Vegan Cherry Oatmeal Cookies ⋆ Soft, Chewy, Bakes in 10 Minutes!

Name: Vegan Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: ½ cup vegan butter (softened); ⅔ cup light brown sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ¾ cup all-purpose flour (or gluten free all-purpose); 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 ½ cups rolled oats; 2 tablespoons plant-based milk (optional (see instructions)); ½ cup dried cherries (chopped)

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Vegan Cherry Oatmeal Cookies, the perfect soft and chewy plant-based oatmeal cookie recipe with chopped dried cherries that bakes in only 10 minutes.

vegan oatmeal cookies with cherries on a white table with fresh cherries

Love cherry oatmeal cookies? Make them vegan! This easy recipe make the perfect chewy plant-based oatmeal cookies with dried cherries with ingredients you likely already have on hand.

👉 Ready to learn how to make chewy vegan cherry oatmeal cookies? Let’s do it!

Table of Contents hide

1 🍒 Ingredients

2 🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)

3 ❓ Recipe questions + quick tips

4 💡 Ideas for serving

5 🧊 How to store and reheat

6 👉 More vegan oatmeal cookie recipes

7 Get my meal plan!

8 Vegan Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

🍒 Ingredients

Rolled oats: the base of these cookies; rolled oats are key, do not use steel cut or other oat types
Flour: helps hold the cookies together; all-purpose flour, gluten free all-purpose flour, or other gluten free flours all work
Dried cherries: chopped dried cherries add tart and sweet flavor
Brown sugar: light brown sugar adds sweetness and helps the cookies stay soft and chewy
Vanilla: adds a depth of flavor and color
Cinnamon: a dash of ground cinnamon adds flavor
Baking soda and salt: baking soda helps the cookies to rise and salt adds flavor and balance
Plant-based milk: optional, but adds liquid if the batter is too dry before baking
Recommended tools: baking sheet, silicone baking mat, handheld mixer, mixing bowls, measuring cups

🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)

1️⃣ Step One: Preheat oven

Before you get started prepping your cookies, first Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) so it’s ready to go.

2️⃣ Step Two: Mix butter

To prep the cookies, first add softened vegan butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl.

Then, using your handheld mixer, beat until the sugar and vanilla are whipped into the butter, about 2 minutes.

👉 What type of mixer should you use? I use a simple handheld mixer, but you can alternatively user a kitchen stand mixer as well.

a metal mixing bowl with vegan butter mixed with brown sugar and vanilla extract — Mix butter with brown sugar and vanilla

3️⃣ Step Three: Add dry ingredients

Next, add all purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to the mixing bowl.

Mix until well combined, the mixture should be soft but not runny.

a metal mixing bowl with flour mixed into vegan butter, brown sugar, and vanilla — Mix in flour

4️⃣ Step Four: Add oats and cherries

Next, add the rolled oats and chopped cherries to the bowl and mix until well combined with the other ingredient mixture.

The final cookie batter should be thick and somewhat wet; it should not be dry and crumbly.

👉 What if the batter is too dry? If your batter is on dry side, add a small amount of plant-based milk (about 1-2 tablespoons) to get to desired consistency (like the photo below).

oatmeal cookie batter with dried cherries in a mixing bowl with a baking spatula — Add rolled oats and dried cherries

5️⃣ Step Five: Add cookie dough to baking sheet

Scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie batter for each cookie onto a lined baking sheet; the batter should make about 12 cookies.

For a thinner cookie, press the batter down with a spatula before baking.

cherry oatmeal cookie dough on a baking sheet before baking — Scoop dough onto baking sheet

6️⃣ Step Six: Bake cookies

Place the baking sheet in the oven to bake for 10-13 minutes. Here’s how to choose how long to bake them:

For chewier, softer cookies: Bake for only 10 or 11 minutes; the cookies may not look done, but leave them on the baking sheet for 2 minutes after removing them from the oven and they will firm up but remain soft.
For firmer cookies: Cook for 12-13 minutes. Remove cookies to a cooling rack and let cool before eating.

plant-based cherry oatmeal cookies on a baking sheet after cooking — Bake 10-13 minutes

❓ Recipe questions + quick tips

How do you make cherry oatmeal cookies vegan?

Traditional oatmeal cookies are made with butter, eggs, and milk, which is not suitable for plant-based diets. Vegan oatmeal cookies are made with vegan butter, plant-based milk, and often use an egg replacer like a flax egg, or simply omit any egg to make the cookies completely plant-based.

How do I make my vegan oatmeal cookies chewier?

Use brown sugar in place of white granulated sugar, using a wet and thick dough, and using more plant based butter will yield a softer, chewier cookies. It’s also important to slightly undercook the cookies and take them out of the oven when they are still very soft, then let them sit on the hot pan for 1-2 minutes after baking until they firm up and can be handled. Cooking them for too long will make them harder and crispier.

stacked plant-based cherry oatmeal cookies on a white table with fresh black cherries

💡 Ideas for serving

With a side of vegan milk. Enjoy a cherry oatmeal cookie with a side of plant-based milk for a simple treat.
As an ice cream sandwich. Use two cookies as a sandwich with plant-based ice cream for a tasty vegan ice cream cookie.
As a topping for desserts. Crumble this cookie on top of ice cream or yogurt for a nice treat topping.

vegan cherry oatmeal cookies on a white table with fresh cherries

🧊 How to store and reheat

Storage: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container on the countertop for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezer storage: Freeze in a freezer-friendly bag or container for up to 1 month. To thaw, remove from the freezer into the refrigerator for 24 hours before eating.