Soft and chewy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies Gluten free too! You can’t miss the eggs and butter in these delicious oatmeal cookies that are made in one bowl and ready in under 30 minutes! Hey guess what? They also contain no refined sugar!
Here’s a fun fact: I currently don’t eat dairy! We found out my baby is allergic to dairy and since I’ve been breastfeeding, I haven’t been consuming dairy to help his little belly get back to normal. He’s also allergic to eggs (how fun!), so while we’ve given him a little and me some, I’ve been trying to limit my egg intake in general.
You know what contains a lot of dairy and eggs? cookie!
Thankfully, I had some practice in the kitchen, so I had to come up with a delicious vegan cookie recipe that didn’t feel like I was sacrificing. Turns out, my family loves these vegan oatmeal cookies too! So much so that I have to double the recipe every time I make it. Here’s why you should make them:
The best vegan oatmeal cookies
Completely vegetarian – No eggs, no dairy! I used flax eggs instead of regular eggs and the base was not cream but almond butter.
Also gluten free – These are probably the best Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies I tried it.
Easy customization – Don’t like chocolate chips? Use raisins! How about some chocolate oatmeal cookies? Add some cocoa powder! Simple swaps and substitutions are included below.
Ingredients for Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
- flax meal – We are making flax eggs using ground flax seeds and warm water.
- Warm water – Water to flax meal ratio 3:1 to replace eggs.
- almond butter – Any nut or seed butter will work here, but I find almond butter has a more neutral flavor.
- maple syrup – Yes! These chewy oatmeal cookies contain no refined sugar. You can also use honey (non-vegetarian) or agave nectar.
- vanilla – Or use almond extract for a nuttier flavor.
- Cinnamon -You can change the spices, but I find cinnamon is the perfect complement to these chewy oatmeal cookies.
- Salt – To enhance the flavor, sprinkle with additional flaky sea salt (if desired!)
- oatmeal – Be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking oats. Don’t use steel cut oats!
- chocolate chips – Be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips. I love these!
How to Make Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Step 1: Make Flax Eggs
In a small bowl, combine ground flax seeds and warm water and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Mix the batter
Combine almond butter and maple syrup in a large bowl. Add vanilla, cinnamon, salt and rolled oats. Fold in the flax eggs, then fold in the chocolate chips. The batter will be very wet – this is normal!
Step 3: Bake
Roll out 12 golf ball-sized balls with your hands or a cookie scoop and place on lined baking sheet. Flatten the cookies slightly with the palm of your hand (pro tip: slightly wet your hands or cookie scoop so the batter doesn’t stick to your hands or scoop). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden and still gooey inside. You want them to still look a little raw on the inside so they stay chewy. Don’t worry—they’re vegetarian! Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt and bake on a baking sheet for 10 minutes.
Easy interchange + substitution
Looking for some simple remixes? Here are some ideas:
raisin – Stir in 1/3 cup raisins to make vegan oatmeal raisin cookies. Pro Tip: Chopped dates are delicious too!
crushed peanuts – Add 1/3 cup chopped peanuts or other nuts for added texture.
cocoa powder – Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dough to make chocolate oatmeal cookies.
Use a different nut or seed cream – I usually like to use almond butter or cashew butter for a more neutral flavor, but you can add peanut butter, tahini, or any other nut or seed butter of your choice.
Change the seasoning – You can change the spices or add more like ginger, cloves and allspice!
FAQ
Don’t panic! The cookies should look uncooked when you take them out of the oven. We want them to be a little soft so you get that chewy oatmeal cookie texture. That being said, make sure you leave the cookies on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes so they firm up and don’t spread. As they cool, they will continue to harden.
Yes! This vegan oatmeal cookie recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled. Be sure to bake each dozen on their own cookie sheet.
No! You can use different liquid sweeteners such as honey (note they will no longer be vegan) or agave syrup.
Yes! Feel free to substitute equal amounts of different nut or seed creams.
Storage instructions
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
freeze: Place cookies flat into a Ziploc or freezer bag. Remove all air and freeze for up to 3 months. If you’re like me, eat them thawed or frozen!
More delicious cookie recipes:
Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
Soft and chewy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies Gluten free too! You can’t miss the eggs and butter in these delicious oatmeal cookies that are made in one bowl and ready in under 30 minutes!
- Preparation time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 12 minutes
- Total time: 22 minutes
- yield: 12 cookie 1x
- category: dessert
- method: bake
- diet: vegetarian
- 1 tablespoon Flaxseed meal
- 3 tablespoons Warm water
- 1/2 cup smooth almond butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 cups Old Fashioned Oatmeal
- 1/4 cup Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
- Elective: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine ground flax seeds and warm water and stir well. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Combine almond butter and maple syrup in a large bowl.
- Add vanilla, cinnamon, salt and rolled oats.
- Fold in the flax eggs, then fold in the chocolate chips. The batter will be very wet – this is normal!
- Roll out 12 golf ball-sized balls with your hands or a cookie scoop and place on lined baking sheet. (Pro tip: Wet your hands or cookie scoop slightly so the batter doesn’t stick to your hands or cookie scoop).
- Use the palm of your hand to gently flatten the cookies.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden and still gooey inside. You want them to still look a little raw on the inside so they stay chewy. Don’t worry—they’re vegetarian!
- Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt and bake on a baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Remove from baking sheet and let cookies cool on a wire rack.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days or longer. See freezer instructions above.
