Vegan Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Vegan CranberryOatmeal Cookies, a soft and chewy plant-based oatmeal cookie recipe with chopped dried cranberries. Bakes in only 10 minutes!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get new plant-based recipes in your inbox!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Fork in the Road.
Love cranberry oatmeal cookies? Make them vegan! This easy recipe make the perfect plant-based chewy oatmeal cookies with dried cranberries – all with ingredients you likely already have on hand.
👉 Ready to learn how to make chewy vegan oatmeal cookies with cranberries? Let’s do it!
🍒 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 cranberries: chopped dried cranberries 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.
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.
4️⃣ Step Four: Add oats and cranberries
Next, add the rolled oats and chopped cranberries 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).
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.
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.
❓ Recipe questions + quick tips
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.
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.
💡 Ideas for serving
- With a side of vegan milk. Enjoy a cranberry 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.
🧊 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.
Want more plant-based oatmeal cookie recipes? Try Vegan Cherry Oatmeal Cookies, Vegan Banana Oatmeal Cookies, and Chewy Vegan Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.
NOT SURE WHERE TO START WITH PLANT-BASED EATING?
Get my 4-Day Plant-Based Meal Plan to start your journey on the plant path.
Vegan Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
- 1 handheld mixer or kitchen stand mixer
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 measuring cup set
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- 1 cookie cooler rack
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup dried cranberries chopped
- 2 tablespoons plant-based milk if needed (see instructions)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
- Mix butter: 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.½ cup vegan butter, ⅔ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add dry ingredients: Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to the mixing bowl. Mix until well combined, mixture should be soft but not runny.¾ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add oat and cranberries: Next, add the rolled oats and chopped cranberries 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. If your batter is on dry side, add a small amount of plant-based milk (about 1-2 tablespoons) to get to desired consistency (see photo steps in recipe post step four, as an example).1 ½ cups rolled oats, ½ cup dried cranberries, 2 tablespoons plant-based milk
- 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.
- Bake cookies: Place the baking sheet in the oven to bake for 10-13 minutes. 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.