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My vegan oatmeal cookies are the soft-meets-chewy kind of treat that never lasts long on the cooling rack! They’re fully vegan and bake up with that bakery-style texture we all want but rarely get from a plant-based cookie.
save this recipe!I grew up baking oatmeal cookies every holiday season, and this is the vegan version that finally checks every box for texture, flavor, and reliability. Pair them with a glass of iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso, and that is a smile in a glass!
We tested these cookies every which way. Oat amounts, fat ratios, bake time, and shaping methods – you name it, we did it. They taste like the nostalgic coffeeshop version, just without dairy or eggs weighing them down.
Not your average vegan oatmeal cookies
- No weird vegan substitutes or gums
- Pantry-friendly ingredients
- Freezer-friendly (before and after baking!)
Key Ingredients
Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Flaxseed meal: Acts as the binder and adds subtle nuttiness. Just mix it with water to make a vegan “egg”! Similar to how we use it to thicken these blueberry overnight oats.
- Brown sugar: Needed for a chewy and caramel-like sweetness.
- Rolled oats: The key to the cookie’s hearty texture. Avoid instant oats, which disappear into the dough.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: Add warmth without overpowering the vanilla and oat flavor.
- Raisins: A classic lift of sweetness and chew. Golden raisins also work and have a slightly brighter taste.
The flaxseed binder gives structure without gumminess, the brown sugar adds moisture and caramel notes, and chilling the dough keeps the soft and chewy vegan cookies thick instead of flat, spread-out pucks. The glaze is optional, but everyone tends to pick the glazed ones first, so take that as a hint 😉.
The Testing
- Binder Test: We trialed flax “egg”, almond butter, and simply omitting the eggs. Flax wins because it gives the eggless oatmeal cookies structure while keeping the interior soft and chewy rather than bouncy or gummy.
- Dough Thickness Test: Thicker dough yields thicker cookies. Rolling and cutting creates bakery-style height and chew, while scooping gives a slightly more rustic look but the same soft interior. You pick!
- Chill Test: Warm dough spreads too much and turns thin and crisp. A short chill locks in moisture and ensures softness.
mix-ins to match your style
Everyone has strong opinions about vegan iced oatmeal cookies. And a lot of that depends on what you put in them. Here’s some other mix-ins if raisins aren’t your thing:
- Craisins
- Vegan white chocolate chips
- Nuts
- Vegan dark chocolate chips
- Finely shredded (desiccated) coconut
What vegan-ized cookie do you want to see next? Drop a comment below with your requests. (And be sure to try my vegan red velvet crinkle cookies…sooooo good!)
Chewy Iced Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 4 ½ Tbsp warm water, 50 g
- 1 ½ Tbsp flaxseed meal, 9 g
- ½ cup unsalted vegan butter, softened, 113 g
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, 75 g
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, 43 g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 180 g
- 1 cup rolled oats, 90 g
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking soda, 4 g
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup raisins, 120 g
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar, 95 g [note to editors: my scale said 95 g but google says 120 g]
- 2 Tbsp oat milk, 30 mL
- ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2.5 mL
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To make flax egg, pour 4 ½ Tbsp warm water over 1 ½ Tbsp flaxseed meal, stir, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Cream Butter: In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat ½ cup unsalted vegan butter (softened), ⅓ cup light brown sugar, and 3 Tbsp granulated sugar on medium high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Wet Ingredients: On high speed, mix in the flax egg and 2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and lighter in color, for about 2 minutes.
- Dry Ingredients: On low speed, mix in 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup rolled oats, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg. Mix until just combined. Don’t overmix.
- Mix Ins: Stir ¾ cup raisins until evenly distributed. The dough should be thick and slightly sticky.
- Shape Option 1: Bakery styleDistribute dough onto plastic wrap or parchment and using a rolling pin, roll the dough to a bit under an inch thick. Set in the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes, then cut out circles with a round cookie cutter, 2 to 3 inches diameter works great. Distribute on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apartShape Option 2: ScoopRefrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes. Using a large cookie scoop, form 1-inch balls (about 2 ounces each) and distribute on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. Gently press down to flatten slightly.
- Bake: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden and the centers still look soft.Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp oat milk, ½ tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. until smooth. Once cookies are completely cool, drizzle or dip the tops in icing. Place cookies on a cooling rack set over parchment paper to catch drips, and let them sit until the glaze hardens.Feel free to skip the icing!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
If creating 12 cookies what are the calories per cookie?
For 12 cookies it would be 243 calories per cookie!