About this recipe
These vegan oatmeal cookies are exactly that. They’re packed with flavor, have the perfect soft center with crispy edges, and will take you right back to those after-school baking sessions or weekend baking marathons.
What I love most? They are made with simple, everyday pantry staples, without eggs or dairy, but with all the goodness you expect from a classic oatmeal cookie. Plus, you can customize them to fit whatever you have at home — raisins, chocolate chips, nuts. You name it.
Why will you love this recipe?
- Chewy, soft, and crispy — all in one bite.
- Naturally egg- and dairy-free — no fancy substitutes, just essential ingredients doing magic.
- Easy to make — no complicated steps, no chilling (unless you want extra flavor).
- Better-for-you — oats bring fiber, nuts add healthy fats, and you can easily control the sugar.
- Customizable — make them with chocolate chips, dried fruit, or seeds.
- Perfect for sharing — bake them for school snacks, lunchboxes, or a cozy afternoon treat.
- Rolled oats. Go for old-fashioned rolled oats.
- All-purpose flour. You can also use a gluten-free flour blend.
- Cane sugar + brown sugar
- Applesauce. This acts as our egg replacement.
- Vegan butter: use regular butter if you wish.
- Walnuts. You can sub with pecans, almonds, or even pumpkin seeds.
- Raisins, swap them for dried cranberries, chopped dates, or even vegan chocolate chips.
How to make oatmeal cookies?
- Mix Dry Ingredients
- Beat. Add the butter to the bowl of a mixer and beat until creamy. Add the sugar and applesauce. Continue beating and adding the butter. (NOTE: Some vegan butter may separate at this step; nothing happens. But so that it doesn’t happen, try to have the ingredients at the same temperature.)
- Mix everything and shape the cookies. Use two spoons or an ice cream scoop to portion the dough onto a lined baking sheet. Leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between each cookie. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes at a temperature of 350ºF. Remove from the oven when the edges of each cookie are golden brown; they may still be a little soft in the center, but it doesn’t matter. Let cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before tasting. This is very important.
Variations
- Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies: Swap the raisins for vegan chocolate chips.
- Cranberry-walnut cookies: Replace raisins with dried cranberries.
- Seed lovers: Add pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Coconut: Add 1/4 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut for a tropical twist.
- No nuts? Skip them or replace them with seeds.
30-min Best Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
These vegan oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, and filled with all the comforting flavors we love. You can make them in just 30 minutes, and they are perfect for snacks, lunchboxes, or a little treat with your afternoon coffee. Plus, they’re made with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients — no eggs or dairy needed!
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Baking sheets
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup walnuts roughly chopped
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup vegan butter at room temperature
- ½ cup cane sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries, chopped dates, or chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well. Add the chopped walnuts and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the vegan butter until creamy. Add both sugars and the applesauce, and continue mixing until smooth. Add the vanilla extract.💡 Homecook tip: Some vegan butters may look slightly separated when mixed with applesauce — don’t worry, it’s normal! It helps if everything is at room temperature.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently with a spatula until fully combined. Stir in the raisins (or your preferred mix-ins).
- Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between each cookie. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon or your fingers.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still a little soft. They will firm up as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Chill the dough if you want even thicker and more flavorful cookies. Rest it for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Use an ice cream scoop to get even-sized cookies and perfect bakery-style results. Moisten your spoons with water or oil if you’re shaping by hand — it prevents sticking.
- Don’t overmix — this keeps them soft.
- Make-ahead tip: You can freeze the unbaked dough balls and bake straight from the freezer (just add 3-5 more minutes to the baking time).
- Keep them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- For longer storage, freeze baked cookies or the raw dough. Baked cookies thaw quickly at room temperature, and unbaked dough can go directly into the oven from the freezer.
Nutrition
Serving: 3piecesCalories: 133kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 123mgPotassium: 85mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 96IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Soy Ale Graf, mexicana en Texas y la creadora de AleCooks y Piloncillo&Vainilla, donde comparto recetas fáciles, deliciosas y para toda la familia — algunas mexicanas, en su mayoría basadas en plantas — pensadas para disfrutarse todo el día, todos los días. Con una licenciatura en Historia del Arte y una Certificación como Chef Profesional en Cocina Basada en Plantas, llevo más de una década creando contenido donde se unen mis dos pasiones: la comida y el storytelling.
Mi enfoque está en recetas que reúnen a las personas alrededor de la mesa, haciendo de cada comida un momento sencillo, delicioso y significativo. También soy autora de Yo Cocino Latino, y mis recetas han sido destacadas en varias revistas y publicaciones en línea.
¡Sígueme en mis redes sociales para inspiración diaria, tips y recetas deliciosas! Y si alguna vez pruebas una de mis recetas — o tienes una receta familiar favorita — ¡me encantaría saberlo! Mándame un DM en Instagram y hablemos de comida. 🍽️✨
Mi enfoque está en recetas que reúnen a las personas alrededor de la mesa, haciendo de cada comida un momento sencillo, delicioso y significativo. También soy autora de Yo Cocino Latino, y mis recetas han sido destacadas en varias revistas y publicaciones en línea.
¡Sígueme en mis redes sociales para inspiración diaria, tips y recetas deliciosas! Y si alguna vez pruebas una de mis recetas — o tienes una receta familiar favorita — ¡me encantaría saberlo! Mándame un DM en Instagram y hablemos de comida. 🍽️✨
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