Partway through middle school, I started to visit the mall in my hometown about three or four times a year—or whenever an upcoming special occasion like Easter or Christmas required a new outfit—with one of my close friends. Since my mom rarely enjoyed shopping, she dropped off the pair of us at one of the big department store entrances and handed me a few larger bills before I hopped out of the car.
As a saver rather than a spender, I mainly looked forward to those shopping trips for the social time to chat and hang out with my girlfriends, much more than trying on jeans and tanks in dimly lit dressing rooms with doors that never quite seemed to latch properly. (Especially the curtain “doors” at Forever 21 that simply flowed down from the ceiling—those always made me nervous!)
As a result, I typically returned home with a fairly full wallet and only one or two new pieces to add to my closet, but I almost always brought back a certain white paper bag with red scripted lettering… From Mrs. Fields!
My best friend introduced me to the little bakery located in a small corner at the end of the mall on one of our first few shopping trips. Thankfully, she ordered her cookies first, which gave me plenty of time to stare at the options in the display case and try to sort through my indecision. I usually ended up with snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisin cookies, or something extra chocolaty!
On one shopping trip, my friend decided that she wanted a pastry from Cinnabon instead of Mrs. Fields. Since I had been looking forward to those warm, chewy cookies all day long, we briefly stopped by that little dessert stall for me before walking around the corner to Cinnabon for her ginormous cinnamon roll. It was bigger than my entire hand and completely doused in sweet cream cheese icing!
As we strolled around the mall nibbling on our treats, the wheels in my head started to turn. My oatmeal cookies have cinnamon… Her cinnamon roll obviously has cinnamon… I wonder how they would taste together…
That memory resurfaced when I recently drove past the mall, so I finally put my childhood musing to the test and baked these Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal Cookies to find out. The result? Aaaahhh-mazing!! The cozy cinnamon made these cookies absolutely irresistible (I couldn’t stop myself from eating three in a row!), and the sweet cream cheese drizzle takes them over the top.
Pure bliss!
This is the next recipe in my clean eating oatmeal cookies series. Have you tried any of the others yet? They’re some of the most popular recipes on my blog, and for a good reason… They’re so soft and chewy, and they don’t taste healthy at all, despite containing NO butter, refined flour or sugar!
These healthier cookies begin with whole wheat flour and instant oats. No, instant oats are not the ones sold in the individual-sized brown paper packages! They’re also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats, and they’re usually sold in large canisters right next to the old-fashioned oats.
It’s incredibly important to measure both the flour and oats correctly, using either the spoon and level method or a kitchen scale. Too much of either will make your cookies taste cakey or dry instead of chewy, especially the oats. The oats act like little sponges and soak up moisture from the cookie dough, so please measure them correctly!
I highly recommend a kitchen scale to ensure your cookies have the perfect texture. This is the inexpensive one that I own, and it’s worth its weight in gold. I use it every single day—it’s my all-time favorite kitchen appliance and the best $20 I ever spent!
Instead of refined sugar, you’ll sweeten these cookies with pure maple syrup instead. Be sure to use the good stuff! Skip the pancake syrups or sugar-free syrups; those contain corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re avoiding in this healthier recipe. The only ingredient on the label should be “pure maple syrup.” You can generally find it in either thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs on the same aisle as the oats in the grocery store. (I’ve also bought it online!)
These cookies don’t spread very much while baking, so remember to flatten the cookie dough before popping the pan in the oven. I use my favorite mini spatula to do this! The cookie dough tends to be rather sticky, so avoid using your hands or the bottom of a drinking glass, if possible. A spatula is definitely the way to go!
And of course, cinnamon rolls aren’t complete without cream cheese icing! You’ll use Greek yogurt cream cheese to make this healthier drizzle. I found my Greek yogurt cream cheese at Safeway (their own Lucerne brand), and many Walmart stores stock this brand as well. Neufchâtel cream cheese would work as a substitute.
Then you’ll sweeten the drizzle with one of my favorite ingredients: vanilla crème stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly. It’s really concentrated, so a little goes a long way! You only need a few drops for this recipe. This is the kind that I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor and don’t notice any strange aftertastes. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, as well as online. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
Time to eat! And when you bake your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking. I’d love to see your cookies!
| Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal Cookies | | Print |
- for the cookies
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (measured like this and gluten-free, if necessary)
- ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
- for the drizzle
- 1 tbsp (14g) Greek yogurt cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ tsp nonfat milk
- 8-12 drops vanilla crème stevia, or to taste
- Whisk together the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten to about half of their original height using a small spatula. Bake at 325°F for 11-14 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Just before serving, prepare the drizzle by stirring together the cream cheese, milk, and stevia in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture to a zip-topped bag, cut off a tiny piece of one corner, and drizzle on top of the cooled cookies.
Instant oats are also known as quick-cooking or minute oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal. To make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free instant oats and the following gluten-free flour blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (17g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum.
Neufchâtel (⅓-less fat) cream cheese may be substituted for the Greek yogurt cream cheese.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
You may substitute 1 ½ teaspoons of maple syrup, honey, or agave for the vanilla crème stevia. If you use this substitution, omit the milk as well.
For more tips and answers to all other questions, including substitutions, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ page.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
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I just loved these cookies i baked and a good choice for cookie lovers . I wish to omit the egg next time, what is the alternative please ?
I’m so glad you loved these cookies Iris! My brother is allergic to eggs, and Ener-G is our favorite egg substitute. It works perfectly in nearly all of my recipes, including this one! In my recipes, you’ll need 1 ½ teaspoons of Ener-G + 2 tablespoons of warm water for each egg white, and you’ll need an additional ½ tablespoon of butter or oil for each egg yolk. 🙂
These look so yummy!!! I am going to make them ASAP! Will I ruin the cookies if I add 35g of protein powder?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Jessica! I typically advise against adding protein powder. Every type behaves differently in baking recipes, so I can’t predict the results — but it typically makes the texture too dry! I share more info on my Protein Powder FAQ page here. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these oatmeal cookies!
May I ask how big each cookie turns out?
These cookies are about 2″ to 2 ½” in diameter. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think if you try them Bre!
Can I substitute anything else for the maple syrup it’s like buying gold dust in New Zealand that half cup of maple syrup is about $14.00 here.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Stephanie! I’ve actually covered this question already on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page, which is included in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies!
Hi! I am excited to try this recipe over the weekend! Only this is theres neither Neufchâtel or Greek Yogurt Creamcheese around my place. Can I substitute with other kind of plain cream cheese?
Any cream cheese will work, including full fat! Just make sure it’s well softened first. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies, Laura!
Thank you for the reply! Im gonna make double batch and give half as a present. It says to prepare the drizzle right before serving, but I’m wondering if I make them a day before & wrap them individually im platic bags. Will the drizzle dry in few hours? The weather is quite hot here so just a bit worried if it will melt once I have them in room temperature to give out and make a mess in plastic bags!
It’s my pleasure, Laura! Unfortunately, I have a feeling the drizzle will smear against plastic bags, especially in warm weather… 🙁 But! What if you made mini cookies (about half sized), made extra drizzle (maybe 3-4 times, if not more), and turned them into sandwich cookies with the drizzle in between?? That would be much better for wrapping individually in plastic bags!
thats a great idea! thank you!
I just made the cookie and I used half honey half maple syrup because I ran out of maple syrup! The dough came out very wet and sticky so I wasnt able to form a ball like shape, I just dropped them! So they look quite different but still taste very nice! Is the dough supposed to be quite wet or is it my substitution with honey that changed the texture? I definitely want to try again because it taste great!
The dough should be somewhat sticky! You shouldn’t be able to roll them between your palms. I use a spoon and spatula to drop my cookie dough onto the baking sheet, and I use the spatula to flatten slightly. 🙂
Hi i wanted to know if i could use rolled oats instead
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe! I’ve actually answered this exact question in the Notes section of the recipe, directly underneath the Instructions. (Rolled oats are also called old-fashioned oats.) It can be easy to miss that Notes section! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies!
Tried these last night and unfortunately my cookies ended up tasting metallic (too much baking powder, although I followed the directions exactly).
I haven’t experimented to see what would happen if I used less, but this batch went straight in the garbage 🙁 I do love the idea of using the maple in them, so might be worth a second round.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Becky! That sounds disappointing — and not like how the cookies are supposed to turn out at all! 🙁 I’d love to work with you to figure out what happened! What brand of baking powder did you use? Is that the same baking powder that you always use? Or do you normally use baking soda and no baking powder in your baking? (Some readers have had that issue result in the off-putting metallic taste, which is why I ask!) Also, how did you measure the baking powder? Did the cookies have a soft and chewy consistency? We’ll get this sorted out so your next batch turns out much better! 🙂
You just left my mouth watering. I will definitely try cinnamon roll soon. Thanks for recommending.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies! 🙂
My boyfriend will not eat whole wheat nothing…he claims it has a different texture & can pick it out in just about anything I try to sneak it into. Would it be possible to substitute AP flour for the whole wheat? Would it be a 1:1 substitution, or a little more AP flour due to the differing density of the whole wheat?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Veronica! I completely understand; a few of my friends are the same way. 😉 I’ve actually answered this exact question on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page, and there’s a link to in at the bottom of the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions). I know it can be easy to miss! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what both of you think of these cookies!
Hi. Can I use pure maple extract instead of maple syrup? Also if I use regular quick oats will it make the recipe completely non healthy?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Nikki! I’ve actually answered your second question already in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions — I know it can be easy to miss!). If you don’t have maple syrup, then use one of the alternatives that I’ve provided on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page (the link to it is at the bottom of the Notes section of the recipe!). 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these oatmeal cookies!