Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies (Raisins or Chocolate Chips)

These soft & chewy gluten-free oatmeal cookies are so simple to make. The dough comes together with 12 ingredients in 1 bowl, and the cookies are ready to nom in about 30 minutes. Toasted oats build flavor in the dough, and a blend of sweet rice and oat flour gives them a classic oatmeal cookie texture with crispy edges and soft middles. Made with simple, minimal ingredients and no xanthan gum!

These cookies are equally delicious when studded with chunks of dark chocolate or kissed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and plump, sweet-tart raisins. Go wild!

Of all cookie recipes, it should be obvious by now that I have a special place in my heart (and stomach) for oatmeal cookies. They feel so cozy with satisfying heft and classic, earthy flavors from brown sugar and oats. I recently shared a recipe for oatmeal cookies made with almond flour, and I also have a version using teff flour, nutmeg, and whiskey-soaked currants in my award-winning cookbook.

But these gluten-free oatmeal cookies are the ones to make when you want a classic cookie that tastes like the ones mom used to bake.

The cookie dough is versatile, so you can add chocolate chips or chunks (shown here), or stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, and plumped raisins. You can add toasted nuts if you like to either version.

The cinnamon raisin oatmeal cookies remind me of tea parties with my maternal grandmother, Anne, while the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are the ones Jay and I crave on rainy days.

Toasted Oats + Oat Flour = Flavorful Cookies

While testing this recipe, I learned that oatmeal cookies can be pale, pasty, bland things that taste like a punishment version of chocolate chip cookies. That's because oats have a mild flavor that sucks up flavor.

The solution is a tip I picked up from Cook's Illustrated: toast the oats for 5 minutes until golden and fragrant before adding them to the cookie dough. This creates some caramelization on the oats themselves which builds a layer of flavor right from the start.

Additionally, a good hit of salt sharpens the flavor along with brown sugar (organic dark brown sugar has the most flavor). In the chocolate version, vanilla adds luscious floral notes and chocolate adds bittersweet depth. In the cinnamon raisin version, cinnamon, freshly-grated nutmeg, and raisins plumped in hot water or tea add cozy vibes that taste like a big hug.

Texture is Everything

The texture of these GF oatmeal cookies is spot on thanks to a blend of gluten-free flours (sweet rice, oat, and tapioca). They bake up with crispy, golden edges and chewy, gooey middles. They're pretty spectacular warm from the oven, but they also keep like a dream for several days, staying moist and tender.

These cookies are:

• soft, moist & tender
• hefty & chewy
• full of flavor
• undetectably gluten-free with classic cookie vibes
• simple to make in about 30 minutes with 12 ingredients

I hope these gluten-free oatmeal cookies satisfy your craving!

Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions

This recipe uses just 12 simple ingredients.

Flour Power

All gluten-free flours have their own unique properties, and I like to harness the power of each flour to underline each recipe. Instead of using an all-purpose flour blend, which is what many gluten-free oatmeal cookie recipes call for, I use a unique mix to create the best flavor and texture.

Here are the flours that I use to make really good gluten-free oatmeal cookies, what each flour does, and how to substitute them. You can click the links below to find more recipes using each flour. And you can nerd out on these and more in my guide to gluten-free flours for baking.

• Oat flour adds substance and rich, earthy flavor.
  • Sub by weight sorghum flour, teff flour, millet flour, or light buckwheat flour. Or make these almond flour oatmeal cookies instead.
• Sweet rice flour makes the cookies chewy thanks to its sticky texture.
  • Sub by weight gluten-free all-purpose flour such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour.
• Tapioca flour helps the cookies hold together, making them soft and chewy.
  • Sub by weight arrowroot flour or cornstarch.

Other Ingredients

More goodies for your cookies.

• Salt sharpens the flavors.
• Baking soda helps the cookies spread and brown.
• A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar sweeten the cookies, adding rich molasses notes.
  • Sub by weight coconut sugar for both sugars for refined sugar-free.
• Old fashioned rolled oats add texture and heft. Be sure to use gluten-free oats if need be.
• Butter moistens the dough.
  • Sub dairy-free butter such as Miyoko's, decreasing the salt if necessary.
• Egg gives the cookies just the right amount of spread, adding protein to hold the dough together.
  • For egg-free cookies, try these vegan tahini oatmeal cookies or vegan almond butter cookies instead.

For Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (shown here)

• Chopped bittersweet chocolate melts into gooey pockets.
  • Sub chocolate chips if you prefer. For refined sugar-free, use chocolate sweetened with maple or coconut sugar such as Hu, Raaka maple, or Rad chocolate.
• Vanilla extract adds floral notes.

For Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• Raisins plumped in boiling water (or tea) add chewy, sweet-tart flavor.
  • Try dried cranberries for a festive variation.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg (freshly-grated nutmeg has the loveliest flavor!) add cozy spice.

How to Make Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe takes about 30 minutes to make, start to finish. It makes a small batch of cookies, about 15 medium-sized cookies, so feel free to increase the recipe as needed.

Make-Ahead Options

These gluten-free oatmeal cookies can be made ahead for fresh, gooey cookies whenever the whim strikes. Here's how to do it:

1. Make the dough as directed, then let sit until firm enough to scoop (or chill for a few minutes to speed this up).
2. Scoop the dough into balls using a cookie scoop, place the dough balls on a small baking sheet lined with parchment, and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Transfer the cold dough balls into a container and chill for up to a week. Or freeze for up to several months.
4. To bake, place dough balls on a cookie sheet as directed. Let them soften slightly before baking for the best spread.

Tips for Baking Better Cookies

Cookies are at once one of the simplest treats to bake and one of the most sensitive. Here are a few tips to ensure oat flour oatmeal cookie bliss.

• Make sure your oven temperature is accurate. I recommend using an external oven thermometer.
• Make sure to measure accurately. For best results, weigh your ingredients with a food scale. This is the one I use.
• When measuring by volume, use the dip and sweep method for flours: fluff up your flour, dip in your dry measuring cup, and use a flat butter knife or small offset spatula to sweep away the excess so that the flour is level with the cup. For brown sugar, pack it well into the cup; it should mostly hold the shape of the cup when turned out into the mixing bowl.
• Bake off a single test cookie before baking the full batch. This way you can adjust the rest of the dough or the oven temperature before baking off the full batch. (This is a tip I learned from my pastry chef days!)
• Pull the cookies from the oven when they look underbaked. The edges should be just starting to color, while the tops should be puffed and soft, collapsing when you touch them gently with a fingertip.

Troubleshooting

Here are some common cookie troubles and how to fix them:

• The cookies spread too much.
  • Add 1-2 tablespoons more oat or rice flour to the remaining cookie dough, and/or increase the oven temperature by 25-50 degrees.
• The cookies didn't spread enough.
  • Lower the oven temperature by 25-50 degrees and/or flatten the dough balls before baking them. Next time you make them, use a little less flour.

Variations

Here are a few more ways to vary this recipe for more cookie enjoyment.

• Nutty cookies: stir in 3/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts with the chocolate
• Nibby cookies: stir in 2 tablespoons cacao nibs with the chocolate
• Iced oatmeal cookies: omit the chocolate. Drizzle the baked and cooled cookies with coconut butter icing or maple glaze.

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies for Everyone

And there you have it: exceptionally delicious GF oatmeal cookies made with minimal ingredients. Whether you add chocolate or raisins (or both!), I hope you love these cookies as much as we do.

Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my award-winning gluten-free baking cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this gluten-free oatmeal cookie recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.