These Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with wholesome ingredients.
- Made with rolled oats and no added flour, they are gluten-free when using certified gluten-free oats.
- Almond butter replaces regular butter, keeping the cookies dairy-free and satisfying.
Instead of just adding raisins to the dough, a mix of raisins, sunflower seeds, and pepitas adds crunch, reduces sugar, and boosts nutrition. However, feel free to get creative with your own mix-ins. Dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, and dark chocolate chips all work nicely.
What makes these oatmeal raisin cookies healthy
These oatmeal raisin cookies are made with wholesome ingredients that provide nutritional benefits:
- Fiber and beta-glucan from oats: Rolled oats provide both soluble and insoluble fiber, including beta-glucan, which supports digestion and helps you feel full longer.
- Healthy fats from almond butter and seeds: Almond butter, sunflower seeds, and pepitas offer heart-healthy fats and make the cookies more satisfying.
- No added flours: These cookies rely on blended oats for structure, so there’s no all-purpose flour.
- Dairy-free and gluten-free: Made with almond butter instead of dairy butter and certified gluten-free oats, this recipe works well for anyone avoiding dairy or gluten.
Ingredients for flourless oatmeal raisin cookies
- Rolled oats (old-fashioned oats) – Form the base of the cookie dough. For strictly gluten-free cookies, you can use certified gluten-free oats.
- Almond butter – Replaces regular butter or oil, adding subtle nuttiness and healthy fats. Cashew butter or natural peanut butter work well as substitutes.
- Unsweetened desiccated coconut – Blended with the oats to improve the texture of the cookies and to give a hint of coconut flavor.
- Maple syrup – Lightly sweetens the cookie dough. Honey can be used instead if you don’t mind a honey taste coming through.
- Raisins – Folded into the dough for classic oatmeal raisin flavor.
- Sunflower seeds and pepitas – Add some crunch and boost the nutritional value of the cookies with extra healthy fats.
- Vanilla extract – Adds subtle sweetness and complements the raisins.
- Egg – Binds the cookies together. For a vegan option, you can substitute with a flax egg.
- Cinnamon – Adds warmth and pairs nicely with the raisins. British mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice also work well as substitutes.
- Baking soda (bicarb soda) – Helps the cookies rise slightly.
- Salt – Enhances and balances the overall flavor.
Baking tips for perfect oatmeal raisin cookies
These tips will help your flourless oatmeal raisin cookies turn out perfectly every time:
- Use rolled oats: Rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats, are the best choice for a chewy texture in oatmeal cookies. They’re the same oats I use in these Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars. Instant oats break down too easily and steel-cut oats won’t soften enough during baking.
- Weigh your ingredients: For best results, use a digital kitchen scale rather than measuring cups. This ensures that you measure out the correct amount of rolled oats, almond butter, and maple syrup to prevent inconsistencies in texture and sweetness.
- Use room temperature almond butter: Cold almond butter can be hard to mix. If you store your almond butter in the fridge, measure out what you need, then let it sit at room temperature or warm it in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds before proceeding with the recipe.
- Shape the dough: These cookies don’t spread much during baking, so shape the dough into your preferred size before baking.
- Cool on the tray: Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps them set and prevents them from breaking apart.
Customizing your oatmeal raisin cookies
These oatmeal raisin cookies are flexible, so you can make them your own:
- Mix up the dried fruit: Swap some or all of the raisins for dried cranberries, cherries, or chopped dried apricots or dates.
- Add nuts: Chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds bring extra crunch and flavor.
- Add chocolate: Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate make the cookies extra indulgent.
- Swap spices: Try pumpkin pie spice, British mixed spice, or a pinch of nutmeg instead of cinnamon.
Storing and freezing oatmeal raisin cookies
Keep your oatmeal raisin cookies fresh and ready to enjoy with these storage and freezing tips:
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezing baked cookies: Freeze in a single layer or stacked with parchment paper for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.
- Freezing dough: Shape the dough, freeze on a parchment-lined tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe
Recipe video below. These flourless oatmeal raisin cookies are soft, chewy, gluten-free, and dairy-free. They’re made with rolled oats, almond butter, and no flour. Plus, you can customize the mix-ins by swapping the raisins and seeds for chocolate chips, other dried fruits, or chopped nuts.
- Serves: 10 cookies
- Prep time: 15 mins
- Cook time: 12 mins
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons (90 g) almond butter (see Note 1)
- 1/4 cup (80 g) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Dry ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (135 g) rolled oats (gluten-free if needed – see Note 2)
- 1/4 cup (23 g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb soda)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Mix-ins
- 1/2 cup (70 g) raisins
- 1/4 cup (40 g) sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup (40 g) pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) conventional. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blend oats
Place 1 cup (90 g) of the rolled oats into a blender or food processor and blend until finely ground. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients
In a large bowl, mix the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and egg until smooth and well combined.
- Add dry ingredients
Add the blended oats, remaining 1/2 cup (45 g) rolled oats, coconut, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
- Add mix-ins
Fold in the raisins, sunflower seeds, and pepitas until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape dough
Divide the dough into 10 portions. You can use a 2 inch (5 cm) cookie scoop to make portioning easy (see Note 3). Press each portion into a disc. The cookies won’t spread much in the oven.
- Bake and cool
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly golden and the tops are set with small cracks. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Almond butter – If your almond butter is cold, bring it to room temperature or microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to make mixing easier. You can also substitute cashew or natural peanut butter.
- Gluten-free oats – Oats naturally do not contain gluten, but they can come into contact with gluten during processing. To keep the recipe strictly gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats or oats tested to be free from gluten contamination.
- Portioning the dough – For 10 cookies, I use a 2 inch (5 cm) cookie scoop. If you don’t have a scoop, you can divide the dough by hand. The dough is sticky, so lightly wet your hands or wear food preparation gloves to prevent sticking.
- Measurement tip – For best results, measure ingredients in grams with a digital kitchen scale. It’s more accurate than cups, which is especially important in baking.
Recipe video
Watch the recipe video to see how to make Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. These oatmeal cookies are gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats. Regular oats may be contaminated with gluten, so using certified gluten-free oats ensures the cookies are safe for gluten-free diets.
Yes. These oatmeal cookies are made with almond butter instead of butter, keeping the recipe naturally dairy-free.
No. These oatmeal cookies are not made with banana. They are lightly sweetened with maple syrup and get their structure from blended oats, egg, and almond butter.
Yes. You can make these oatmeal cookies vegan by substituting the egg with a flax egg or another egg replacement. The rest of the recipe is naturally plant-based.
Flourless oatmeal cookies can be crumbly if the almond butter is too dry, too many oats are added, or the cookies are overbaked. To keep your cookies soft and chewy, use runny almond butter, measure ingredients in grams on a kitchen scale, and monitor baking time carefully.
Yes. You can freeze baked oatmeal cookies in a single layer or stacked with parchment paper for up to 3 months. You can also freeze shaped dough on a tray and bake straight from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Yes. These oatmeal cookies are very flexible. You can fold in chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, walnuts, pecans, or almonds for extra flavor and texture.
