These are the Best Vegan Oatmeal Cookies! Raw or baked, these tasty treats are chewy and sweet with lots of delicious texture and flavorful add-ins to make them a favorite at your home.
Oatmeal Cookies are a classic and these homemade vegan cookies have just as much flavor and chew as the ones from your childhood. Soft and textured, they have shredded coconut, cacao nibs, and raisins adding extra yumminess to every bite. I used almond butter, which adds just the right note of nutty flavor, not to mention more dense chewiness. You are going to love these scrumptious cookies.
These Vegan Oatmeal Cookies can be enjoyed baked or raw, and they can also be stored and frozen so you can serve them anytime. You can double the recipe and save some for another week when you really need a sweet pick me up. Make them with or without the cacao nibs and raisins, so it fits your preference. These cookies are versatile enough to fit any taste. Let's look at the basic ingredients.
Video Tutorial
What you'll need
- Oatmeal. You can use instant oatmeal or old-fashioned oats. The latter will make chewier cookies.
- Ground Flax Seeds. We'll mix them with water to make flax "eggs."
- Shredded Coconut. I like the unsweetened kind.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda. Just a little bit of each to help the cookies rise a bit.
- Sea Salt. Helps to balance the sweet flavor.
- Almond Butter. Or other nut butter of your choice. You can also use tahini, if you are trying to avoid nuts.
- Maple Syrup. Helps to sweeten the cookies and holds everything together.
- Vanilla Extract. For a nice sweet aroma.
- Raisins. Or dried cranberries.
- Cacao Nibs. Or vegan chocolate chips.
How to Make these cookies
1. To make the flax egg, just mix the ground flax seeds with five tablespoons of water, mix, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, shredded coconut, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix these ingredients and then set the bowl aside.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the almond butter, maple syrup, flax "egg" (from Step 1), and vanilla extract.
4. Add the almond butter mixture to the oat mixture and mix well.
5. Now, fold in the raisins and cacao nibs.
6. Using ¼ cup as a measure, form the cookies. They should be about ½ inch thick. You can work the cookie dough with wet hands to get the right shape and size.
7. Place the cookies onto a large, parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.
Pro tips
- Use old-fashioned oats for more chew. If you like your Oatmeal Cookies with lots of chew, then opt for old-fashioned oats. They are larger and have more texture than instant oats.
- Measure out the cookie dough. For even baking, you'll want the cookies to be about the same size. Using a measuring cup or a cookie scoop will keep them uniform. It's also less messy.
- Mold the dough with wet hands. The nut butter and maple syrup make the cookie dough sticky, so dip your hands in water to make it easier to mold the dough.
- Keep an eye on the cook time. Oven heat varies and these cook fast, so keep an eye out for browning along the edges. Even if they are slightly underdone, they will continue to cook as they cool.
This cookie dough is edible!
Because this Oatmeal Cookie dough doesn't use flour or eggs, the dough is safe to eat - and tastes fantastic! So if you want to indulge in some yummy raw cookie dough (maybe with some vanilla coconut milk ice cream!), this recipe is perfect. It can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to Store
You can store these Vegan Oatmeal Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for 2 weeks. Serve them cool or place them in the microwave for a few seconds to warm.
How to Freeze them
When the cookies are completely cool, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once they are frozen, place them in a freezer ziplock bag or in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. They will last for up to 3 months. You can do the same with the cookie dough, freezing and then bagging the balls. Then just bake straight from the freezer.
These really are the best Vegan Oatmeal Cookies in my opinion, and I hope that you and your family will agree. They're sweet, chewy, and delicious - perfect for snacks and dessert anytime.
You'll also enjoy these sweet treats:
Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. ground flax seeds
- 5 tbsp. water
- 2 cups rolled oats regular or instant oats
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ¾ cup almond butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup cacao nibs or vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- To make the flax egg, just mix the ground flax seeds with five tablespoons of water, mix, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, shredded coconut, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix these ingredients and then set the bowl aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the almond butter, maple syrup, flax "egg" (from Step 1), and vanilla extract.
- Add the almond butter mixture to the oat mixture and mix well.
- Now, fold in the raisins and cacao nibs.
- Using ¼ cup as a measure, form the cookies. They should be about ½ inch thick. You can work the cookie dough with wet hands to get the right shape and size.
- Place the cookies onto a large, parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.
Notes
This cookie dough is edible!
Because this Oatmeal Cookie dough doesn't use flour or eggs, the dough is safe to eat - and tastes fantastic! So if you want to indulge in some yummy raw cookie dough (maybe with some vanilla coconut milk ice cream!), this recipe is perfect. It can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days.Pro tips
- Use old-fashioned oats for more chew. If you like your Oatmeal Cookies with lots of chew, then opt for old-fashioned oats. They are larger and have more texture than instant oats.
- Measure out the cookie dough. For even baking, you'll want the cookies to be about the same size. Using a measuring cup or a cookie scoop will keep them uniform. It's also less messy.
- Mold the dough with wet hands. The nut butter and maple syrup make the cookie dough sticky, so dip your hands in water to make it easier to mold the dough.
- Keep an eye on the cook time. Oven heat varies and these cook fast, so keep an eye out for browning along the edges. Even if they are slightly underdone, they will continue to cook as they cool.
What is a good substitute for the coconut flakes?
Hi! Just use some sesame seeds or your favorite nuts. Happy baking!
Can peanut butter be used instead of almond butter in this recipe?
Hi Tina! Yes. Happy cooking!
Hi. These look great! Are they gluten-free too?
Hi Anita! Thanks! These are GF.