With the perfect chewy texture, hearty oats, and cozy cinnamon flavour, these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are an old-fashioned favourite! Simple plant-based swaps make this classic oatmeal cookie recipe easy and pantry-friendly. I love baking these as holiday cookies, but a great oatmeal cookie is one treat I’ll happily devour year-round.

Vegan oatmeal cookies on parchment paper with center cookie bitten into

I can’t think of many things that are better than sinking my teeth into a freshly baked, cinnamon-scented, chewy oatmeal raisin cookie. Traditional oatmeal cookie recipes benefit from butter and eggs. However, with a few easy ingredient swaps, like flax eggs and vegan butter, these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies turn out super soft, tender, and packed with cozy spice. They’re exceptionally chewy, loaded with sweet raisins that can easily be swapped with cranberries or chocolate chips if you prefer.

There’s something to be said about tried-and-true, classic cookie recipes like sugar cookies and snickerdoodles. I love that they hit the spot at any time of the year, not just at the holidays. These vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are another forever favourite!

What Makes These Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies a Must-Bake

  • They’re crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle, truly the best of both worlds. (If you love this texture, I think you’ll also enjoy my white chocolate macadamia nut cookies)
  • These oatmeal cookies are made with simple, wholesome ingredients. You probably have most of them in your pantry already.
  • You won’t miss the eggs or dairy. These bakery-style vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are perfect without them.
  • The cookie dough takes minutes to make, and while it does require chilling, you can even prepare it in advance. Freeze the dough for easy holiday baking!
Overhead view of vegan oatmeal cookies on parchment paper

Notes on Ingredients

Here are the ingredients in this vegan oatmeal cookies recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutes (scroll down to the recipe card for the exact amounts and recipe instructions):

Overhead view of ingredients for vegan oatmeal cookies with labels
  • Vegan butter – Use your favourite store-bought or homemade vegan butter.
  • Brown sugar – Either light or dark will work; dark brown sugar has a more pronounced molasses flavour.
  • Flax eggs – You can make flax eggs with just flax meal and water. After mixing the flax eggs, chill them for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. 
  • Old-fashioned rolled oats – Also known as rolled oats. In my experience, rolled oats offer the best texture in baked goods. Quick and instant oats are too soft. Save your steel-cut oats for oatmeal, as they’ll be too tough in these cookies.
  • All-purpose flour – Be sure to lightly spoon this into the measuring cup if you’re measuring by volume, and level it off afterward. Otherwise, measure by weight to avoid adding too much flour.
  • Baking soda – Check the expiration date. If it’s old or expired, you’ll need to buy fresh so the cookies can rise properly.
  • Ground cinnamon – For that signature cozy oatmeal cookie flavor. You could also use nutmeg or a blend, like pumpkin pie spice.
  • Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract or an equal amount of vanilla paste is best.
  • Pure cane molasses – Optional, but an excellent addition for depth of flavour. The darker the molasses, the stronger the flavour. If you want a noticeable molasses taste in your baking (as you would with vegan gingerbread men or molasses cookies), use dark molasses. If you prefer a milder flavour, opt for light or medium molasses. Avoid blackstrap molasses, though, as it tends to taste bitter.
  • Raisins – Feel free to swap these with dried cranberries (craisins), nuts, chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips.

How to Make Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Although these oatmeal cookies come together quickly, do keep in mind that you’ll need to plan for an hour of chilling time. This keeps the cookies from spreading on the baking sheet.

Overhead view of dry ingredients in mixing bowl with whisk
Mix the dry ingredients.
Overhead view of creamed butter and sugar in bowl
Cream the butter and sugar.
Overhead view of wet ingredients for oatmeal cookies in bowl
Add the wet ingredients.
  • Mix the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt into a bowl. 
  • Beat the wet ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. Beat in the flax egg and vanilla extract until light and creamy.
Overhead view of oatmeal cookie dough before adding oats and raisins
Mix in the dry ingredients.
Overhead view of oats being folded into bowl of vegan cookie dough
Fold in the oats.
Overhead view of raisins added to vegan oatmeal cookie dough
Add the raisins.
  • Finish the dough. Mix in the dry ingredients in two batches, for about 30 seconds each. Fold in the molasses, if using, then the oats and raisins.
  • Chill. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the oatmeal cookie dough for 1 hour. Start preheating the oven to 350ºF/180ºF just before the chilling time is done.
Overhead view of oatmeal raisin cookie dough in glass mixing bowl
Mix and chill the dough.
Overhead view of oatmeal cookie dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheet
Scoop and bake.
  • Form the cookies. Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough from the bowl and roll it into a cookie. Set the cookie on a lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough, leaving 2 inches between the cookies. 
  • Bake. Bake at 350ºF/180ºF for 12 to 14 minutes. Afterward, cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.

Expert Tips

  • Make sure your vegan butter is at room temperature. This will make it easier to cream the butter and sugar without any stray lumps of butter in the mixture.
  • Chill the dough for at least 1 hour. This helps prevent spreading and results in a chewier texture. If needed, you can chill the dough longer than this, but you’ll have to let the dough sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before forming the cookies. 
  • Allow the cookies to cool before eating. They’ll continue to bake from the residual heat of the pan, giving them that perfect crispy-on-the-edges, chewy-in-the-middle texture.
  • Don’t alter the base of the recipe. If you make substitutions, the cookies may not turn out.
  • Make gluten-free vegan oatmeal cookies by substituting a measure-for-measure gluten-free all-purpose flour.
  • If you’re not a fan of raisins, you can swap them for chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc.) or dairy-free chocolate chips. Keep the amount of mix-ins the same so you don’t overload the cookie dough.
Stack of vegan oatmeal cookies with one cookie leaning against stack

How to Store

  • At room temperature. Store the oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies before or after baking for longer-term storage; see below.
  • To freeze the unbaked cookies, portion the dough into balls and freeze them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
  • To freeze the baked cookies, let the cookies cool completely and then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Overhead view of vegan oatmeal raisin cookies on parchment paper

Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan oatmeal cookie recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!

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Overhead view of vegan oatmeal cookies on parchment paper

Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Servings: 16 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
With the perfect chewy texture, hearty oats, and cozy cinnamon flavour, these vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are an old-fashioned favourite!
5 (from 5 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup vegan butter, room temperature (112g)*
  • 1 cup brown sugar, (200g)
  • 2 flax eggs, (set in the fridge prior to for 15 minutes)
  • 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats, aka rolled oats
  • 1 cup all purpose flour, (120g)
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon pure cane molasses
  • ¾ cup raisins

Instructions 

  • Line a large baking sheet or two smaller baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
  • In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt to combine. Set aside.
  • In a larger bowl, mix together the vegan butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes to cream together. Add in the flax egg and the vanilla extract, and mix for another 2 minutes on medium speed until the mixture is light, creamy, and emulsified.
  • Add in the dry ingredients in two batches, mixing for 30 seconds each until the dry mixture is just combined, scraping down the sides to combine. Fold in your molasses until completely combined. Fold in your oats, then your raisins, until completely folded in. I use a spatula for this step. Be sure not to overmix.
  • Cover your dough and place it in the fridge for 1 hour to chill. Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C during the last 15 minutes of chilling time.
  • Using 2 tablespoons per cookie, scoop the dough and roll it into a ball. The dough should be thick and easy to roll. Feel free to add extra raisins on top.  Place on the baking sheet, allowing at least 2 inches of space between each cookie.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven.
  • Allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes (trust me) outside of the oven, then transfer to a wire rack. You don’t want to disturb them before that – the cookies are still cooking from the residual heat. Serve and enjoy! Store the cookies in an airtight container once cooled, or leave them on the wire rack.

Notes

  • I understand that not everyone has molasses, and the cookies taste fantastic without it, but I REALLY loved the depth that the molasses added to this recipe. If you have it, fold it in right before you add in your oats and raisins!
  • Get your cookie dough balls nice and round. This yields a beautiful end cookie.
  • Give each cookie enough space to bake. You want to leave at least 2 inches between each because they spread. I used two cookie sheets and put them on the middle rack.
  • Allow the cookies to cool. Trust me! When they’re done, I let them cool on the cookie sheet *OFF* (I move them to an oven mitt or trivet while still on the cookie sheet) the stove for 5 minutes. This helps them to set, without over baking them.
  • You can easily substitute gluten free flour by weight.
  • Don’t substitute the ingredients other than the flour, or if you do, don’t expect they’ll need the same time. That also counts for smaller or larger cookies. Smaller cookies will bake quicker, larger cookies will take longer.
  • The chill time of 1 hour means you can pop your cookies out, roll them into balls and then make them for the perfect result. Remember to preheat your oven within about the last 15 minutes so it lines up beautifully. If you chill them for too short, they’ll spread too much. If you overchill them, they won’t spread as beautifully. If you have to leave them in for longer than the 1 hour up to 2 hours, take them out and place them on your counter for about 15 minutes to slightly soften up. If you have to leave them in longer to overnight, take them out and place them on your counter for about 20 minutes to slightly soften up. Then roll them up!
Calories: 162kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Sodium: 233mg, Potassium: 126mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 240IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Jessica Hylton