BEST Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

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All the taste of Grandma’s cookies, but none of the fat! These Vegan Oatmeal Cookies are oil-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, with only 88 calories and 1 gram of fat per cookie!

oatmeal cookie torn in half on wooden board with more cookies in background

When I serve these vegan cookies at family gatherings and even social functions, no one ever realizes that they are a much healthier version.

You’re going to love these vegan oatmeal cookies because they are…

  • Full of flavor
  • Perfectly sweet
  • Vegan
  • Oil-free & egg-free
  • Easy and fun to make
  • Freezable
  • Delicious!
oatmeal raisin cookies on white plate with glass of almond milk in background

Ingredients in these vegan cookies

There are only wholesome ingredients in these deliciously healthy cookies!

  • whole oats
  • whole wheat flour
  • baking powder & baking soda & salt
  • cinnamon & nutmeg
  • raisin
  • walnuts (optional)
  • flax egg
  • blackstrap molasses
  • applesauce
  • succant or less refined sugar OR date paste

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

How to make vegan oatmeal cookies

These cookies are very easy to make, and it would be a great time to get the kids in the kitchen to help.

First, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use a whisk and combine thoroughly. NOTE: if you prefer to use date paste instead of sugar, wait and add it to the wet ingredients.

Making a flax egg

The way I avoid baking these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies with eggs is to use a mixture of flax meal and water that is called a flax egg.

Simply combine 2 tablespoons flax meal with 6 Tbsp warm water and whisk together well. The consistency will be somewhat gelatinous and it will act as a binder for this recipe.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flax egg, applesauce, molasses, and vanilla. If you’re using date paste, now is the time to add it as well. Whisk together well.

flax egg, applesauce, vanilla, molasses in stainless bowl with whisk

Now, combine the contents of the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in the larger bowl and whisk together to achieve a nice thick batter.

cookie batter in stainless bowl

Once the batter is mixed well, go ahead and add the oats, raisins, and walnuts (if using) and stir together. The batter will be so thick at this point, you will not be able to use a whisk but will need a sturdy spoon.

It’s okay to taste the batter at this point. Since there are no raw eggs used in these oil-free vegan oatmeal cookies, feel free to taste them to make sure they are sweet enough, but not too sweet.

cookie batter with raisins and walnuts in stainless bowl with red spatula

Use a tablespoon or trigger-release ice cream scoop to plop the cookie batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The paper serves two purposes. It allows you to bake without using any cooking spray, and it keeps the baking sheet clean. The pan should only need to be wiped down.

cookies on baking sheet

Because the cookie batter is so thick, I like to take a fork and press the cookies down just a little bit before baking.

Place in the oven at 350°F and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Oven temperatures vary.

6 oatmeal vegan cookies on cooking rack with glass of almond milk

Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to firm up for a few minutes while still on the cookie sheet. If you want to really take it over the top, sprinkle a little Homemade Powdered Sugar over the top.

For more tips on oil-free cooking, check out my article, Cooking Without Oil. There’s even a short video showing how I make a stir fry using veggie broth instead of oil.

oatmeal raisin cookies on white plate with glass of almond milk and cup of coffee in background
  • For those avoiding any type of sugar, date paste will work just fine as a substitute in this cookie recipe.
  • I bake these cookies on parchment paper on a silicone baking mat to keep them completely oil-free.
  • I make them a lot when I’m baking for family or social functions. One batch makes 42 cookies so, if you’re making them just for the family, you might want to make a half-batch or freeze leftovers for later.
  • These cookies are not gluten-free, but this link to the Minimalist Baker will help adjust it for those who want to give it a try.
  • The cookies freeze very well. I make large batches often and keep them on hand for unexpected occasions when I need to take a dessert somewhere.

*Originally published March 14, 2015.

Other great dessert recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

oatmeal cookie torn in half on wooden board with more cookies in background
4.53 from 46 votes

Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

All the taste of Grandma's cookies, but none of the fat! These little vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are oil-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, with only 88 calories and 1 gram of fat per cookie! This recipe makes a whopping 42 cookies, so you may want to cut the recipe in half unless taking to a function.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 3 dozen

Ingredients 

  • 1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup sucanat or other unrefined sugar (this is for 42 cookies) OR 1 cup date paste
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons. ground flaxseed (equivilant to 2 eggs)
  • 6 tablespoons water for flax egg
  • 1-1/2 cups apple sauce unsweetened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon black strap molasses
  • 3 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use a whisk and combine thoroughly.
  • The way I avoid baking these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies with eggs is to use a mixture of flax meal and water that is called a flax egg. Simply combine 2 tablespoons flax meal with 6 Tbsp warm water and whisk together well. The consistency will be somewhat gelatinous and it will act as a binder for this recipe.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flax egg, applesauce, molasses, and vanilla. Whisk together well.
  • Now, combine the contents of the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in the larger bowl and whisk together to achieve a nice thick batter.
  • Once the batter is mixed well, go ahead and add the oats, raisins, and walnuts (if using) and stir together. The batter will be so thick at this point, you will not be able to use a whisk but will need a sturdy spoon.
  • Use a tablespoon or trigger-release ice cream scoop to plop the cookie batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Because the cookie batter is so thick, I like to take a fork and press the cookies down just a little bit before baking.
  • Place in the oven at 350°F and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Oven temperatures vary.
  • Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to firm up for a few minutes while still on the cookie sheet.
  • Serve. Store cookies in an air-tight container to retain moistness. They freeze well too.

Video

Notes

Detailed instructions, in-process photos, and my personal helpful tips can be found in the article above.
  1. For those avoiding any type of sugar, date paste will work just fine as a substitute in this cookie recipe.
  2. I bake these cookies on parchment paper on a silicone baking mat to keep them completely oil-free.
  3. I make them a lot when I’m baking for family or social functions. One batch makes 42 cookies so, if you’re making them just for the family, you might want to make a half-batch or freeze leftovers for later.
  4. These cookies are not gluten-free, but this link to the Minimalist Baker will help adjust it for those that want to give it a try.
  5. The cookies freeze very well. I make large batches often and keep them on hand for unexpected occasions when I need to take a dessert somewhere.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1.4g | Fat: 0.9g | Fiber: 1.2g

Disclaimer

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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About Terri Edwards

Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy.  I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…

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45 Comments

  1. Terri,
    What is on top of the cookies in the picture?? Looks to be either a sprinkling of sugar or salt. Either would be good but my first time thru a recipe I like to follow directions. Thx

    Jack

  2. So yummy! I don’t miss the butter and eggs of traditional recipes. Such a good treat – and truly nutritious! Something I did was to substitute dried cranberries for the walnuts, and my family loved them! 🍪

  3. HI again, I just read your detailed instructions above the recipe and I see that you add the sugar to the dry ingredients.

    1. Hi Tina- The sugar is added to the large bowl with other dry ingredients. Sorry that I forgot to list it, and I’ve added it to the instructions now. Thank you for the heads-up, and I hope you enjoy the cookies.

  4. Hi Terri, these look great! I was wondering by how much you could decrease the sugar and still have an Ok taste? Thanks!

    1. Hi Gail- I think it really depends on your taste buds and what you are used to. Personally, I could easily reduce the sweetener down to 3/4 cup. However, my husband has a serious sweet tooth and wouldn’t be happy without the full amount. If you’re used to and enjoy less sweet treats, I think going down to 3/4 cup or even a little less would work just fine. Hope they turn out great for you.

  5. I would like to make these however I only have quick-cooking oatmeal; is it possible that those would work?

  6. I just made these. I used whole wheat pastry flour and since I never have raisins, used cranberries and chocolate chips. Delicious all the way!! Thank you!

  7. Girl, these are SO GOOD! I used gluten free flour and maple syrup instead of the other sugars and it turned out perfect. Really great flavor. Loved that you included blackstrap molasses!

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