These Gluten-Free Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy, perfectly sweet and secretly healthy! They're perfect not only for dessert, but are great for a filling snack or even breakfast.
I already have a recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies on the blog, but I decided to also make a chocolate chip version for all the raisin haters out there!
Why you'll love these cookies
- tender and chewy
- they're nutty and not-too-sweet
- they're satisfying
- they're a good source of protein and fibre
- they're undetectably vegan and gluten-free
- they're refined sugar free optional
- they require just 30 minutes to make
- they come together easily in one bowl
- you only need a handful of simple ingredients that you probably have on hand already
- there's no egg-replacer such as flax eggs or aquafaba required, as the oats and ground almonds themselves act as binding ingredients.
How to make these
This recipe is very simple and consists of a few simple steps:
- Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl
Tip: Leave the mixture for 10 minutes as leaving the oats to soak for a bit will make them much easier to bind together.
- Use your hands to shape the mixture into patties (don't worry they won't spread as they bake like normal cookies)
- Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown - don't worry if they're still a little soft, as they will firm up as they cool
Tips for making these cookies
- You can use any type of oil such as coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil or any type of nut butter such as almond butter, peanut butter or cashew butter
- You can use any type of plant-based milk - almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, soy milk, rice milk etc
- You can use any type of liquid sweetener - maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc
- The ground almonds can be substituted with any other type of ground nuts, such as ground hazelnuts or ground walnuts
- You can substitute the ground almonds with ground sunflower seeds for a nut-free version
- I kept these cookies simple by just using chocolate chips, but other delicious add-ins include desiccated coconut, chopped pecan nuts or some other dried fruits such as dried cranberries
- To keep these cookies refined sugar free, you can use refined sugar free chocolate chips.
Equipment you'll need to make these cookies
- glass mixing bowl - to mix together the cookie dough
- measuring jug - to measure out the plant-based milk
- rectangular baking tray - to bake the cookies
- baking paper - to line the baking tray to make sure the cookies don't stick
How long do these keep for?
These cookies keep well in an airtight container for a good few days. They should be kept in the fridge in higher temperatures so that the chocolate doesn't melt. Make sure to leave them to cool completely before packing them up to store.
More gluten-free vegan cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Carrot Cake Cookies
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Gluten-Free Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 30 g (â…› cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil, or almond or peanut butter)
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
- 150 g (1 ½ cups) rolled oats (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- 50 g (â…“ cup) dark chocolate chips ** (ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary)
- 90 ml (â…“ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)

- Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
- Once melted, add all the other ingredients to the same bowl
- Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry
- Leave the mixture for 10 minutes as leaving the oats to soak for a bit will make them much easier to bind together
- Take a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and use your hands to form it into little patties

- Lay it out onto a baking tray lined with greased baking paper

- Repeat until the rest of the batter is used up - you should be able to make 12 cookies
- Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes until golden brown (don't worry if they're slightly soft as they will firm up as they cool)
- Leave to cool completely before storing in an airtight container - keeps for a good few days
Notes
Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.
Terry B
I love Rhian’s recipes!! I’ve made these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies at least 20 times during COVID distancing- they are always great- and forgiving if I am low in ingredients and have to switch out a flour or an oil 🙃.
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!
Ken Ng
Can I use apple sauce as alternatove to vegetable/coconut oil?
Rhian Williams
I'd recommend using a nut or seed butter instead of the oil!
Martie Schoener
What can I substitute for the almond meal/flour? Almonds can be tricky for me to digest.
Thanks!
Rhian Williams
Ground walnuts, ground pecans or ground sunflower seeds!
Rosie
I've never commented on a recipe before but I've tried 4 of your recipes now, these cookies, chocolate banana bread, oat and quinoa bread and linseed bread and I'm really impressed with all 4. Normally when I try 'healthy' baking with other recipes they always turn out disappointing, but not Rhian's recipes. they are great! Thanks so much!
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much for sharing and for your kind words!! So so happy to hear that!!