Forget those raisins that your grandmother used
Shredded apples, crushed cranberries and loads of spices with fresh ginger grated into the dough for an Oatmeal Cookie you will LOVE!
When I offered my neighbor this Oatmeal Cookie, he said, “Wow Gretchen! That’s no ordinary oatmeal cookie!”
So the name was determined and the cookie recipe deemed worth sharing!
Crispy on the outside and thick and chewy on the inside
Despite the list of ingredients which I know may intimidate some people
These cookies are so easy to make and so satisfying for a quick treat, and the dough freezes beautifully for fresh baked cookies on a moments notice!
Simply scoop them onto a sheet pan and freeze until they are solid then just store the frozen dough balls in a bag or airtight container for fresh baked cookies as fast as you can preheat the oven!
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Substitutions & Notes for Success:
Speaking of freezing dough: by freezing the dough balls for about 15 minutes before baking, they will spread less and stay softer in the middles
Using a 2ounce cookie scoop will ensure that each cookie is exactly the same size as the next and they all bake uniformly
I am using aquafaba for the egg replacer mixed with flax meal for a “super flax egg” that I love in cookie recipes!
But you can replace both of these ingredients with a store bought egg replacer of your choice in the amount of 3 teaspoons with plant milk to replace the liquid aquafaba I have listed in the recipe
If you do not like the ginger in this recipe (What!??) you can leave it out completely with no changes to the recipe
Substitute the apples for shredded carrots, zucchini or combination of all of those!
Fresh cranberries add moisture to the recipe so if you opt for dried cranberries add another tablespoon or two of shredded apples
Additionally fresh cranberries are very low in sugar so beware if you add dried fruit which has a very high concentration of sugar
Cacao nibs are a healthy alternative to chocolate chips as well as adding crunch without using nuts
However you can leave those out and add nuts or chocolate chips instead
I’ve also used cinnamon, more ginger that is ground powder and a hint of cardamom as well.
Feel free to adjust or leave out any of those spices if you don’t have them or don’t like them all, although I have to say the combination of the three is perfection!
No Ordinary Oatmeal Cookie
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour 2 cups + 1/3 cup (290g)
- Old Fashioned Oats 3 cups (300g)
- Baking Soda 1 teaspoon
- Baking Powder ¼ teaspoon
- Ground Cinnamon 2 teaspoons
- Ground Ginger 1 teaspoon
- Ground Cardamom 1 teaspoon
- Salt ¾ teaspoon
- Vegan Butter 1 cup (226g)
- Light Brown Sugar ¾ cup (150g)
- Granulated Sugar 1 cup (200g)
- Aquafaba 1/3 cup (77ml) *see notes above
- Ground Flax Meal 2 Tablespoons (16g)
- Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons
- Fresh Grated Ginger 2 teaspoons
- Shredded Apples 1 cup * I use granny smith
- Fresh or frozen Cranberries 1 cup
- Cacao Nibs ½ cup
- Vegan White Chocolate *optional ¾ cup melted
- Vegan semi sweet chocolate *optional ¼ cup melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Cream the softened vegan butter with both sugars until light and fluffy this should take about 4-5 minutes
- Scrape the sides & bottom of the bowl from time to time to ensure an even mix
- Meanwhile combine the aquafaba with the flax meal, stir to smooth and set aside to thicken
- Sift the flour with the baking powder, soda, salt and all the spices
- Chop the fresh cranberries in a food processor to chunky consistency, then combine with the apples and cacao nibs, reserve
- Once the vegan butter/sugar has been creamed to fluffy add the aquafaba/flax paste along with the vanilla extract and grated fresh ginger
- Whip on high speed to emulsify and then scrape the bottom & sides of the bowl again
- Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until incorporated
- Add the oats and mix well
- Add the apples, cranberries and cacao nibs and mix evenly
- Scoop the dough onto a parchment (or silicone mat) lined sheet pan and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 18 minutes
- Allow cookies to cool completely before spreading a thin coating of white chocolate on the bottom of each cookie, then drizzle with the semi sweet chocolate
Notes
Oatmeal cookies will stay fresh at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container. Because they are more delicate, I like to layer them with a piece of parchment paper in a flat plastic container with a lid
Love your site. I can’t tell you how many complements I have gotten on your American Buttercream recipe using the Plant Based Country Crock.
I want to make these and would prefer fresh cranberries but they are so hard to find now. Stores only seem to carry fresh from fall into the holidays. Would it be possible to use frozen cranberries?
Hey thanks!! Yes! I often stock up on fresh cranberries when they are in season and pack my freezer with them! (so these were made with frozen cranberries, thawed slightly then whizzed in food processor!)
Great thanks. Also could fresh or frozen cherries be a good replacement?
Yes! for sure!!
Hello, amazed by your vegan cooking and really want to learn vegan baking🤩. Want to ask what is the substitude of vegan butter cause it is hard to find it in supermarket🤔. Thanks dear.
Hey there thank you! If you can get margarine that will be fine
Hello,
Thank you for sharing such amazing receipes always. My question is can we skip using apple in this recipe or use any substitute for it?
Sure you can use something else similar or leave it out altogether
Gretchen,
Phe-nominal freaking oatmeal cookie recipe! I noticed I had a ton of extra oatmeal in the pantry and decided to give one of your recipes a spin. I’ve been secretly following you on Instagram. Anyway, The few tweaks I made seem to have made the cookie more stable. I did not use flax seed or aquafaba, but Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer for three “eggs.” The store was out of cacao nibs, but I used a 72% vegan dark chocolate instead. To remove excess moisture, I put the apples and the cranberries on paper towels, squeezing out excess moisture. The cookies did not fall apart at all. As a full-blown science experiment though, I had some plain, a few with dark chocolate brushed on top, and a few with both white chocolate spread on the bottom with dark chocolate brushed on top. Honestly, the plain ones were delicious. I don’t think it needed the extra chocolates. But, gilding the lily isn’t always bad! Thank you for the recipe! Next up, your pumpkin pie recipe….. :0)
Awesome!! Thanks for the useful feedback! I will share this one to my Facebook group!
I can’t do butter or oils. Any replacement?
Sorry I wouldn’t have an alternative for you~ you may do better with Brandi’s website @ The Vegan 8