Healthy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
This is my favorite cranberry oatmeal cookies recipe! A fun twist on classic oatmeal raisin, these healthy cookies are supremely chewy and full of flavor. Bright cranberries, cozy spices, and soft oats blended together in a sweet dough… And baked to perfection. They’re a delicious way to satisfy any cookie cravings — and wonderful for the holiday season too! Leftovers will keep if stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days (if not longer!).
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat flour or gluten free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup (room temperature)
- ½ cup (50g) whole fresh cranberries, diced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter or coconut oil, egg, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Stir in the maple syrup. Add in the oat mixture, and stir until just incorporated. Fold in the cranberries. 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.
- Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet. Flatten to ⅜”-thick using a spatula. Bake at 325°F for 9-12 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and flour correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either will dry out the cookies and leave them cakey, bready, or dry, instead of soft and chewy.
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These cookies spread some — but not very much. Flattening the cookie dough before baking helps give them a spreading “head start.”
Do not over-bake these cookies! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the centers still feel slightly soft and underdone. The heat from the warm baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through while you let the cookies rest for 10 minutes after pulling the pan from the oven.
OATS NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: Instant oats are also known as “quick cooking” or “one-minute” oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal.
In a pinch, to make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times or until the oats are about ¼ to ⅛ of their original size.
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour. Oat flour (gluten-free if needed) may also be substituted, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flours!
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. Regardless of which you use, make sure it’s at room temperature. If chilled, it will re-solidify the melted butter or coconut oil.
I generally don't recommend substituting sugar-free maple syrup. It's often water-based, which makes your oatmeal cookies turn out more cakey or bready.
CRANBERRIES NOTE + ALTERNATIVES: For a time-saving shortcut, pulse the fresh cranberries in a food processor or blender to quickly dice them.
If you prefer dried, substitute ¼ cup (40g) of dried cranberries — and I highly recommend hydrating them first! To do so, add the dried cranberries to a microwave-safe bowl, cover them with water, and place a lid or plastic wrap on top. Microwave them on HIGH for 1 minute, and then let them sit while you measure and mix together the other ingredients (or for at least 10 minutes — longer is even better!). Thoroughly drain any leftover liquid before folding them in. This makes them really soft and juicy!
I haven’t tried substituting frozen and thawed cranberries. If you do, would you leave me a comment below and let me know how your cookies turn out? I’d love to hear!
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: Use certified gluten-free instant oats (like these) and certified gluten-free oat flour (like this). Alternatively, for a non-oat-flour version, use the following: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) will also work, if measured like this.
DAIRY-FREE VERSION: Use the coconut oil option or stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one).
NUT-FREE VERSION: Use the unsalted butter option.
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container. If left at room temperature, they’ll keep for a couple of days. If refrigerated, they’ll last closer to a week (if not longer!). Once baked and fully cooled, these oatmeal cookies also freeze really well!
For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page.
{gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-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.