Healthy One-Bowl Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

 
After attending a wedding and visiting my parents in early March, I flew back to my home in Southern California on a Monday afternoon. On the way to my house from the airport, I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few groceries and baking ingredients, but as soon as I walked through the sliding glass doors, my jaw dropped.  

Virtually every shelf and display was empty… Aside from the fresh produce section, which was miraculously fully stocked.
 

 
Slightly in shock, I wandered up and down the aisles. No milk, no yogurt, no eggs, no sugar, no flour… Except for three lonely bags of coconut, cassava, and semolina flour.

I had dashed over just four days prior to pick up a loaf of bread and a bouquet of sunflowers for my grandma, and the store looked completely normal then… But during the few days I was gone over the weekend, news about the current worldwide events had broken, sending everyone into a grocery shopping frenzy to buy as much food as they could for their pantries and freezers.

Yikes.
 

 
Eventually, I grabbed a few things and headed for the check-out stands, and as I drove home, my stress levels rose and my mind started racing. After unloading and unpacking, I surveyed the contents of my pantry and fridge, brainstorming ideas of various sweets and treats I could possibly bake.

Somehow… I’m guessing I’m not the only one who stress bakes as a meditative and calming practice! 😉

Within just a few moments, an idea popped into my head, and before I could talk myself out of it, I reached for my mixing bowls and baking sheets. Soon, a familiar comforting and cozy aroma wafted through my house…
 

 
The smell of these Healthy One-Bowl Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies! They’re supremely soft and chewy, exactly the way I love my cookies, and full of cinnamon and plump juicy raisins… Yet they’re made with no butter, eggs, dairy, flour or refined sugar!

Even better? These healthy oatmeal raisin cookies are super easy to make (you just need one bowl and a fork!) and with no eggs and no flour, the cookie dough is completely safe to eat raw! Not that I’d know from experience or anything… 😉 Plus these yummy cookies are only 88 calories!
 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY FLOURLESS OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

Let’s go over how to make the best ever healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies! Throughout all of my years of baking, oatmeal cookies have been one of my favorite things to make… I’ve shared over 60 different recipes on my blog so far, and I’ve learned a lot about how to make the perfect healthy oatmeal cookies!

So I’m sharing my tips and tricks to make sure you end up with the best healthy flourless, eggless, and dairy-free oatmeal raisin cookies too!

Nerd Alert #1: Butter Alternatives
In all honesty, I love using butter in cookies. It’s easy to use, has a rich flavor, and adds a deliciously soft and chewy texture, especially when you melt it! However, there are other options that still yield incredible oatmeal cookies.

For dairy-free options, I prefer stick-style vegan butter (like this!) and coconut oil. Some people have really sensitive taste buds and can detect a really faint coconut flavor, so if that’s you, then I definitely recommend the vegan butter alternative. The stick-style butter, rather than the tub-style that’s soft and spreadable, typically works best!

And yes… Just like in my classic oatmeal raisin cookies, you’ll melt the vegan butter or coconut oil! I’ve found this yields a more soft and chewy texture in these healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies, and it also means you don’t have to remember to soften the vegan butter ahead of time. Win-win!
 

 
Nerd Alert #2: Egg Alternatives
I tried multiple different egg alternatives, including mashed banana, unsweetened applesauce, and Ener-G (my favorite egg replacer!). In the end, the banana had too strong of a fruit flavor, and I liked unsweetened applesauce and Ener-G the most.

Since it was almost impossible to tell the difference between these two batches — both had the same exact flavor as my classic recipe! — I settled on unsweetened applesauce for these healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies because I figured that would be a much easier ingredient for you to locate!

Nerd Alert #3: Cinnamon
I’m such a big fan of cinnamon that it deserves its own Nerd Alert! More specifically… I’m a big fan of this Saigon cinnamon. It has a stronger, sweeter, and richer taste compared to plain ol’ cinnamon, and that gives your healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies a much better flavor.

Tip: I buy my cinnamon online here because it’s so inexpensive and affordable!

If you’re using the regular kind of cinnamon, then you can increase the amount to get a stronger spice flavor too! I generally do that anyway, just because I love spices so much… 😉
 

 
Nerd Alert #4: Vanilla
Vanilla is one of my favorite baking ingredients, especially in healthy cookie recipes. Why? Well… Because vanilla can imitate butter’s rich flavor! So by adding a teensy bit more vanilla, you can make your healthy flourless dairy-free oatmeal raisin cookies taste just as rich and buttery as traditional ones. Such a neat baking trick, right?

Nerd Alert #5: Sweetener
You’ll skip the refined granulated sugar often found in traditional oatmeal cookie recipes and use pure maple syrup instead. That’s the kind that comes directly from maple trees! Skip the pancake syrup and sugar-free syrup. These often contain high fructose corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re avoiding in these healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies. The only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup,” and it generally comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).

Tip: Both honey and agave will also work! I picked maple syrup to keep these healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies vegan-friendly and because it’s pretty easy to find in most grocery stores here in the US.
 

 
Nerd Alert #6: Oats
For the best soft and chewy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies, you’ll need instant oats. They’re also called one-minute and quick-cooking oats. They’re not the same thing as those individual brown paper packets with flavors like apple cinnamon and maple brown sugar!

Instead, instant oats are simply smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats. They have the same health benefits — they’re just a different size! And this smaller size means they soften faster… Which creates the best soft and chewy texture in your healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies!

Hint: If you only have old-fashioned rolled oats, then see the Notes section of the recipe (and my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page) for how to substitute them!
 

 
Nerd Alert #7: Flour Alternative
Instead of regular flour, you’ll use oat flour to make these cookies! Technically, oat flour is just powdery and really finely ground oats… But “powdered oats” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. 😉 I wasn’t sure whether I should call these cookies flourless or practically flourless, seeing as you’re just using another form of oats… But regardless, these healthy vegan oatmeal raisin cookies are definitely delicious!

This is my favorite store-bought brand of oat flour (or this for the gluten-free version!) because it’s so fine and powdery. But I also show you how to make your own DIY oat flour at home here!

Nerd Alert #8: Measuring
Yes, measuring is SO important that it deserves its own Nerd Alert too! For the best taste and texture, measure your oats and oat flour using this method (for measuring cups) or a kitchen scale (← that’s the one I own and love!). Too much of either ingredient will quickly dry out your cookie dough and make your baked cookies cakey, dry, or crumbly.

Oats act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture from the cookie dough. Since you’re using instant oats and oat flour, it’s even more important to measure both correctly. I promise taking those few extra moments to measure with one of these two methods is worth it. You’ll get the best healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies imaginable!
 

 
Nerd Alert #9: Baking Powder
I’m sure you already know what baking powder does in cookies… It gives them a little lift, which results in a lovely soft and chewy texture. However, this Nerd Alert is about how you add the baking powder!

Please, do NOT dump your baking powder into the center of your mixing bowl. Instead, sprinkle it over the top of the oats and oat flour. Then stir in all three ingredients at the same time. Sprinkling the baking powder helps prevent clumps, which gives your healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies the best soft and chewy texture!

Nerd Alert #10: Raisins
I have a special trick for the most insanely delicious oatmeal raisin cookies…

Hydrating your raisins!

This makes such a huge difference in their taste and texture! Instead of biting into somewhat dry or chewy raisins (majorly disappointing!), you end up with supremely plump and juicy bits (yum!). And it’s so easy to do!

Add your raisins to a microwave-safe bowl, and cover them with water. Place a lid on top, or tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and microwave them on high for 1 minute. Let them rest for at least 10-15 minutes. Then drain the leftover water and fold your hydrated raisins into your cookie dough. So simple and delicious!
 

 
Nerd Alert #11: Chilling
Chilling is mandatory! It helps stiffen the cookie dough, which will make it easier to work with when it’s time to bake, and it also gives the flavors a chance to meld together. You just need to chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes. Not very long at all!

Nerd Alert #12: Shaping and Baking
After chilling, your cookie dough should be fairly stiff. I use a spoon and this mini spatula (isn’t it cute??) to drop it onto my baking sheets (no cookie scoops or fancy equipment!). Then I use the same mini spatula to flatten it and shape it into circles.

These healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies barely spread while baking, so they’ll look almost exactly the same before and after their trip into the oven… Just no longer raw!

These cookies don’t take that long to bake, which is definitely a good thing! In just a few minutes, your healthy flourless oatmeal raisin cookies will come out of the oven. They’re done baking when the edges feel firm but the centers still feel a little soft and underdone. You’ll leave them on the warm baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack, and the heat from the metal baking sheet will continue to cook the centers — just without drying out the edges — which results in the perfect soft and chewy texture!

And now that you have all of my tips and tricks for making the best ever healthy flourless, eggless, and dairy-free oatmeal raisin cookies…
 

 
It’s time to bake (and eat!) your own batch! And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy vegan flourless oatmeal raisin cookies!

Healthy One-Bowl Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 15 cookies

These classic oatmeal raisin cookies taste just as incredible as traditional ones — even without butter, eggs, dairy, flour or refined sugar! They’re supremely soft and chewy, deliciously sweet, and full of cozy spices and juicy raisins. Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container (if they last that long!), and they freeze really well, too!

4.88 from 16 votes

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Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or stick-style vegan butter, melted and cooled slightly
• ¼ cup (56g) unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon (see Notes!)
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
• 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
• ¾ cup (90g) oat flour (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ cup (40g) raisins (see Notes before beginning!)

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut oil or vegan butter, applesauce, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup. Add the oats and oat flour, and sprinkle the baking powder over the oat flour (to prevent clumps!). Stir in the oats, oat flour, and baking powder just until incorporated. Fold in the raisins. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Drop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet using a spoon and a spatula, and flatten to about ½” tall using a spatula. (The cookies don’t spread much, if at all!) Bake at 325°F for 9-12 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

This is my favorite store-bought oat flour (this for the gluten-free version!). I also show you how to make your own DIY oat flour at home here!

 

Regular whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and all-purpose flour may be substitute for the oat flour.

 

For a non-oat-flour gluten-free option, I recommend the following: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) may be substituted as well.

 

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 (like these).

 

Do not substitute steel-cut oats. They don’t soften properly and stay somewhat firm and crunchy.

 

It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and oat flour correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either ingredient will also out the cookies and make them cakey or crumbly instead of chewy.

 

This is my favorite stick-style vegan butter! I don’t recommend using tub-style vegan butter. Regular unsalted butter may also be substituted.

 

I highly recommend this cinnamon! (← I buy it online there!) It tastes stronger, sweeter, and richer than regular cinnamon. It’s also really affordable (and the only cinnamon I use in my baking recipes now!)

 

For a stronger spice flavor, increase the cinnamon by an additional ½ teaspoon (2 teaspoons in total).

 

Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

 

I highly recommend hydrating your raisins before adding them to the cookie dough! This makes them supremely plump and juicy. To do so, add the raisins to a microwave-safe bowl, cover them with water, and cover the top of the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Let the raisins sit for 10-15 minutes (or while you measure and mix together the rest of the ingredients). Thoroughly drain the excess liquid before folding them into the cookie dough.

 

For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookies FAQ page.

 

{gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, clean eating, low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
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♡  Healthy Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Bites
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