cookie as it doesn't take any flour, only gluten free oats, sunflower seed butter and a few other ingredients. If sunflower seeds are not safe for you do check our substitutions and variations section as these can be be made with pea protein spread or pumpkin seed butter.
Ingredients
- Ground Flax or Egg Replacer
- Water
- Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Dairy Free Butter Stick, or Coconut Oil
- Sunflower Seed Butter
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Baking Soda, gluten free
- Rolled Oats, gluten free
- Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
- Candy Coated Dairy Free Chocolates
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Ground Flax or Egg Replacer
These both act as an egg replacement. One is simply ground flax that when mixed with water is often called a flax egg in vegan baking. The egg replacer is a commercially made and blended replacement for egg. It often consists of psyllium husk and acts exactly the same as the flax seed. We like Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer - gluten free version. You can buy Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer on Amazon.
Top Tip
If you find the cookies are a bit hard when mixing or after baking add more water when mixing the flax/egg replacer and water. Both of the ground substitutes will soak up liquid in the baked goods and may need extra water in the mix to counteract this.
Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar
Always use gluten and dairy free sugar. To make vegan baked goods also make sure the sugar is organic and free from bone char in processing. Most countries do not use this method anymore to process sugar but do check as it is not vegan otherwise.
Dairy Free Butter Stick, or Coconut Oil
The sticks of plant butter work better than the spread as they have less water in them. The brand we find works best that is available where we are is Melt Organics Buttery Sticks or Violife Buttery block. Make sure that any vegan product or plant based product is actually dairy free by checking the ingredients. Do not rely on the words "vegan" or "plant based". There are also products on the market that are safe for vegans but contain plant based casein (similar make up to dairy casein which many are allergic to). It will be declared in the ingredients.
Coconut Oil Tip
You can swap out the plant based butter for coconut oil at a 1 to 1 exchange. To use the coconut oil you want to use the kind that goes solid at room temperature and not the liquid MCT coconut oil.
Sunflower Seed Butter
We prefer the natural smooth sunflower butter from SunButter. SunButter is available on Amazon.It is in a yellow topped jar. The sunflower seed butter is already fairly salty so the cookies don't need extra salt. This can be replaced with pea protein based for those with sunflower seed allergies. Check in the substitutions for more info. Homemade sunflower seed butter may turn green when baked. The commercial kind may be a bit better as it hasn't for us.
Alternative Spread
If you would like a spread that isn't sunflower seed spread check out chickpea spreads. There are a few on the market. The one we have tried in Canada is NoNuts! There is a new brand in the United States called Finally Nut Free Spreads. The Finally brand does however use sunflower lecithin.
Pure Vanilla Extract
Pure vanilla extract is better to use than imitation as this should be just vanilla from beans and an alcohol or glycerin to extract the flavour. We make our own with potato vodka to make sure it is safe however Lorann Oils makes gluten free Vanilla Extract. You can buy Lorann Oils Pure Vanilla Extract on Amazon. Making your own can take up to 1 year.
Baking Soda, gluten free
Make sure it is fresh with still some life in it. Baking soda does lose potency after time. It also needs to be gluten free and only used for allergen free baking. Using ingredients in non-allergen cooking and baking makes for a cross contact risk.
Rolled Oats, gluten free
It is really important to use gluten free oats. They have a lower risk of wheat in the mix, though never 100% guaranteed. Brands that do gluten free oats are Bob's Red Mill, Only Oats, or Oatsome . Always use rolled oats and not steel cut as the latter will not bake properly.
Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
Your favourite dairy free chocolate chip can be used. We prefer the Enjoy Life brand of mini chocolate chips for this recipe. If you use another brand make sure they are safe and not on shared lines. Many vegan chocolate is made in the same factory as allergens but may not have a may contain warning. Always check with the company for their info on shared lines.
There are a few brands that have allergen friendly versions such as Great Value from WalMart, President's Choice, Pascha, or Nestle Toll House.
Candy Coated Dairy Free Chocolates
We really like the NoWhey brand of candies called NoNos in this nut free vegan cookie recipe. They will lose a bit of colour when baking as they are made with natural colouring. There are also ChocoYums from YumEarth. We have not tried these ones and they are also made from natural colours so they may also fade.
Instructions
1- Preheat the oven to 350 F
2- In a small bowl, mix the ground flax or Bob's Red Mill egg replacement and water. Using a fork stir it well until all the lumps are gone. Set aside.
3- In the stand mixer on low- medium speed, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, plant based butter and cream together. It will change in colour and go lighter when it is creamed and slightly fluffy. It takes about 5 minutes.
4- Spoon in the flax or egg replacer and water mix that was set aside in step 2 to the creamed vegan butter and sugars.
5- Add the sunflower butter and vanilla to the stand mixer bowl and continue to mix it.
6- Sprinkle in the baking soda while the mix is mixing on low.
7- One cup at a time add in the gluten free rolled oats to the low mixing stand mixer mixture. Mix fully and well.
8- Remove the Bowl from the stand mixer and pour the chocolate chips and candy coated chocolate pieces. Fold the chocolate and candy into the dough mix with a spatula.
9- Line two 13 inch long cookie sheets with parchment paper.
10- With a small scoop spoon out the dough into rough balls approximately 1 and ⅛th of an inch in diameter. Place the dough balls on the lined cookie sheets about 1 ½ to 2 inches apart. These cookies will spread.
11- Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350F.
12- Once cooked, remove from the oven and let sit on the trays for 5 mins then move to a cooling rack. Take the gluten free monster cookies out of the oven as soon as they are done, they are better slightly underbaked as they will firm up as they cool.
Hint For Making Perfect Gluten Free Monster Cookies
Take the nut free monster cookies out of the oven as soon as they are done, they are better slightly underbaked as they will firm up as they cool. They are better under cooked than over done. The easy way to tell is the centres should still look a bit liquid on the top in the oven.
Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations for Making Nut Free Monster Cookies
- Pumpkin Seed Butter - If sunflower seeds are not safe pumpkin seed butter will also work in this recipe. The colour may change of the cookies as some natural seed butters go green when cooked so to combat this use a 3-4 tbsps of cocoa powder. We found Gerbs Pumpkin Seed Butter is top 14 allergen friendly.
- Pea Protein Spread - if sunflower seed butter is not safe try using a pea protein based spread instead like NoNuts! or Finally Nut Free Spread (contains sunflower lecithin). It is gluten, soy, nut, and sunflower seed free in addition to others.
- Ground Chia - If flax or a psyllium husk based egg replacer is not safe for you use ground chia instead. It can be used in the same quantities as the ground flax. It may have a bit of a bitter taste so add a touch of extra vanilla.
- Coconut - use the coconut oil instead of plant butter. Replace up to ½ C of coconut flakes or shredded coconut.
- Chocolate Version - use chocolate sunflower butter or peas protein based spread in place of regular sunflower seed butter.
- Peppermint - add crushed YumEarth Candy Canes and switch ½ teaspoon of the vanilla out for gluten free peppermint extract.
See this chocolate peppermint version of this recipe on my website!
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Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
Counter
The cookies can be stored in an airtight storage container for up to 7 weeks. They can be stored at room temperature.
Freezer
Wrapped in plastic wrap and then stored in an airtight container place the already baked or in baked cookies. Store baked and unbaked cookies separately. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 14 days. Unbaked gluten-free monster cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Oven
Let the nut free vegan cookies that are unbaked thaw a bit before cooking. Then bake as per usual.
Equipment
We prefer to use a stand mixer to a hand mixer as this recipe does mix for a few minutes. The stand mixer also frees your hands up to add the ingredients to the mix. Use the paddle mixing attachment to mix the nut free monster cookie ingredients. The best bowl for mixing is the stand mixer bowl.
An additional small bowl will be needed and a whisk or fork for the egg replacer or flax and water. Two 13 inch cookie sheets or whatever size your oven can accommodate easily. Parchment paper is also needed to line the cookie sheets to help and remove the cookies easily from the sheets. Measuring cups and spoons are always needed when baking to correctly measure the ingredients.
To portion out the cookie dough we use a small 1 ⅛ th to 2 inch scoop. We use a small cookie scoop.This will keep the cookies the same size so they evenly bake. A spatula to get the last bit of dough out of the mixing bowl and help fold in the chocolate chips and candies.
List of Equipment
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Quick Bake Tip
To make cookies in a flash or when needed in a hurry keep a few of the cookies in the freezer uncooked, thaw and bake them. Batter can be frozen after being scooped into dough balls for 3 months. Let them thaw for 30 mins before baking.
What To Serve With Nut Free Monster Cookies
Gluten Free Monster Cookies are a fantastic cookie for all occasions. They work for birthday parties and the holiday season. The cookies are perfect on their own as a treat or with a mug of hot chocolate or tea.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Gluten free Gingerbread Cookies
📖 Recipe
Nut Free Monster Cookies - GF/DF/EF, Vegan, Top 8 Free
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection Add to Shopping ListEquipment
- Stand Mixer
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment paper
- Small Scoop
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Stand Mixer Bowl
- Small bowl
- Fork or Whisk
- Paddle Mixing Attachment
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon Ground Flax or Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
- 6 Tablespoons Water
- ⅔ Cup Brown Sugar packed
- ⅔ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 5.5 Tablespoons Plant Based Butter Stick or Coconut Oil, room temperature
- 1 Cup Sunflower Seed Butter we used Original Sunbutter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda gluten free
- 2 ¾ Cups Rolled Oats gluten free
- ⅔ Cup Dairy Free Chocolate Chips we used Enjoy Life Chips
- ⅔ Cup Candy Coated Dairy Free Chocolates we used NoWhey! No-Nos (about 2 ½ packages)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F
- In a small bowl, mix the ground flax or Bob's Red Mill egg replacement and water. Using a fork stir it well until all the lumps are gone. Set aside.2 Tablespoon Ground Flax or Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer, 6 Tablespoons Water
- In the stand mixer on low- medium speed, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, plant based butter and cream together. It will change in colour and go lighter when it is creamed and slightly fluffy. It takes about 5 minutes.⅔ Cup Brown Sugar, ⅔ Cup Granulated Sugar, 5.5 Tablespoons Plant Based Butter Stick
- Spoon in the flax or egg replacer and water mix that was set aside in step 2 to the creamed vegan butter and sugars.
- Add the sunflower butter and vanilla to the stand mixer bowl and continue to mix it.1 Cup Sunflower Seed Butter, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Sprinkle in the baking soda while the mix is mixing on low.1 ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- One cup at a time add in the gluten free rolled oats to the low mixing stand mixer mixture. Mix fully and well.2 ¾ Cups Rolled Oats
- Remove the Bowl from the stand mixer and pour the chocolate chips and candy coated chocolate pieces. Fold the chocolate and candy into the dough mix with a spatula.⅔ Cup Dairy Free Chocolate Chips, ⅔ Cup Candy Coated Dairy Free Chocolates
- Line two 13 inch long cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- With a small scoop spoon out the dough into rough balls approximately 1 and ⅛th of an inch in diameter. Place the dough balls on the lined cookie sheets about 1 ½ to 2 inches apart. These cookies will spread.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350F.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and let sit on the trays for 5 mins then move to a cooling rack. Take them out of the oven as soon as they are done, they are better slightly under baked as they will firm up as they cool.
Video
Notes
Allergy Note 1
Always check that each ingredient is safe for you. Reading all the ingredients and labelling as well as checking with the manufacturer should always be done before buying any product. Each person's allergies are different and only you and your medical team can determine what is best for you. Checking with the manufacturer is best practice to see if shared lines, or facilities are used when making any of the suggested products. Just because a product is right for us does not mean it is safe for anyone else. You must do your own research on each product.
Allergy Note 2
If making this recipe for anyone with an allergy always check with them for suitable products and ingredients. Each person knows their allergies best and can advise on what is safe for them to eat. Keep in mind that if making for another person they may not be able to eat it with shared prep surfaces, cooking equipment, and kitchens or other safety reasons.
Allergy Note 3
This is not medical advice. Always discuss your allergies, nutrition, and suitable products and recipes with your medical team before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
"The Allergen Free Kitchen" is not a registered dietician or nutritionist, does not replace a registered dietician or nutritionist and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend you consult with your medical team to find a registered dietician or nutritionist and for you to calculate the nutritional information. Calories and nutritional values can vary vastly depending on which brands were used and any substitutions used.
Food Safety Tips for Making Gluten Free Monster Cookies
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Allergy Resources
If you are struggling with allergies or which foods are safe for you we encourage you to contact your medical team to help determine what is best for you.
For additional resources please check out the following allergy education and advocacy pages:
In the United States:
- Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) - Home Page
- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) - Home Page
- U.S Food & Drug Administration (FDA) - Food Allergies - Home Page
- Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in The United States of America
- Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA - Recalls
- US Food & Drug Administration, FDA - Recalls
- Celiac Disease Foundation - Home Page
- National Celiac Association (NCA) - Home Page
- Beyond Celiac - Home Page
- Celiac.com - Home Page
In Canada
- Food Allergy Canada - Home Page
- Celiac Canada - Home Page
- The Government of Canada - Health Site- Food Allergies
- The Government of Canada - Food Allergen Labelling, the List of Ingredients and Allergens on Food Labels, and Allergens and Gluten Sources Labelling
Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in Canada
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