These easy vegan oatmeal cookies are perfect for when you’re craving a sweet snack! You can easily whip them up in just one bowl. A bit of flaky sea salt sprinkled over the top is all you need!

Since I’ve made these easy vegan oatmeal cookies three times since I first created the recipe not even a month ago, I suppose it’s about time I share the recipe!

I knew these cookies were a winner the first time I sunk my teeth into the soft, caky cookie, just a few minutes out of the oven. But I didn’t realize how good they were until a couple weeks ago when the hubs and I threw an impromptu party for the Clemson vs. Auburn game. I didn’t have a ton of time to cook, so I whipped up a batch of these for an easy dessert. My friends were raving about them, something I didn’t expect for gluten free, vegan oatmeal cookies.

Why I Love These Easy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

When I say these vegan oatmeal cookies are easy, I mean it! You can whip them up in one big bowl, or a food processor if you need to blend up some oat flour. There’s hardly any cleanup at all! They’re also made with mostly pantry ingredients, a bonus for when you’re in the mood for a sweet snack.

Despite being gluten free vegan oatmeal cookies, they have amazing flavor. They kind of remind me of the crust of a nutri-grain bar or edges of a pop tart - the best parts if you ask me! They have a nutty, oaty flavor with hints of cinnamon and some richness from the maple syrup.

While these cookies are a lovely option for dessert, I usually like to have them as a snack along with a cup of milk. With fiber from the oats and filling fats, they’re a great option for when you’re in the mood for something sweet that also satisfies. They are also great as a breakfast cookie too!

Easy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies with Sea Salt

Easy Vegan Oatmeal Cookie Ingredient Notes

Oat flour/oats - The base of these easy vegan oatmeal cookies is oat flour, which you can purchase in the gluten free section of the grocery store, or simply blend rolled or quick oats in the food processor until its a flour consistency. I prefer the latter because then you can simply mix the rest of the ingredients in there.
Coconut flour - Made from dried, ground coconut meat, coconut flour is a byproduct of coconut milk production. It’s pretty fibrous and soaks up a bit of liquid. I like it in this cookie recipe where it gives the cookies a cakey texture.
Coconut oil - Solid at room temperature, coconut oil is a great butter substitute in vegan baking.
Nut butter - I like to use cashew or almond butter in this recipe, as peanut butter can be a bit more overpowering with its flavor. The nut butter serves as a fat in these cookies, but also helps to bind the dough.
Maple syrup - The maple syrup adds sweetness, but also some liquid to this recipe as it doesn’t use eggs. I also love the earthy flavor of maple syrup in these cookies. It reminds me of maple oatmeal!

Gluten Free Vegan Oatmeal Cookies with Sea Salt

Easy Vegan Oatmeal Cookie Recipe Adaptions

The vegan gluten free oatmeal cookie is a very basic one, but feel free to stir in any mix-ins you like. Chocolate chips, shredded coconut and nuts are all very smart life decisions. You could also play with the spices a bit. While these are simply flavored with cinnamon and a bit of vanilla extract, you could also add cardamom and allspice or a bit of nutmeg. I bet these would also be delicious with chai seasoning.

If you like this easy vegan oatmeal cookie recipe, follow my favorite cookies Pinterest board for more baking inspiration.

This easy vegan oatmeal cookie recipe, images, and text were originally published in September 2016 and have been updated to give you the best possible content.

Easy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

Serves: Makes 12-14

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3 tablespoons coconut flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons softened coconut oil
3 tablespoons cashew or almond butter
6 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place oats in a food processor and pulse until oats are blended into flour consistency. Add coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt and pulse to combine.
Add coconut oil, nut butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract to the food processor and blend until well combined, scraping down sides as needed.
Place tablespoon sized scoops of dough evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the tops with a little bit of flaky sea salt. Bake for 16-18 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.