Soft, chewy, and full of flavor, these easy Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies make a delicious dessert--or a healthy breakfast. Since they're oil and refined sugar-free you can feel good about eating them any time of day!
Confession: I am one of those weirdos who--given the choice between chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies--will go for the oatmeal raisin every time! So I'm super excited to share this quick and easy recipe with you. These Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies pack a ton of flavor, but they're also full of healthy ingredients. Made with a base of whole wheat flour and oats, they're sweetened by applesauce and maple syrup. The depth of flavor comes from cinnamon and almond butter. Put these ingredients together and you get these divine but surprisingly wholesome treats!
You'll love these Vegan Oatmeal Cookies because they're:
- Soft & Chewy
- Full of healthy, plant-based ingredients
- Oil-Free & Refined-Sugar-Free
- Quick & easy to prepare
- Easy to make Gluten-Free
- Versatile
- Bursting with flavor!
What ingredients you'll need for this Easy Vegan Oatmeal Cookie Recipe:
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp milled flaxseed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Add-in
- ½ cup raisins (Or add-in of choice)
Can I make these Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Gluten-Free?
Yes! Just substitute fine oat flour for the whole wheat flour. This will change the texture somewhat, but they'll still be delicious. Making your own homemade oat flour is easy! Just pop rolled oats in a blender or food processor and blitz until soft and powdery (about 5 minutes).
Can I substitute something else for the raisins?
Sure! I chose raisins because that's the classic flavor combo I love, but these would also work great with walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or dried cherries. Be as creative as you like or just use up the ingredients you already have in your pantry.
How to Make Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This Oatmeal Cookie recipe couldn't be easier. First, preheat your oven to 350° F or 175°C. Then just add the dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Then fold in your raisins.
Spoon the batter onto a lined cookie sheet and pop in the oven for about 15 minutes. When they're done let cool 5 minutes, and then dig in!
How to Store Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Or freeze for up to 3 months. If you make up a big batch to freeze for later, place all of the cookies on a flat tray to freeze. After they are frozen you can pop them into a container or storage bag. Alternatively, you could stack them in a container and add parchment between each cookie. This will keep them from sticking together.
Looking for more healthy vegan dessert recipes? Be sure to check out:
- Vegan Zucchini Muffins
- No-Bake Pretzel Brownie Bites
- No-Bake Carrot Cake Bites
- Strawberry Citrus Popsicles
- 20 Vegan Summer Dessert Recipes
Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Oil-Free & Refined-Sugar-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (see note in post for Gluten-Free option)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp milled flaxseed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Add-in
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F or 175°C. Place a baking mat or baking paper on a baking sheet.
- Add all of the dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
- Fold the raisins into the batter until evenly distributed.
- Using a cookie/ice cream scoop or two spoons, drop 2 to 3 tablespoons of the batter onto the baking sheet in rows. You should have about 12 cookies. Be sure to leave a little space between the cookies (they will spread, but not as much as cookies made with butter).
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven, place the cookies on a cooling rack or plate and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy right away or store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- These cookies have a soft and chewy texture.
- You can store these cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- For more uniform cookies, press flat with a spatula before baking.
- If using store-bought almond butter, be sure to check the ingredients. Some add salt or sugar, which could affect the flavor of the cookies. If using salted almond butter, reduce or omit the added salt in this recipe.
- Feel free to swap out the raisins with walnuts, pecans, dried cranberries, dried cherries, chocolate chips, or whatever you like!
Want access to my Exclusive Meal Planning Tips & Printables page?
Hi Julianne, delighted to have found your site through a post for your Pumpkin Cookies and as I am looking for new dessert/treat recipes in particular. A query...I notice you use both baking powder and baking soda in some recipes such as this one and the Pumpkin Cookies without an acid to activate the baking soda which I understood was necessary? Is the BS activated at all or even necessary? Cookies in particular rise minimally and often have no raising agent at all included in. Thank you.
Hi Louise! Thank you and what an interesting question. The short version is, I adapted these cookie recipes based on recipes I used to make before I was vegan (and before I had a blog). But to answer your question, I did a little digging and found some interesting things. First, a lot of cookie recipes have both without a traditional acid (like vinegar or lemon juice). But wheat flour is somewhat acidic, so perhaps it helps balance that out. According to Bob's Red Mill website, the baking soda can be activated in high heat without an acid. It's possible that this recipe could work with just baking powder. Now I'm very curious to try it myself!
https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/baking-101/what-does-baking-soda-do/