Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line a cookie sheet or baking sheet with parchment paper. (If you prefer no-bake, you can skip the oven and chill instead—but for this recipe I bake for the cookie-texture.)

In a small bowl, combine the 4 tablespoons flax seed meal with 4 tablespoons warm water. Stir and set aside for 2 minutes until it thickens into a gel-like mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, add: melted vegan butter (or coconut oil), unsweetened applesauce, maple syrup, monkfruit sweetener, non-dairy milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Whisk gently until everything is combined.

Add the flax gel mixture to the mixing bowl and stir to combine with the wet ingredients.

Add the oat flour and quick oats into the bowl. Stir until the dough comes together and you have a thick oatmeal cookie dough texture. Then fold in the raisins or chopped dates.

Use a tablespoon (or small cookie scoop) to portion out the dough—about 1 tablespoon each. Place each on the lined cookie sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them. Gently press each ball down so they are about ½ inch thick (this helps them bake evenly and achieve a cookie-shape).

Bake in the preheated oven for about 7-10 minutes. The edges will be set and the center still slightly soft—that’s perfect because they’ll firm up as they cool. Remove from oven and let cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. They’ll firm up but remain chewy and soft inside.