Easy Recipe for Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Vegan, gluten-free and oh so tasty. One bowl and 15 minutes is all you need….no sugar, no dairy and no fuss!
What do you do when cookies are calling your name? I’m not talking whispering either, I’m talking full out trying to get your attention. You know, loud talking. Cue the internal dialog loaded with controversy and negativity. Is it time, calories, sugar or something else this time?
If you’ve done a good job cleaning up your pantry, there won’t be any cookies to tempt you. But, that doesn’t mean the voice begging for cookies, oatmeal cookies this time, is going away any time soon. Enter the healthy comfort food option. Yeah, there’s such a thing. If you’re looking for a grain-free comfort cookie, try these vegan chocolate chip cookies. Otherwise, stick around and I’ll teach you to make these gluten-free tasty treats.
Would an easy recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies grab your attention? The 15-minute kinda recipe? One that’s healthy enough for breakfast, and tasty enough to have for dessert? I thought so. Not only will this recipe satisfy your craving, but it will also satisfy your internal critique. Clever little cookie, huh?
Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients:
- Bananas: Offer a natural sweetness while also being rich in potassium, manganese and fiber.
- Peanut Butter: Helps with blood sugar levels since it’s high in protein and relatively low in carbs. Allergic to Peanuts? No problem, substitute sun butter and see notes in the recipe card.
- Rolled Oats: Loaded with fiber and antioxidants, helping to regulate blood sugar and maintain heart health.
- Flax Meal: Plant-based source of omega-3s, lignans (antioxidants linked to lower cancer risk), fiber and protein.
- Raisins: A great source of energy that includes fiber, iron, calcium and antioxidants.
- Optional: Looking for more texture, taste, nutrition? Try adding in some chopped pecans, chocolate chips or coconut flakes.
One Bowl Oatmeal Cookie Dough
Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe
Do you have time to make oatmeal cookies from scratch? YES! You do. One bowl means EASY clean up. Simple ingredients mix together in no time. Mash the bananas with a fork and then continue to use the same fork to mix in the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir in the oatmeal, spices and raisins. That’s it. Dough is done. Scoop it out and bake these cookies NOW.
Wait….one more thing. One of the beauties of a vegan cookie dough is that you can EAT THE DOUGH, with nothing to worry about. No raw eggs means, the batter is safe to eat. I like a cookie that isn’t too sweet. Everyone else in my house likes their cookies SWEET. You can probably guess where your taste lies on the sweet meter, but just in case you don’t, grab a spoon and taste the batter. Not sweet enough for you? Add 1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup, mix well and taste again. Chocolate chips are another great option. That’s it. move along.
I like to use a small scoop to portion out the cookies onto a baking tray. The parchment paper aids in the quick clean up, but it’s not necessary. If you don’t have a small scoop, two teaspoons will work well. Use the first spoon to scoop a generous portion of dough and the back of the second spoon to drop that portion onto the prepared baking tray.
These cookies are made with out added oil. Good news for anyone following a whole foods, plant based diet! It also means the cookies won’t spread when baking. If you don’t want super thick cookies, it’s a good idea to pat them down before baking. I use the back of a wet spoon to make this process super quick and easy.
Can you freeze the cookie dough to bake later?
YES, you can! The cookie dough can be made and then kept in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months before baking. If you plan on freezing the dough, I recommend scooping out the cookies (line them up close together on a baking tray), freezing until firm and then storing in a zip-top bag. Then, you can remove just the amount of cookies you want to make and bake according to notes in the recipe card.
How do you store Oatmeal Raisin Cookies?
It’s important to completely cool cookies before storing them. I leave them out on the counter in the cookie jar and they’re always gobbled up. They will stay good in an air-tight container for up to a week. You can also freeze them and depending on the quality of your freezer, they’ll last from 3-6 months. You’ll want to make a double batch though, if you expect there to be any leftover!
This is one of my all time favorite cookies. If you follow me on social media, you already know how much I like a bowl of oatmeal with all the toppings. I like to add in chopped pecans to this recipe for an extra burst of texture. I consider these cookies an awesome grab and go version of oatmeal. The biggest reason I love these cookies is because they’re tasty without being too sweet. If you like a sweeter cookie, I suggest adding a couple Tablespoons of maple syrup or ⅓ cup chocolate chips to the batter. That is the way I make these for my kids, and I would still consider these a healthy breakfast alternative.
The next time cookies are calling, holla back! Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are ready in a jiffy, and made with wholesome ingredients. No internal dialog necessary.
📖 Recipe
15-minute Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Equipment
- Jelly Roll Pan
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- ½ cup peanut butter *
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup ground flax flax meal
- ⅓ cup raisins
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. You may need two, depending on how large your baking sheet is.
- Peel bananas and break into chunks. Using a fork, mash bananas until no chunks are left. Mix in nut butter and vanilla extract until well incorporated.
- Add oats, flax, raisins, cinnamon, baking soda and salt to the bowl and mix well.
- Taste the batter and add in 1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup, if you like a sweeter cookie.
- Scoop onto prepared baking sheet. I like to use a mini scoop, but you can also use a teaspoon to scoop and the back of another to drop cookies onto sheet. Wet the back of a spoon and use it to flatten cookies onto sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until beginning to brown. Cookies will be soft, and firm up as they cool.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cook completely before storing in air tight container.
- Cookies will stay good in air tight container for a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Marina
Great recipe, so easy to make. I will defiantly make it with my daughter this week!
Debra Klein
Awesome. Cookies are a great way to get kids into the kitchen.
elly
These look amazing i love the addition of bananas! Excited to try them!
Debra Klein
Bananas are a great natural sweetener….with that added fiber they won’t spike your blood sugar. Enjoy these delicious cookies.
Jar of Lemons
Great Oatmeal Cookie Recipe! Can’t go wrong with this one!
Amanda Marie
Looks so good, but my favorite part is I can eat it raw!
Debra Klein
Mine too!
Maren
My daughter loves oatmeal raisin cookies! Now I’ll make them more often since these only take 15 minutes! Amazing!
Debra Klein
No fuss….no reason not to!
Alexandra
Love how easy these are to make! Delicious
Alexandra
Love how easy these are to make! Delicious cookies!
Debra Klein
Exactly….quick and tasty too!
Ramona
Absolutely gorgeous and soo delicious!! I’m saving this recipe to make again 😋
Lizet Bowen
We’ve been making these cookies almost weekly. It’s been such a great afternoon snack for my kids.
Debra Klein
Perfect!! My kids love them too.
Lizet Bowen
Simple, easy and delicious!
Kim Guzman
Great recipe and so quick. I’m amazed!
Audrey
These are both healthy and delicious
Lindsay
I’ll be making these for my neighbors – I’m sure they’ll love them!
Kristina
Really good! My kids loved these.
Madeline
Fabulous recipe! I had 2 bananas I needed to use up and these made amazingly tasty cookies! I added 1 tbsp of maple syrup and some extra raisins 🙂
Debra Klein
Yummy way to use those bananas!