Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies do not “taste vegan”. At least that is what everyone tells me. I’m not 100% sure what that means, but I know they mean it as a compliment, so I’ll take it!!  These cookies combine hearty oats, juicy raisins, and warm spices to create the classic, chewy oatmeal cookies you know and love.

These cookies are free of most major allergens, and they’re easy to make gluten-free, too, making them the perfect cookie for a crowd.

For more delicious vegan cookie recipes, try these Vegan Snickerdoodles, gooey Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, or super indulgent Vegan Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Creme Pies. 

For a sweeter cookie, check out these Vegan Lemon Cookies or Vegan Funfetti Sugar Cookies. 

Why You’ll Love these Cookies

• Gooey and delicious – These cookies have chewy centers with perfectly crispy edges, and they do not get hard when stored!
• Super quick – Prep time is only 5 minutes for this easy recipe. These cookies make it from your pantry to your table in under 20 minutes. Perfect for when you want a quick snack!
• Did I mention they’re delicious? – Honestly, this is the best vegan oatmeal raisin cookie recipe I have tried. No one will guess that these cookies are totally vegan!
• Simple ingredients – These cookies are made with easy-to-find, simple ingredients. Even ground flax seeds can be found in most major grocery stores. See the full recipe instructions for suggestions on ingredients swaps if you aren’t able to find something! 
• Easy to adjust – You can easily adapt this recipe to an oil-free diet by swapping the oil for applesauce. And you can make this recipe gluten-free by using a 1:1 gluten-free flour replacement.

Ingredients

• All All-purpose flour – I prefer to use all-purpose for most of my baking, but you could easily sub oat flour, wheat flour, or 1:1 gluten-free flour for this recipe. Just note you may need to adjust the amount of non-dairy milk to achieve the right consistency as different flours absorb liquid differently.
• Oats –  Rolled or old-fashioned oats give the best results in my experience.  
• Oil – Any neutral-flavored oil will work. I chose canola oil for this recipe, but melted vegan butter or melted coconut oil will work, too. Just note that coconut oil will add a bit of a coconut flavor to this recipe. 
• Ground flax seeds – These are used to make a flax egg which helps bind the cookies. If you aren’t vegan, you can swap the flaxseeds for an egg instead. 
• Raisins – Sweet, sweet raisins – can’t forget the star of the show! Some recipes call for soaking the raisins beforehand, but I don’t find the results to be any different if I have soaked or not soaked the raisins, so I choose to skip that step.
• Sugar* – This recipe calls for both white sugar and brown sugar. You can use either dark or light brown sugar with equally delicious results, but I definitely think it adds extra flavor, so don’t just use all white or cane sugar if you can avoid it. Make sure to select a vegan variety of all sugars (see notes). You can sub the white sugar 1:1 for cane sugar as well.
• Vanilla extract – This is an essential ingredient in just about all vegan baking recipes, and it is necessary for that traditional flavor.
• Cinnamon – This recipe uses just a hint of cinnamon, but feel free to add more or less to your taste.
• Non-dairy milk – Any non-dairy milk will work for this recipe. I prefer oat milk or coconut milk, but you could use soy milk or almond milk instead. Just make sure to select a milk variety that meets your dietary needs.

Helpful Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Small bowl
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Cookie scoop (optional)

How to Make Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and place your ground flaxseed into a small bowl with 3 Tbsp warm water. Let the flaxseed set for 5 minutes. 

While the flaxseed egg sets, mix the oil, sugar, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract into a large bowl and stir until combined. Next add the flax egg.

Add the remaining dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until a uniform dough has formed.

Finally, add the raisins and mix until they are evenly distributed.

Use a cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets. A small scoop (1 Tbsp) will yield about 24 cookies. You can easily make fewer, larger cookies if you prefer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes.

Remove the baked cookies from the oven and allow them to cool. For more crisp edges, let the cookies cool while they remain on the cookie sheet. For a softer bottom, let the cookies cool on a cooling rack.

That’s it! Enjoy!

How to Store

• Fridge: These cookies will stay in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week.
• Freezer: You can freeze the finished cookies for up to 6 months! Just make sure to cool the cookies fully before freezing to prevent sticking.

Variations

Swap the white sugar for coconut sugar for a less refined option.

If you aren’t a fan of raisins, you can use vegan chocolate chips instead of raisins to make these into vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. 

More Tips

• Not Vegan? Replace the flaxseed with one egg or replace the oil with softened butter.
• Gluten Free? Use gluten-free flour and oats to ensure this recipe is gluten-free.
• Oil Free? Replace the oil with equal parts of applesauce.

FAQ