Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Close-up of oatmeal raisin cookies on crumpled parchment paper. The cookies are golden and thick.

One-bowl vegan oatmeal raisin cookies that are incredibly delicious! They are packed with flavor as they include brown sugar, cinnamon, chewy oats and a hint of maple syrup.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Vegan

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Total Time 32

Servings cookies

Calories 154

Author Anthea

Ingredients

¾ cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (115g) vegan butter room temperature (note 1)
1 tablespoon (20g) maple syrup or molasses (note 2)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (95g) all-purpose plain flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (note 3)
1 ½ cups (150g) rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
1-3 tablespoons (15-45g) dairy-free milk if needed
¾ cup (115g) raisins (note 4)
½ cup (60g) walnuts optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Prepare the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough:

Add the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and vanilla to a large bowl (if using a hand mixer) or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat until fluffy and well combined.
Add the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, then beat for a few minutes until most of the oats have broken down. The final dough should be soft and tacky, but not too sticky.
Add the raisins and walnuts and mix until just combined.
Use a medium cookie scoop or tablespoon measure to divide the cookie dough into 16 balls (2 tablespoons each or 47g each). Flatten the balls into small flat discs and arrange them on your prepared baking sheets. Leave around 2 inches (5 cm) between each cookie, as they will spread.

Baking the oatmeal cookies:

Bake the cookies for around 11-13 minutes. For soft and chewy cookies, bake them for less time, or for crispy cookies, bake them for more time. The cookies are ready when their edges look set but the centers are still soft – they will continue baking on the sheets when you remove them from the oven (note 5). Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Notes

These cookies will work with spreadable vegan butter but your cookies will spread differently. Use the butter chilled and add the milk at the end, only if needed. Softened coconut oil will also work but your cookies may spread more. If using coconut oil, I recommend adding an extra dash of milk for moisture and extra salt for flavor.
These cookies will still work if you omit the maple syrup or molasses, but they'll be more crumbly. If you skip it, add more dairy-free milk instead.
Measuring the flour: Make sure you measure the flour accurately otherwise, your cookies won’t spread as much. If you’re using measuring cups, use the spoon and level method where you fluff up the flour in the bag, use a spoon to add flour to a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. I don’t recommend using the measuring cup to scoop flour out of your container as this will add too much flour to your dough. For the best results, use the grams measurements.
Gluten-free cookies: These cookies work well with King Arthur’s gluten free measure for measure flour. I’ve also tested these cookies with gluten-free all-purpose flours and some brands are less absorbent than regular flour so you may need to add an extra tablespoon of gf flour. Your final cookie dough should still be a little tacky.
For juicier raisins, soak them in warm water for 10-20 minutes, drain well and pat dry. Add them to the cookie dough at the same time as the walnuts.This is a very forgiving recipe, though keep inmind that different oat brands absorb liquid at different rates, which can affect how your cookies spread. If your cookies spread more than you’d like, you can gently nudge them back into shape with a larger cookie cutter, glass cup or a knife. For flatter cookies, gently press them down with the back of a spoon while they’re still warm.
This is a very forgiving recipe, though keep in mind that different oat brands absorb liquid at different rates, which can affect how your cookies spread. If your cookies spread more than you’d like, you can gently nudge them back into shape with a larger cookie cutter, glass cup or a knife. For flatter cookies, gently press them down with the back of a spoon while they’re still warm.

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