Vegan Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
These vegan chocolate oatmeal cookies are a rich and chocolatey treat. Based on oats and peanut butter, they’re a naturally sweetened, healthy alternative to sugary store bought cookies. Better yet, they’re super easy to make, gluten free, and are ready in just 15 minutes!
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate schemes I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information please view my privacy policy and disclosures.
Vegan chocolate oatmeal cookies
Now Christmas (and the epic food consumption that goes with it!) is over, we’re preparing to jump back on the healthy food wagon for the New Year. We’re not quite ready to say goodbye to sweet treats though, so I thought I’d whip together some healthy peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
I’m not big on baking, but I do sometimes like to make healthy snacks for Remi and I. It’s important to me that these bakes use ingredients which we have in the cupboard, because I don’t bake frequently enough to have loads of specialist ingredients in the house.
This oatmeal cookie recipe ticks the box, and they are so quick and easy to make- with no chill time needed.
They’re super satisfying from the fiber-filled oats and packed with protein from peanut butter. Less sugary than normal cookies, they’re sweetened with just a small amount of agave nectar (so you can eat more, right!?).
Why I love healthy vegan oatmeal cookies
- It’s such a simple recipe which is super easy to make.
- Wholesome and healthy, they’re filled with healthy fats, protein and fiber.
- The combination of peanut butter and oats makes them so satisfying and delicious.
- They’re big and chunky, super chocolatey and totally vegan and gluten free.
- A little bit of a crumbly cookie, they’re not too chewy, with slightly crisp edges.
- You can easily add dark chocolate chips to make these into double chocolate oatmeal cookies!
What ingredients are needed for this recipe?
Dry Ingredients
Oats– I would recommend rolled oats or old fashioned style of oats. Steel cut oats will be too hard, and instant oats too smooth.
Cocoa– This healthy oatmeal cookie recipe uses cocoa powder for a rich chocolatey flavor. You can use dutch or natural process cocoa powder, just make sure that it’s good quality, as it will be lending a lot of flavor to the vegan chocolate oatmeal cookies.
Baking soda and powder– These make the cookies a little lighter and give them a bit of rise.
Salt– Salt offsets and compliments sweet flavors. If you’re not a fan of salty-sweet flavors, you can halve the amount of salt, but I wouldn’t suggest removing it completely.
Wet Ingredients
Flaxseed– There are no eggs in this recipe, so this acts as a binder for the vegan chocolate peanut butter cookies. We’ll mix it with water first, and it sets into a ‘flax egg’.
Coconut oil– Rather than using vegan butter, I’ve opted for the healthier option of coconut oil. Look for a mild coconut oil, and if you’re very sensitive to the taste of coconut oil, you can use a refined one.
Peanut butter– This adds a lovely peanutty flavor and works to help bind the cookie dough together.
Vanilla extract and agave/maple syrup– These add a touch of sweetness to the vegan chocolate oatmeal cookies. Make sure you use vanilla extract rather than essence for a better vanilla flavor.
Dairy free milk– This just loosens the dough slightly. You can use any dairy-free milk which you have.
The best equipment to make vegan cookies
This recipe requires no specialist equipment. All you will need is a cookie sheet or baking tray large enough to hold 12 cookies (quarter or half size would work) -and some baking paper to line it with.
How to make vegan chocolate oatmeal cookies
To make these healthy vegan oatmeal cookies, start by preheating the oven to 180°c or 350°f. Line your baking sheet with baking paper.
In a small bowl, mix together the flaxseed and water and set it to one side to thicken. Mix together all of the dry ingredients (oats, cocoa, baking soda and powder, and salt) in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, peanut butter, vanilla extract, agave nectar, dairy free milk, and flaxseed mixture until smooth and combined.
Mix the wet ingredients into the large bowl of dry ingredients, stirring until well combined. If the cookie mixture seems too dry and crumbly, you can add some extra milk 1 tbsp at a time. How much milk you need will depend on the type of oats that are used.
Shape or scoop the healthy peanut butter oatmeal cookie mixture into 12 evenly sized balls. Place them on the lined baking sheet then press them down to the desired thickness using your hand or a fork. Don’t leave them as balls as they won’t spread like a normal cookie.
Bake them in the oven for 12-14 minutes, until the edges have firmed up. Allow them to cool on a rack before eating.
If you would like, you can drizzle the vegan chocolate peanut butter cookies with melted dairy-free dark chocolate and sprinkle them with chopped nuts.
Serving suggestions
These vegan chocolate oatmeal cookies are delicious served as they are. They’re perfect enjoyed on the side of a brew or a glass of dairy-free milk. I like to pack one up to take to work as a mid morning snack or afternoon pick-me-up.
Share them with visiting friends or family, or gift them as a healthier treat for the New Year. We love to be gifted sweet treats, but at this time of year we’re all the more thankful for some healthier options.
My top tips for the best healthy vegan oatmeal cookies
If the dough feels too dry or crumbly, just add your favorite dairy-free milk a tablespoon at a time. The dough needs to be as moist as you can get it without it being a sticky mess, but how much milk is needed will vary depending on your oats. If the dough is too crumbly, your vegan chocolate oatmeal cookies will come out very dry.
Don’t over bake the cookies. It will be hard to tell when these are ready as they have a dark chocolate color. These vegan peanut butter cookies will still feel slightly soft when they come out of the oven but will firm up as they cool. If you over bake them, they will dry out and won’t be nice to eat.
This recipe is already gluten free, so is great for coeliacs. If you are intolerant to gluten, just make sure the oats are marked gluten free (as some are manufactured in the same facility as gluten containing products).
If you want more or less cookies, you can half or double the recipe without making any special changes. This is a great one to double as the cookies freeze really well and defrost quickly.
Ingredient substitutes and additions
- Cocoa– If you prefer a sweet chocolate flavor to a dark and rich chocolate flavor, you can swap the cocoa powder out for a sweetened cocoa powder. If you are trying to cut down on sugar, look for a cocoa powder which is sweetened with stevia.
- Flaxseed– You can swap this out for half of a mashed banana if you don’t have any flaxseed. Be aware that this will add a subtle banana flavor to the vegan oatmeal chocolate cookies.
- Oil– The coconut oil can be swapped out for vegan butter if you don’t like coconut oil. Swap this in by weight and soften the butter with the back of a spoon before adding the other wet ingredients. You may need to add a little more milk to the recipe if you use butter.
- Nut butter– You can use any nut or seed butter in this healthy vegan oatmeal cookie recipe. Peanut butter is my favorite, but you could use almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter. If you can, opt for those which contain nothing but nuts, with no added oil, sugar or salt. These are healthier and just as tasty!
- Add ins– For a little extra something, add in a handful of vegan chocolate chips to the dough for some simple oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Or go for chopped nuts- walnuts or hazelnuts are especially nice in this recipe. You could add some cacao nibs for an extra rich chocolatey punch. Or for a wintery flavor, add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dry mix.
FAQ’s
These cookies are the perfect snack to prepare for lunchboxes or work, and they keep really well. Pop them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 5 days or for 2 weeks in the fridge.
Healthy peanut butter oatmeal cookies also freeze really well, for up to 3 months. If you have drizzled them with chocolate, I would recommend freezing them flat on a cookie sheet, then transferring them to an airtight container or reusable bag.
If you like healthy vegan snacks
You might like…
- Some homemade muesli slices (these make a great breakfast on the go too!).
- These super crunchy homemade roasted broad beans.
- Healthy snack bars or vegan date flapjacks.
- Gluten free savoury muffins with grated zucchini and carrot.
- Or if you’re a chocolate lover, these chocolate and peanut butter bliss balls are a delicious snack!
Pin it!
Vegan Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
- Half or quarter sized baking sheet
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 160 g oats
- 25 g cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 3 tbsp water
- 60 g coconut oil melted
- 125 g smooth peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp agave nectar
- 2 tbsp dairy-free milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c/350°f. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flaxseed and water.
- Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, peanut butter, vanilla extract, agave nectar, dairy free milk, and flaxseed mixture until smooth and combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until well combined. If the cookie mixture seems too dry, you can add some extra milk 1 tbsp at a time.
- Shape or scoop the mixture into 12 evenly sized balls. Place them on the lined baking sheet then press them down to the desired thickness using your hand or a fork.
- Bake them in the oven for 12-14 minutes, until the edges have firmed up. Allow them to cool on a rack before eating.
- (Optional) If you would like, drizzle the cookies with melted dairy-free dark chocolate and sprinkle with chopped nuts.
Notes
Nutrition
Made this recipe?
I’d love to know how you got on- let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Or if you’d rather you can Pin it, or share it on Facebook (forkfulofplants) or Instagram (forkful_of_plants). Don’t forget to tag me!
Want to hear more from me?
Sign up to my newsletter below and I’ll make sure you’re the first to know when I post a new recipe!
