These are the best vegan oatmeal cookies ever!  Perfectly soft and chewy with the classic taste of oatmeal and brown sugar.  You can add raisins, chocolate chips, craisins, or nuts to make any type of oatmeal cookies you want.

Vegan oatmeal raisin cookies with chocolate chips piled on a blue plate.

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Whether you want vegan oatmeal raisin cookies or vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, this is the recipe for you! I’ve been making this cookie recipe for over 20 years and it never fails me.

The best oatmeal cookies ever! I followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfect!

— Lori

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s easy to make with no need for special vegan ingredients. (There is no need for a vegan egg replacer in this recipe.)
  • These cookies bake up perfectly with regular or gluten-free flour.
  • They’re a family favorite and good for any holiday, special occasion, or just a Saturday afternoon.
  • It’s super versatile so you can add in whatever you like and make them different every time.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Vegan Butter – for the fat in the cookies.  I like to use my homemade vegan butter or any dairy-free margarine that you wish. You can also swap out the butter for coconut oil.
  • Brown Sugar – for sweetness and a molasses flavor.  You can also use white sugar or coconut sugar.
  • Plant-Based Milk – any type of plant-based milk will work like soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, or any other dairy-free milk product.
  • Vanilla Extract – for flavor. 
  • Flour – white all-purpose flour, whole wheat, or half and half will work.  You can also use any grain-based gluten-free flour mix.
  • Baking Soda – to make them rise and stay soft.
  • Baking Powder – to make them rise.
  • Salt – for flavor.
  • Cinnamon – for flavor. (Optional, but give them a nice flavor).
  • Oatmeal – I like whole rolled oats, but you can also use quick oats.  If you are making these gluten-free make sure to use gluten-free oats.
  • Raisins – for oatmeal raisin cookies (Optional)  You can also use nuts, craisins, or dark chocolate chips in your cookies.

Note – I don’t use any type of vegan egg replacer in these cookies. Many recipes call for a flax egg or other egg substitute, but I have tested this recipe countless times and it doesn’t need any.

Helpful tools

A Baking Sheet – Use a heavy cookie sheet or an Airbake cookie sheet to avoid burning on the bottom.  You can also line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Electric Mixer – or a stand mixer to mix the cookie dough.

A Large Mixing Bowl – to mix the cookie dough.

A stack of vegan oatmeal raisins on a blue plate.

How to make vegan oatmeal cookies

Step 1 – Set the butter out to allow it to come to room temperature and preheat your oven to 350° F.

Mix the wet ingredients

Step 2 – In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. (This whips air into it and gives your cookie more structure).

Step 3 – Add the plant milk and vanilla and mix on low for about 30 more seconds until you have a light fluffy mixture.

Mix in the dry ingredients

Step 4 – Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and mix on low for about 1 minute until all ingredients are combined.

Step 5 – Pour in the oatmeal 1 cup at a time, mixing between each cup. 

Step 6 – Stir in your choice of raisins, chocolate chips, or anything else that you would like in your cookies.

Step 7 – Use a cookie scoop to spoon 1 tbsp of cookie dough balls onto an oiled cookie sheet (or line it with parchment paper).

Bake the cookies

Step 8 – Bake at 350° F for 11 minutes.  (They will still look a little doughy in the middle).

Step 9 – Take out of the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to a flat surface to cool the rest of the way and store in an airtight container.

Gluten-free vegan oatmeal raisin cookies on a cookie sheet.

Vegan oatmeal cookie add-ins

  • Chocolate Chips
  • Dried Cranberries
  • Vegan White Chocolate Chips
  • Rice Crispy Creal – give it a great added crunch!
  • Dried Cherries
  • Nuts – any type of crushed nuts you want, like almonds, pistachios, or walnuts.
  • Vegan M&Ms

Gluten-free instructions

To make these gluten-free, I use my homemade gluten-free flour mix or a basic store-bought gluten-free flour mix.  I’ve tested them with many types of gluten-free flour and they always come out well. 

Note – If the mix you are using doesn’t have xanthan gum in it, adding a 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum will help your cookies hold together better.  I don’t recommend swapping out the flour for almond flour, but any grain-based flour will work.

Oatmeal cookies with raisins and chocolate chips on a blue plate.

Pro Tips

  • Bake your vegan oatmeal cookies for 11 minutes.  They will most likely still look doughy in the center, but take them out anyway.  They will firm up and become chewy this way.
  • Cooking for more than the recommended 11 minutes will make them more brittle and crispy.
  • Spray your cookie sheet will a little oil (or rub a thin layer of oil on it) to avoid sticking.
  • Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before taking them off.
  • Place the cookies on a flat surface to cool completely. 
  • Don’t add too much to the cookies.  About 1/2 cup of raisins, chocolate chips, or nuts is enough to add flavor.  If you add too much, you won’t have enough dough to hold them together.

How to store oatmeal cookies

Store your vegan oatmeal cookies in a sealed container on the countertop for up to 5 days or freeze them in an air-tight bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A pile of vegan oatmeal raisin cookies.

More vegan cookies

A pile of vegan oatmeal cookies on a blue plate with a hand taking one.
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4.96 from 24 rating

Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 36 cookies
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 11 minutes
Total: 21 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A simple vegan oatmeal cookie that can be made gluten-free. You can add raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, and more to make it your own.
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup vegan butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar , or white sugar, coconut sugar, or Sucanat.
  • 1/3 cup soy milk, or any other type of plant-based milk.
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour , white, whole wheat, or half and half will work.  You can also use any grain-based gluten-free flour mix.
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3 cups oats, I like to use whole oats but you can also use quick oats.  If you are making these gluten-free make sure to use gluten-free oats.
  • 1/2 cup raisins , chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, or anything you would like to add to the cookies.

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Set the butter out to allow it to come to room temperature and preheat your oven to 350° F.

Mix the wet ingredients

  • In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. (This whips air into it and gives your cookie more structure).
  • Add the plant milk and vanilla and mix on low for about 30 more seconds until you have a light fluffy mixture.

Mix in the dry ingredients

  • Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and mix on low for about 1 minute until all ingredients are combined.
  • Pour in the oatmeal 1 cup at a time, mixing between each cup.
  • Stir in your choice of raisins, chocolate chips, or anything else that you would like in your cookies.
  • Use a cookie scoop to spoon 1 tbsp of cookie dough balls onto an oiled cookie sheet (or line it with parchment paper).

Bake the cookies

  • Bake at 350° F for 11 minutes.  (They will still look a little doughy in the middle).
  • Take out of the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to a flat surface to cool the rest of the way.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Notes

  • Bake for 11 minutes.  They will most likely still look doughy in the center, but take them out anyway.  They will firm up and become chewy.
  • Cooking for more than the recommended 11 minutes will make them more brittle and crispy.
  • Spray your cookie sheet will a little oil (or rub a thin layer of oil on it) to avoid sticking.
  • Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them.
  • Place the cookies on a flat surface to cool completely.
  • Don’t add too much to the cookies.  About 1/2 cup of raisins, chocolate chips, or nuts is enough to add flavor.  If you add too much, you won’t have enough dough to hold them together.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 107kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 163mg, Potassium: 71mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 188IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg
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