These healthy oatmeal raisin cookies are soft and chewy and so easy to make. The cookies are eggless, flourless, butterless, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. It’s an easy one-bowl cookie recipe and is ready in less than 30 minutes.
I love oatmeal raisin cookies, but I don’t like that they are often full of sugar, butter, and flour, making them not much healthier than any other cookie. So, I came up with this healthy oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.
I had so much fun testing these cookies that I came up with two variations that I love and want to share. Both are equally easy to make, and both produce soft and chewy cookies. The main difference is the ingredients. The version in the photos above contain nut butter and rolled oats. I also made a version that is nut butter free and uses quick oats.
Nut Butter Version
The nut butter version (which is the one in the pictures) comes out a little nicer looking and has an added nutty taste to the cookies. If you want a more pure oatmeal flavor, you may want to try the other version. This version also uses rolled oats so there is a little more texture to these cookies.
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Maple syrup
- Unsweetened natural creamy almond butter
- Ground cinnamon
- Rolled oats
- Raisins
Version without Nut Butter
The nut butter-free version is mainly oats and raisins. The cookies don’t brown, and the oats are finely chopped, so they don’t look as much like oatmeal cookies. If you’re trying to save some calories or are avoiding nut butter, I recommend trying this one.
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Maple syrup
- Cinnamon
- Quick oats
- Raisins
Depending on which version you are making, you have some options or possible substitutions you can try.
Almond butter: Only one version of the cookies uses almond butter. The almond butter acts as a binding agent. You can substitute it with other nut butters like peanut butter or cashew butter. I chose almond butter because it has a mild taste, and I didn’t want the nut butter flavor to overpower the oat flavor. Make sure to use natural nut butter (where the only ingredients are nuts and salt), which has a thinner consistency than nut butters processed with oils.
Maple syrup: Maple syrup is used to sweeten the cookies. If you don’t like maple syrup, you can substitute it with other syrups.
Applesauce: You can substitute with mashed banana, but keep in mind that your oatmeal cookies will have a banana flavor to them. If you use bananas, it is a 1:1 substitution, so if the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of applesauce, then you will need 1/2 cup of mashed bananas. Also, make sure you mash your bananas very thoroughly until they have a puree-like consistency (like applesauce).
Cinnamon: Classic oatmeal raisin cookies have a hint of cinnamon. If you don’t like cinnamon, you can leave it out. If you like a lot of cinnamon, feel free to add a little more. You can taste your batter to decide if it needs more before baking.
Oats: One version of the recipe calls for rolled oats. The other version calls for quick oats. Please make sure to use the right kind of oats for whichever version you’re making.
Raisins: You can add other dried fruit in addition to raisins (I used dried cranberries) or you can substitute other dried fruit for raisins.
Recipe Tips
Whichever version you make, the recipe is very easy. You only need one large mixing bowl and a spoon or spatula to mix the cookie dough.
For even-sized cookies, I like to use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop. Using this size will give you 12 oatmeal cookies with nut butter or 8 cookies if you opt for the other option.
The cookies don’t spread when you bake them, so be sure to flatten and shape them before you bake them.
If you make the version without nut butter, the cookies will not brown much at all in the oven compared to the almond butter version.
Either type of cookie will keep for a couple of days at room temperature. Or, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to four days.
More Healthy Oatmeal Recipes
- 4 Ingredient Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies
- Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Baked Blueberry Oatmeal Cups
- Healthy Apple Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
Nut Butter Version
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unsweetened natural creamy almond butter
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 heaping cup raisins plus additional for topping
Version without Nut Butter
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1/4 cup raisins plus additional for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add almond butter (if using), applesauce, syrup and cinnamon. Stir until completely blended and everything is evenly mixed.
- Stir in oats until all oats are completely incorporated and coated. Stir in raisins until they are evenly incorporated.
- Using a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough and place onto prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
- Using the palm of your hand, press down on cookie balls so that they become flat and round and about 1/3 inch thick. The cookies will not spread when baking so you want to shape the dough to be what you want the final outcome of the cookies to look like. Add a few more raisins on top of each cookie, pressing them gently into the surface. You can also add other dried fruits like dried cranberries or blueberries. In my photos I added a few dried cranberries on top of each cookie.
- Bake cookies for about 10-12minutes or until oats are cooked and cookies look baked. If making the version without almond butter, the cookies will remain quite pale. Remove cookies from oven and let them cool completely before removing them from the cookie sheet.
Notes
- The nut butter version makes 12 cookies. The version without nut butter makes 8 cookies.
- Please see post for potential ingredient substitutions
- Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container for 1-2 days at room temperature or 3-4 days in the fridge.
- The estimated nutrition information provided below is calculated for the nut butter version.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Thank you for sharing your healthy recipes! I love your simple ‘clean’ concept to making desserts and appreciate you doing the hard work of recipe development. I sometimes have an issue with the banana in so many recipes, so am delighted when apple sauce shows up – I’m thinking it will be a little less ‘flavor forward’. Can’t wait to try this oatmeal cookie recipe, I’ve been looking for a good, not too sweet recipe.
We hope you love the recipe!
Hi! Can I make these with regular oats rather than quick oats?
Yes, rolled oats will work with the nut butter version.
These are a perfect snack when I need something slightly sweet but with staying power. Quick and easy to make, too!!
I agree they make a great snack! I’m so glad you liked them!
Look like a winner for after dinner?
I know that I will like them,because I’ve been searching other Oatmeal Versions to try that are so simply fool-proof. Thanks for the tips
On these favorite makeover versions??
We hope you give them a try!
Look like a winner for after dinner?
I know that I will like them,because I’ve been searching other Oatmeal Versions to try that are so simply fool-proof. Thanks for the tips
On these favorite makeover versions??
Hope you love them!
Haven’t made them yet and probably never will but look good
We hope you give them a try!
these were so yummy! they were super easy and fast to make, and my whole family loves them 🙂
I’m so glad your whole family loves them!
I used the nut butter version and would definitely make them again. I used regular peanut butter because that’s what I had on hand, and I also added some vanilla and salt. I also rehydrated the raisins. Okay I guess I like to modify recipes. 🙂 At any rate, these are delicious little healthy bites. I think calling them cookies is slightly misleading, but they are definitely tasty and I’ll make them again. I really love that they don’t have any flour or eggs and the only sweetener is that little bit of maple syrup. I feel like I am getting some nutrition and energy from eating them.
I’m glad they worked out for you.
Thank you so much for this recipe, these turned out fantastic ! Absolutely in love with these. So satisfying. Will definitely be making these again ? (i made the almond butter version)
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies!
This was kismet. I came across this recipe as I was preparing to start my LID(low iodine diet) for RAI. I subbed honey for maple syrup and homemade peanut butter (so I could control the type of salt) for almond butter. These were delicious cookies, not too sweet and perfect little treat when everything is on a do not eat list.
I wasn’t a huge fan of keeping the rolled oats whole, the texture reminded me of no bake cookies. So, my second batch I pulsed the oats in a food processor for a little smoother more ‘cookie’ like texture.
I’m definitely going to keep making these, breakfast cookies, as they have been dubbed by my toddler!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies!
These were very tasty! Next time I will double the recipe!
I’m so glad you liked them!