Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C.
Mix the flaxseed and water in a small bowl and set aside.
In a blender, blend the oats on high power for 20-30 seconds until a fine flour is formed. (You might need to do this for slightly longer if your blender is low-powered.) Set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric hand whisk beat the coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil and almond butter for 2 minutes.
Add the flax mixture and vanilla essence and beat for another minute.
Add the oats, salt and baking soda, and mix well with a large spoon.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Shape the mixture into 12 even balls and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Ensure the balls are spaced at least 3 inches apart as they will spread as they bake.
You can either flatten the balls into circles with your hands or leave them to spread in the oven. Leaving them to spread will mean that the cookies are a bit fluffier and less condensed.
Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes until the cookies are just starting to turn golden.
Remove from the oven but leave the cookies in their trays for 10 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.