Irresistibly Chewy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies: Your New Favorite Plant-Based Treat Recipe

Discover the magic of homemade vegan oatmeal cookies – a delightful fusion of wholesome oats, warm spices, and tender sweetness that promises pure comfort in every bite. These chewy, perfectly balanced plant-based cookies are not just a treat for vegans but a crowd-plepleaser for everyone, anytime of the year. Forget complicated baking; this easy-to-follow recipe ensures a batch of irresistibly soft and flavorful cookies that are sure to become a staple in your kitchen.

A close-up shot of a perfectly baked, golden-brown vegan oatmeal cookie, speckled with raisins and oats, resting on a sheet of parchment paper.

🍪 Why You’ll Love These Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

These vegan oatmeal cookies stand out from the rest, offering a comforting and delicious experience that keeps people coming back for more. Here’s a closer look at what makes this recipe truly special:

A Classic Taste, Reimagined: Every bite delivers a symphony of irresistible flavors. You’ll experience the comforting embrace of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, the wholesome chewiness of earthy oats, and the delightful burst of tender raisins. It’s a nostalgic flavor profile, but entirely plant-based and utterly addictive. Seriously, we’ve had to hide these to prevent ourselves from eating the whole batch! They’re that good and truly capture the essence of a classic oatmeal cookie.
Effortlessly Easy to Make: Don’t let their gourmet taste fool you – these cookies are incredibly simple to prepare, making them perfect for bakers of all skill levels. The process involves straightforward mixing of ingredients, followed by a brief 15-minute chill in the fridge to help the dough set and prevent spreading. Once chilled, your oven takes over, transforming the dough into golden-brown perfection. The most challenging part will be patiently waiting for them to cool before diving in!
Versatile for Any Occasion: While the inviting aroma of warm spices might evoke holiday cheer, these delicious vegan cookies are a fantastic treat for any time of the year. Their comforting nature makes them ideal for cookie exchanges, thoughtful holiday gifting, casual potlucks, or simply as a satisfying sweet treat after a long day. They’re also perfect for lunchboxes, after-school snacks, or a cozy evening with a cup of tea. Be warned, though: they tend to disappear quickly!
Wholesome & Satisfying: Made with old-fashioned oats and plant-based ingredients, these cookies offer a more wholesome alternative to many traditional desserts. Oats provide dietary fiber, contributing to a feeling of fullness and promoting digestive health. This makes them a more satisfying snack option, giving you that delightful cookie experience without the guilt.
Customizable to Your Liking: While delicious as is, this recipe serves as a fantastic base for customization. Easily add your favorite vegan mix-ins to create unique flavor combinations tailored to your preferences.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Chef’s Tips for Perfect Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

Achieving bakery-quality vegan oatmeal cookies at home is simpler than you might think. Follow these expert tips to ensure your cookies are consistently perfect:

Unleash Your Creativity with Mix-Ins: This recipe is incredibly versatile! While raisins are a classic, don’t hesitate to customize your vegan oatmeal cookies with other delicious additions. Consider adding dried cranberries for a tart counterpoint, mini vegan white chocolate chips for a creamy sweetness, or dark chocolate chips for a richer, more indulgent flavor. You could also experiment with chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans for added crunch and earthy notes, or even shredded coconut for a tropical twist. Just remember to keep the total amount of mix-ins to about ½ to ¾ cup to maintain the dough’s consistency.
The Golden Rule of Baking: Avoid Over-Baking! This is perhaps the most crucial tip for chewy cookies. Vegan oatmeal cookies don’t require a long time in the oven. You’ll want to take them out when the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers still look slightly tender or “underdone.” This tenderness is key to their chewiness. As they rest on the hot cookie sheet for a few minutes after coming out of the oven, they will continue to set up and firm slightly. If you leave them in the oven for too long, they will become hard, dry, and crumbly instead of wonderfully chewy. Trust your instincts and the visual cues!
Room Temperature Vegan Butter is a Must: Ensure your vegan butter is at true room temperature (soft enough to indent with a finger, but not melted). This allows it to cream properly with the sugars, creating a light and fluffy base that traps air, resulting in a tender cookie texture. If your butter is too cold, it won’t cream well; if it’s too warm, your cookies might spread excessively.
Precise Flour Measurement is Key: For the best results, use the “spoon and level” method when measuring your all-purpose flour. Instead of scooping directly with your measuring cup (which can compact the flour and lead to too much being added), gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing. Then, use the flat side of a knife or a straight edge to level off the excess flour, ensuring an accurate measurement. This prevents dense, dry cookies.
Don’t Skip the Chill Time: The 15-minute chilling period for the dough is not optional; it’s essential! Chilling helps solidify the vegan butter, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking. It also allows the flavors to meld and the oats to hydrate slightly, contributing to that perfect chewy texture.
Even Baking, Every Time: Use a cookie scoop (preferably one with a release handle) to portion out your dough. This ensures all your cookies are roughly the same size, promoting even baking. Consistent size means no burnt edges on small cookies while larger ones remain undercooked.

Another close-up of a vegan oatmeal cookie, highlighting its rich texture and delicious appearance, on parchment paper.

Beyond Oatmeal: More Delicious Vegan Treats You’ll Love

If you’re exploring the world of plant-based desserts or simply looking for more delightful treats, here are some other fantastic vegan recipes from our kitchen that we highly recommend trying. Each one is crafted to be as delicious and satisfying as these oatmeal cookies:

Vegan Coconut Cream Pie
Perfect Vegan Pound Cake
Easy Vegan Lemon Curd (Dairy Free, Egg Free)
Vegan Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping
Vegan Crème Brûlée
Paleo Avocado Mousse
Vegan Marshmallows
Vegan Lemon Bars

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Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Chill: 15 minutes

Total: 50 minutes

Chewy vegan oatmeal cookies are the perfect treat for any time of the year. Packed with flavor of warm nutmeg, cinnamon, earthy oats, and tender raisins. Easy to make, and so delicious!

Cheryl Malik, the recipe author, smiling warmly. Cheryl Malik

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12 cookies

Ingredients

For the Oatmeal Cookies

▢ 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
▢ ½ cup Old Fashioned Oats
▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
▢ ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ ½ cup vegan butter at room temperature
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar
▢ ½ packed cup dark brown sugar
▢ ¼ cup almond milk or oat milk

Suggested Mix-Ins (All Optional)

▢ ½ cup craisins
▢ ½ cup mini vegan white chocolate chips

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Equipment

medium bowl
whisk
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Silicone spatula
Cookie scoop with release handle
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Wire cooling rack

Instructions

Combine 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup Old Fashioned Oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk these dry ingredients until they are thoroughly combined. Set this mixture aside.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add ½ cup vegan butter (at room temperature), ½ cup granulated sugar, and ½ packed cup dark brown sugar. Using either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat these ingredients together until the mixture is light, creamy, and fluffy, which should take approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Gradually add the reserved dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until they are just combined, taking care not to overmix the dough. While the mixer is still on low, slowly incorporate ¼ cup almond milk (or oat milk). Continue to beat for about 1 minute until a cohesive dough has formed. If using, gently fold in ½ cup craisins or ½ cup mini vegan white chocolate chips. At this stage, the dough may appear crumbly, which is normal.
Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit (175° Celsius). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup. Set the prepared baking sheet aside.
Utilize a cookie scoop to portion the dough into individual 1-tablespoon sized balls. For best results, pack the dough tightly into the cookie scoop before releasing each ball. Place the dough balls onto the prepared parchment paper, ensuring you leave approximately 2 inches of space between each one to allow for spreading. Continue this process until all the cookie dough has been scooped and arranged on the baking sheet.
Gently press down on the top of each cookie dough ball with the palm of your hand to slightly flatten it into a disc shape. Be careful not to press them too thin, as this can affect their chewiness and lead to overbaking.
Place the entire baking sheet, with the flattened cookie dough discs, into the refrigerator. Chill for 15 minutes. This crucial step helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking, ensuring a perfectly chewy texture.
Once the chilling time has elapsed, transfer the filled cookie sheet directly into the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 14 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies appear lightly golden and firm, while the centers still look slightly soft.
Carefully remove the cookie sheet from the oven and set it aside on a heat-safe surface. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes. This allows them to continue setting up without becoming too fragile. After 5 minutes, gently transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy once they have reached room temperature for the best flavor and texture!

Notes

Spoon and Level Method for Flour: For the most accurate flour measurement and to avoid dense cookies, do not use your measuring cup to scoop the flour directly from its container. Instead, gently scoop the flour out with a spoon and transfer it into the measuring cup until it’s overflowing. Once the cup is filled (without packing the flour down!), use the flat edge of a knife or a straight kitchen utensil to level the flour across the top of the measuring cup. This ensures you get the exact amount of flour needed for a perfectly balanced cookie.
Storage Guidelines: To maintain their optimal chewy texture and freshness, store your baked vegan oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain delicious for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them (see freezing tips below).
Freezing Baked Cookies: These cookies freeze wonderfully! Once completely cooled, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour until solid. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature or warm them gently in the microwave for a few seconds.
Freezing Cookie Dough: You can also prepare the dough ahead of time and freeze it. Follow the instructions up to step 5 (flattening the discs). Instead of chilling, place the flattened dough discs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough discs to a freezer-safe bag. When you want fresh cookies, simply place the frozen dough discs on a baking sheet (no need to thaw), and bake according to instructions, adding an extra 2-4 minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition Information

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.