Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (With Easy Vegan Option) 

I almost always have cookies in the house. I’ve never considered myself much of a baker but cookies are something I love to make. They also seem to be much easier to make gluten-free than other baked goods. And there’s nothing worse than getting all excited about freshly baked cookies only to have a recipe fail. These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have become one of my go-to recipes because they’re easy to make and turn out every time. 

While a classic chocolate chip cookie can’t be beat, sometimes I like the added texture of an oatmeal cookie. These cookies have just the right combination of tenderness and chew. They’re simple, straightforward, and easy to make, which is exactly the kind of cookie recipe I love. 

Making Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’m a huge fan of oat flour when it comes to baked goods for a number of reasons. 

One, it’s one of the most accessible and least expensive gluten-free flour alternatives available. I can find oat flour in the bulk bins at the Good Earth Markets in Utah for less than $3 a pound. Or, if you have a blender that can handle it (which I do not) you can even make your own by blending up rolled oats until you get a finely powdered flour consistency. 

I also like the fact that oat flour has a nice balance of fiber and other nutrients and doesn’t have a grainy texture. 

To balance out the texture of the oat flour, I add a bit of tapioca flour to make the cookies a bit more tender. In my experience, you can use most starches (tapioca flour/starch, cornstarch, arrowroot starch, potato starch) fairly interchangeably in cookie recipes. I just tend to keep tapioca flour on hand, so I use that. 

I used a flaxseed egg in place of the usual egg. To keep the dough the right consistency, II made it extra thick by combining two tablespoons of ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water. 

You can use butter or coconut oil in this recipe. I make them both ways often and they are both delicious. 

The almond butter helps with the texture of cookies and gives them that slight chew you expect. You can use any nut butter in place of the almond butter, though I’ve only ever tested this with almond butter and peanut butter. Keep in mind that if you use peanut butter, the flavor will be noticeable. (Obvious, I assume, but worth mentioning.) The almond butter is a neutral flavor. Cashew butter would also be delicious but it’s just so expensive that I rarely use it. 

A combination of maple syrup and brown sugar makes these cookies just the right amount of sweetness. While I’ve never used coconut sugar in place of brown sugar, it’s my understanding that you can substitute brown sugar for coconut sugar at a 1:1 ratio. 

Finally, of course, we have the chocolate chips. I’ve used semi-sweet, milk chocolate, and vegan chocolate chips in this recipe and they always turn out great. I’ve even chopped up a chocolate bar in a pinch. So use whatever type of chocolate chip your heart tells you. 

Storing The Cookies

These cookies store well in a container with a lid at room temperature for up to a week. The texture is the best within the first few days but they’re still perfectly good for at least a week. At least in my opinion. But I’m not one to turn my nose up at a cookie. 

You can also freeze the dough by dividing it with a cookie scoop and freezing the balls of dough until solid. Then transfer the frozen balls of cookie dough to a freezer bag and store for up to 6 months in the freezer. You can bake them straight from frozen – you’ll just need to add a minute or two to the baking time. 

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Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These gluten-free oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are soft and tender with just the right chew from the oats. They’re quick to make and can easily be made vegan.

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Course Dessert

Servings 16

Ingredients

  

• 10 grams flaxseed 2 tablespoons
• 3 tablespoons water
• 80 grams rolled oats 3/4 cup
• 75 grams oat flour 3/4 cup
• 30 grams tapioca flour/starch 1/4 cup
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 65 grams almond butter 1/4 cup
• 75 grams maple syrup 1/4 cup
• 42 grams butter or coconut oil, melted 3 tablespoons
• 30 grams brown sugar 2 tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed and water. Whisk together to combine and let sit for about 10 minutes until it thickens.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, oat flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, add the almond butter, maple syrup, melted butter or coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. Add in the thickened flaxseed “egg” mixture to the almond butter mixture and whisk again until combined and smooth.
• Pour the almond butter mixture into bowl with the oat mixture and stir to combine. Then add the chocolate chips and stir until incorporated.
• Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie as they will spread a bit.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes until set and the edges are just starting to turn golden. Be careful not to overbake as these cookies tend to dry out when overbaked.
• Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the pan for at least 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool. Allow the cookies to cool completely for the best texture (if you can wait that long). Enjoy!
• Store cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up to a week.
• If you want to freeze the dough, scoop it out into individual cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the dough balls are frozen solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake them the same way, adding a minute or two to the baking time as needed.