These vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are naturally gluten free, so easy to make, soft, chewy and perfectly sweet. I added chocolate chips for extra flavor, but you can leave as is for a healthier treat!
I’ll admit, oatmeal raisin cookies were never my most favorite growing up. Chocolate chip was always the way to go.
But, these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies have totally changed my stance. They’re buttery, perfectly sweet, chewy yet crispy, so easy to make and you can even spruce them up with chocolate chips or chopped nuts.
You won’t be able to tell they’re vegan, and you definitely won’t be able to tell they’re gluten free if you go that route! Plus, the best part about vegan baking is that you can always eat the dough!
Be sure to try my vegan oatmeal cookies or classic chocolate chip next.
Key Ingredients & substitutions
Butter. You need one stick of softened vegan butter for these cookies. If you forget to bring the butter to room temperature, just microwave for about 20-30 seconds or until soft to the touch but not melted.
Sugar. We’ll be using a mix of brown sugar and white sugar to give these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies a chewy center but slightly crisp edges.
If you prefer, you can sub the brown sugar for coconut sugar, but I recommend keeping the white sugar for the best texture.
Flax egg & apple sauce. These two ingredients will work to bind everything together since there are no eggs in these cookies.
Flour. I used gluten free all purpose flour, but if you are not gluten free, regular all purpose flour will work just fine.
Oats. I prefer using quick oats in cookies, but rolled oats also work!
Raisins. You can’t have oatmeal raisin cookies without raisins! I also like to add in chocolate chips, but you can leave them out or use chopped walnuts instead.
Instructions
Cover raisins with hot water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and very lightly squeeze with a paper towel to dry.
Whisk together the ground flax seeds and water and set aside to thicken. In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars for 1 minute.
Add in all wet ingredients and beat until combined. Add in the flour (making sure to spoon and level) and cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Beat to combine. Fold in the oats. Finally, fold in the raisins and chocolate chips/chopped walnuts if using.
Add the dough to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. During the final 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon balls and add to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, keeping enough space between each cookie.
Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. They will continue to firm as they cool. Let cool completely, then enjoy!
Soak raisins before baking
This isn’t a 100% necessary step, but soaking raisins before baking will plump them up before folding them into the dough.
Then, when you bake the cookies, the raisins won’t dry out too much and you’ll still have a really nice, soft, chewy texture.
If you’re in a pinch and don’t have time, it’s not a huge deal, but letting the raisins soak while you prep all of the other ingredients is super helpful.
You only need to let them soak for about 10 minutes if you use hot water, otherwise 30 if using cold water.
Frequently asked questions
How to store cookies
To keep these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies feeling fresh, store them in an air tight container for best results. Just be sure to let them cool completely before transferring to a container.
I like to microwave them for about 10 seconds if they’ve been sitting around for a few days so they’re good as new!
How to freeze vegan cookies
Once you prepare the dough, just roll the cookies into balls and place in a zip lock bag or freezer safe container.
When you’re ready to eat, follow the recipe as usual but bake at 325 Fahrenheit (instead of 350) add a few extra minutes of cook time to account for the frozen dough.
You can also freeze the cookies once they’ve been cooked. Just let cool, then pop in a ziplock bag. Heat in the oven until warm through the center.
Are oatmeal raisin cookies healthy?
Oatmeal raisin cookies are definitely though of as healthier than chocolate chip, but this isn’t always the case!
It totally depends on the quality of the ingredients used. This recipe has good for you ingredients like apple sauce, flax seed and oats.
You can make them a bit healthier by subbing the butter for coconut oil and the brown sugar for coconut sugar. I do not recommend any other sugar substitutes here.
Try these cookies next!
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Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons apple sauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry
- 1 cup all purpose flour I used GF, regular works too
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup raisins
- ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Cover raisins with hot water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and very lightly squeeze with a paper towel to dry.
- Whisk together the ground flax seeds and water and set aside to thicken.
- In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars for 1 minute.
- Add in all wet ingredients and beat until combined.
- Add in the flour (making sure to spoon and level) and cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Beat to combine.
- Fold in the oats.
- Finally, fold in the raisins and chocolate chips/chopped walnuts if using.
- Add the dough to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- During the final 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon balls and add to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, keeping enough space between each cookie.
- Bake for 12-16 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown. They will continue to firm as they cool.
- Let cool completely, then enjoy!
Erin says
Can you sub almond flour for the gf/ap flour?
Claire Cary says
No, that won’t work here unfortunately!
patricia says
What brand of GF flour mix did you use? Thanks.
Claire Cary says
I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour.