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Chewy, delicate, and bursting with bright cranberry flavor, meet our new favorite healthy cranberry orange oatmeal cookies. I highly recommend these eggless cranberry cookies for all your wholesome treats or quick pick-me-up snack moments.
Moreover, this recipe is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, and highly nutritious. No mixer, no baking soda, and no chilling time required. Ready in under 30 minutes, these breakfast cookies without eggs really are the best!
If you haven't experienced the delightful punch of cranberry and orange merged together in a hearty low-calorie cookie, then you must whip up this recipe now.
These bites of comfort pack a satisfying kick of tangy cranberry balanced with sweet orange juice, all rounded out with weight-loss-friendly oats.
Maybe you are like me and always keep a bag of fresh cranberries in the freezer to use up all year long in your favorite cranberry recipes (Honestly, I don't want to miss that pop of beautiful color and flavor).
I love to blend them in my morning Cranberry Smoothie or bake these super moist Cranberry Orange Muffins with them.
Ohh, I forgot to mention this refined sugar-free Cranberry Sauce I greatly enjoy with Fluffy Pancakes. Truly these antioxidant-packed superfoods are incredibly versatile in are working well with all kinds of sweet and savory dishes.
Now, let's bake!
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Ingredients
You will need 1 bowl and a few plant-based ingredients to make these gluten-free oatmeal cookies:
- Cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- Rolled / Old-Fashioned Oats (make sure they are certified GF)
- Oat Flour (you can find the recipe here: How To Make Homemade Oat Flour in 2 minutes, easy and affordable!)
- Orange (juice and zest)
- Coconut Sugar (you can use white or brown sugar as well)
- Coconut Milk (or any dairy-free milk)
- Coconut Butter
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Turmeric Powder (for color, optional)
As always, you can find the full recipe with a list of ingredients with measurements in a printable recipe card at the end of this post.
How To Make Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Here is an easy step-by-step instruction on how to make these healthy oatmeal cookies with frozen cranberries from scratch.
Mix dry ingredients. First, preheat the oven to 356°F / 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl stir together rolled oats, oat flour, sugar, and a pinch of turmeric powder (if using).
Add in wet ingredients. Then, in the bowl with dry ingredients add coconut milk, soft coconut butter, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and zest. Mix until combined and there aren't any dry spots.
Fold in frozen cranberries. Next, gently fold cranberries in the mixture. See the tips below on how to chop them if you use standard-sized cranberries (not as tiny as mine).
Form cookies. Using a spoon or ⅛ cup scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten and form each cookie into a round shape with your hands since they won't spread while baking. Mine were about 2.4 inches (6 cm) in diameter.
Bake, serve, and enjoy. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes. They are delicious while warm topped with Homemade Nutella, creamy Cashew Butter, or Peanut Butter.
Once cooled, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Substitutions
- Cranberries - instead of fresh or frozen cranberries you can use dried cranberries. Substitute ½ cup of frozen cranberries with ¼ cup - ⅓ cup of dried cranberries.
- Coconut milk - you can use any non-dairy milk instead. Note: Because coconut milk has a richer and creamier texture than other plant milk like oat milk, almond milk, or cashew milk you may need to add an extra tablespoon or two of oat flour to make the cookie dough scoopable.
- Coconut butter - if you don't have coconut butter at hand you can swap it with regular plant-based unsalted butter or coconut oil.
- Coconut sugar - white or brown sugar would be a great alternative, as well.
- Oat flour - replace it with buckwheat flour, rice flour, or gluten-free baking flour.
Variations
- Nutty - add finely chopped hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts for heart-healthy fats and a toasty crunchy bite.
- Chocolatey- mix in vegan dark or white chocolate chips or chunks for a scrumptious chocolate flavor.
- Drizzle with orange glaze - for an extra burst of citrusy flavor and added sweetness.
Storage
Once the cookies are completely cool store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Also, these cookies are perfect to make ahead of time and freeze for later.
If you make a large batch place them in a freezer-friendly container or freezer bag, arrange them in a single layer, place parchment paper on top, add another layer of cookies, and freeze in a flat position for up to 2 months.
Top tips
- Don't overbake the cookies. Although the center may seem soft when you take them out of the oven, they will continue to cook a bit on the hot baking sheet if you leave them there for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Chop finely fresh or frozen cranberries. You can totally skip this step if you use tiny wild cranberries as I did. If yours are bigger simply put them in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times to get small evenly sized pieces that will incorporate into the mixture. Be careful not to overprocess and turn them into purée. If using frozen cranberries, don't thaw them. However, if they are not clean, rinse them under cold water and strain them before adding them to the dough.
- Shape cookies before baking. These cookies won't spread so shape them to the preferred size and thickness before baking.
- Soften coconut butter. If your coconut butter is hard and crumbly simply put the sealed jar in a hot water for 10 minutes or microwave for a few seconds to soften.
FAQ
Yes, indeed! These filling cranberry-orange cookies will surely satisfy your sweet tooth while helping you stick to your wellness goals. They are full of good-for-you ingredients like disease-fighting cranberries, fresh orange juice, protein-rich oats, and oat flour making them the ultimate healthy treat you can enjoy without guilt.
Of course, if you made a large batch and can't eat them all you can freeze them for later. Let them cool completely before freezing them in a freezer-friendly container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
Absolutely not! You don't need baking soda or baking powder to make these chewy oatmeal cookies.
Sure, fresh or frozen cranberries can be a great addition if you want to add that bright, tart flavor to your baked goods.
One cookie contains only 89 calories.
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Bowl
- Spoon
- lemon squeezer
- baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
- ½ cup cranberries frozen or fresh, finely chopped if large (see notes below)*
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats gluten-free
- ¾ cup oat flour
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar or white / brown sugar
- 1 pinch of turmeric powder for color, optional
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup coconut milk or any dairy-free milk
- 2 tablespoon coconut butter softened
- 2 tablespoon orange juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 356°F / 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium-sized bowl stir together rolled oats, oat flour, sugar, and turmeric powder if using.
- Then, in the bowl with dry ingredients add coconut milk, soft coconut butter, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and zest. Mix until combined and there aren't any dry spots.
- Next, gently fold cranberries in the mixture. See the tips below on how to chop them if you use standard-sized cranberries (not as tiny as mine).
- Using a spoon or ⅛ cup scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each cookie into a round shape with your hands since they won't spread while baking. Mine were about 2.4 inches (6 cm) in diameter.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes. They are delicious while warm topped with Homemade Nutella, creamy Cashew Butter, or Peanut Butter.Once cooled, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
-
- Don't overbake the cookies. Although the center may seem soft when you take them out of the oven, they will continue to cook a bit on the hot baking sheet if you leave them there for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
-
- Chop finely fresh or frozen cranberries. You can totally skip this step if you use tiny wild cranberries as I did. If yours are bigger simply put them in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times to get small evenly sized pieces that will incorporate into the mixture. Be careful not to overprocess and turn them into purée. If using frozen cranberries, don't thaw them. However, if they are not clean, rinse them under cold water and strain them before adding them to the dough.
-
- Shape cookies before baking. These cookies won't spread so shape them to the preferred size and thickness before baking.
-
- Soften coconut butter. If your coconut butter is hard and crumbly simply put the sealed jar in a hot water for 10 minutes or microwave for a few seconds to soften.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Did you make these simple oatmeal cookies?
I would greatly appreciate it if you have a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. You can also share your photo on Instagram with the tag @go_eatgreen and hashtag it #go_eatgreen. We would love to see your creations! Thank you for sharing your experience with us, we are so grateful you are here 🙏
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