Ingredients

Scale

(Makes 12–14 cookies)

The 5 ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free if needed)
½ cup natural peanut butter (creamy, unsweetened—no added oil/sugar)
⅓ cup pure maple syrup (or sugar-free maple syrup for blood sugar friendly)
1 large egg (or flax egg for vegan: 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional boosts (you’ll love these!):

Chocolate chips: ¼ cup dark or sugar-free chocolate chips (you love chocolate!)
Sea salt: Flaky salt on top before baking (sweet-salty contrast—you love this!)
Cinnamon: ½ tsp for warmth

Instructions

1. Mix dough:

In a bowl, combine oats, peanut butter, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla. Stir until thick and sticky. Fold in chocolate chips if using.

2. Chill (optional but helpful):

Refrigerate 10–15 minutes (eases scooping; skip if in a hurry).

3. Bake:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Roll dough into 12 balls; place 2″ apart. Flatten slightly with fork (classic criss-cross!).
Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.
Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are golden. Cool 5 minutes on pan.

💡 Pro Tips for Perfection:
✅ Use natural peanut butter—stir well before measuring (oil separation is normal!).
✅ Don’t overbake—12 minutes max for chewy centers (they firm as they cool).
✅ Blood sugar friendly (you love this!):
→ Replace maple syrup with sugar-free maple syrup
→ Use sugar-free chocolate chips
→ Add 1 tbsp chia seeds for fiber + glycemic control
→ Net carbs: ~8g/cookie
✅ Keto version:
→ Swap oats for ¾ cup almond flour + ¼ cup unsweetened coconut
→ Use powdered erythritol + stevia instead of syrup
→ Net carbs: ~3g/cookie
✅ Gluten-free: Use certified GF oats.
✅ Storage: Keep in airtight container 5 days (freeze 3 months—thaw at room temp).

Prep Time & Nutrition (per cookie, blood sugar friendly version):