Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This vegan oatmeal raisin cookie recipe creates a buttery cookie that’s soft and chewy and full of oatmeal and raisins. This traditional healthy cookie has lots of oatmeal and raisins in every bite!
There are so many different ways to add oats to cookies. For example, these vegan breakfast cookies are infused with oats. And, of course, these vegan no-bake cookies make oats taste like a high-end dessert. (If you ask this small-town girl!)
I’ve loved oatmeal cookies since the time when my daughter, Adee, was a baby. I used to make double batches of oatmeal cookies. I wasn’t vegan then. But I learned it was easy to make oatmeal raisin cookies vegan.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Using whole wheat pastry flour gives this cookie the nutrition of whole wheat, but because it’s a softer wheat berry than whole wheat flour, the cookie tastes light and delicious
- Vegan butter adds a rich, buttery flavor to these cookies
- Old-fashioned oats creates a perfect chewy cookie
- Using brown sugar adds moisture, making these cookies soft and tender.
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Chia seeds — We’re basically making a chia egg by combining chia seeds with water. It’s a powerful binder that has a neutral flavor. Unlike flax seeds, chia seeds don’t have to be ground in order to absorb their nutrients. It’s a wonderful way to make cookies without eggs.
- Vegan butter — Use storebought or make homemade vegan butter.
- Peanut butter — I recommend using creamy peanut butter, not the kind that has to be stirred.
- Brown sugar — Use light, dark, or homemade brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar — Combined with brown sugar, granulated sugar adds texture and sweetness.
- Vanilla extract — Adding vanilla extract enhances the flavor.
- Whole wheat pastry flour — This flour is different than whole wheat flour. You can substitute all-purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
- Cornstarch — We’ll add cornstarch to keep these cookies tender. You can substitute arrowroot powder.
- Baking soda + Baking Powder — Make sure yours are fresh! You can test a bit of baking soda in vinegar and baking powder in hot water. If they bubble, you know your batch is good.
- Ground cinnamon — This is a magic ingredient for these cookies.
- Salt — We’ll add salt to bring out even more flavors.
- Rolled oats — Otherwise known as old-fashioned oats, these thicker oats are perfect for this recipe.
- Raisins — You can use brown, golden, or even dried cranberries.
There are three main types of oats that are used for baking: 1) Steel Cut, 2) Rolled or Old-fashioned, and 3) Instant. For cookies, choosing rolled oats will give you a chewier texture, whereas instant oats will be less chewy. I prefer rolled oats for cookies, but it’s a matter of personal preference.
- Make the chia egg by stirring together chia seeds with the water in a small bowl.
- Cream together the vegan butter, peanut butter, and sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat in the chia egg.
- Stir together the dry ingredients from the flour to the raisins.
- Stir together the butter mixture and the flour mixture, until combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough onto prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Here’s a more detailed step-by-step guide with photos:
Step One: Make the Chia Egg
Make the chia egg by stirring together chia seeds with the water in a small bowl.
Step Two: Cream Butter and Sugar
Add vegan butter, peanut butter, sugars, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Use a mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and chia seed mixture and beat again until combined.
Step Three: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl stir together the dry ingredients, from the flour to the oats.
Then add the raisins.
Gently stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
Step Five: Drop and Bake
Drop the cookie dough onto cookie sheets and bake for 9 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool for a bit on the pan before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
For soft, chewy oatmeal cookies, cook them for no more than 9 minutes, so they’ll be soft in the middle.
Storage Tips
Store cookies in an airtight container. You can refrigerate these cookies to extend their freshness, up to a week. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Frequently-Asked Questions
What is a chia seed?
The word Chia derives from the Aztecan word “chian” which means “oily.” That’s probably referring to the Omega-3s that the seeds are known for, in addition to their high protein content.
You can use quick or instant oats for these soft vegan oatmeal cookies, but just know that each kind of oatmeal changes the texture of the finished cookie. Using old-fashioned or rolled oats will provide a chewier cookie whereas using quick oats will give you the flavor of the oats without the chewiness.
Should you soak raisins before baking with them?
If your raisins are older, you’ll want to soak them in water before baking with them. How will you tell if they’re older? Because they’ll be firm to the touch, not soft like a fresh raisin. Simply place raisins in a bowl and pour about 1/2 cup of very hot water over them. Let them sit for 5 minutes. You can use the water from draining the raisins for other recipes.
Marly’s Tips
- Soften your vegan butter by leaving it out on the counter for about 30 minutes
- Make oatmeal raisin cookies with coconut oil by substituting coconut oil in place of the vegan butter
- Mix it up: use all vegan butter or half vegan butter and half peanut butter
- I love freezing cookie dough to have them ready-to-bake later
Do you love vegan cookies? Me too! Be sure to check these out:
I hope you love these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies as much as we do!
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 6 tablespoons water
- ½ cup vegan butter , softened
- 6 tablespoons peanut butter
- ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups rolled oats (old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked)
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the chia seeds with the water in a small bowl. Stir and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat vegan butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to whip until creamy. Add the chia seed mixture and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl Stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon salt, oats and raisins.
- Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture, and stir until combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough onto prepared cookie sheets, with dough balls spaced at least one inch apart.
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. When done remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- Store cookies in an airtight container. You can refrigerate these cookies to extend their freshness, up to a week. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
- Freezing Tips. You can freeze the cookie dough by dropping the dough balls onto a tray and placing that try in a freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. Then when you’re ready to bake, heat your oven to 350F, place the frozen cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet, and bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Flour. This recipe calls for Whole Wheat Pastry Flour which is different than whole wheat flour. You can substitute all-purpose flour. If you prefer to use Whole Wheat Flour, I recommend half whole wheat + half all-purpose and note that whole wheat flour changes the consistency of the finished cookie.
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Marly, secretly, oatmeal cookies are my favorite. Not very glamorous, but oh so comforting!
Me too! I remember right after my daughter was born, I ate a homemade oatmeal cookie…nearly every day! I justified that because I was nursing so I figured I needed the extra calories…besides the fact that they were so tasty, and (as you mention) comforting to a new mom. Here’s to many more oatmeal cookies for us all!
love love oatmeal raisin cookies anyday! i havent tried chia seeds yet.. its the next item on my to try list.:) the history of chia seeds is too funny.. 🙂
Hi Marly, love chia seeds as a substitute for eggs in this classic cookie!
These are my all time favorite oatmeal raisin cookies!! First time visitor at your blog and I’m loving it!
I can’t wait to try the addition of the chia seeds. Sounds yummy!
This is my favorite cookie in the universe. So simple and classic and still nothing better!