Name: The Best Dairy-Free Oatmeal Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 9 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup brown sugar; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP canola oil; 2 eggs; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1 TBSP honey; 1 1/2 cup sifted white flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 TBSP cinnamon; 2 cups rolled oats(old fashioned oats); 1/2 cup instant oats; 1/2-1 cup chocolate chips(optional!)

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The claim to “The Best” cookie is a big one! But as far as non-dairy cookies go, these truly are The Best Dairy-Free Oatmeal Cookies! With a chewy centre and golden, crispy edges, these cookies are so good no one will notice that there is no butter. These cookies have the perfect texture and require no mixer- read on for all my tips!

I tested this recipe out for weeks before writing it up for you all! My lucky neighbors all agree that these are simply incredible oatmeal cookies- and no-one even asked if they were dairy free!

Have you tried our Mini Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Cookies? You won’t guess the secret ingredient!

No Dairy and Just as Good

Some recipes turn to the no dairy side of things by simply substituting the butter in a recipe for margarine or a different non-dairy substitute. (My personal favorite is a vegan butter made on a base of coconut oil that I use for Raspberry Jam Hearts).

But the best recipe for dairy- free oatmeal cookies is made with no butter, no butter substitutes, and no margarine. And let me tell you, the flavour and texture is truly unparalleled.

These are by far the best no- butter oatmeal cookies to come out of my kitchen. (and believe me I have tried them all!).

Soft and Chewy Dairy-Free Oatmeal Cookies

There are a few tricks to get the perfect chewy centre and crispy edges without any butter.

Canola Oil is my oil of choice and there is a very specific amount(1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons), to give these cookies enough moisture but to keep them from being oily.
Brown Sugar in a larger quantity than white sugar gives a beautiful golden color and caramel notes to our dough.
Rolled Oats AND Instant Oats are the secret for the perfect texture and a cookie that holds its shape together!
A Short Baking Time ensures a chewy centre- the cookies will cook for only 9 minutes. They will deflate while they cool and continue to cook a bit more, so don’t be worried if they look a little under-done!
Honey?! Just a Tablespoon of honey keeps these cookies soft and also prolonges their shelf life. Seriously, they stay fresh for days!!

Make the Oatmeal Cookie Dough In Advance

I am a sucker for fresh cookies. So while these cookies bake up and last in a covered container in the pantry for 3 days(if they last that long!), I have an even better option.

This cookie dough can be made and stored in the fridge a week in advance.

I know this because I made this recipe for my family one weekend and then baked myself a fresh small batch every morning the next week. From the same dough. Please don’t ask how many I consumed- I will never tell!
Leave the dough in your mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap, then place in the fridge. If you want to bake half the batch now and save the rest for later in the week, I suggest putting the dough in a ziplock bag to keep it fresh- that way no air can get in.

A Great Base Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

An easy simple recipe is the perfect base– start with that and you can use your imagination! My family loves a simple oatmeal cookie with lots of chocolate chips, but my mom prefers a nutty one with walnuts and raisins. I usually add dairy-free chocolate chips into the main dough and press in walnuts to half of them after I’ve scooped the dough out(to 1 1/2 Tbs size).

TIP: Raisins I recommend adding directly into the dough or rolling into the middle of each cookie because they burn and shrivel if you press them on to the dough mounds.

White chocolate chips and craisins would be delicious too!

Tips for Chewy Soft Dairy Free Cookies

This recipe is super simple and straightforward- no mixer required. These cookies take about 5 minutes to whip up and only 9 minutes to bake- but I still have some tips for you!

“Beat” the oil with the sugars really well. I use a rubber spatula and just mix these 3 ingredients together for a good 30 seconds before adding anything else.
Whisk the dry ingredients separately. Use an actual whisk. I know this is one more thing to wash but a whisk ensures the baking soda is well distributed to give your cookies the perfect amount of spread while they bake.
Use both rolled oats and instant oats. Sometimes you only have one on hand, and I get that, but what makes these cookies really chewy and soft, while still hearty, is to use both. The rolled oats give the oatmeal cookies that old fashioned look and wholesome taste, and the instant oats keeps the cookie chewy in the centre.
Portion each cookie to be 1 1/2 Tablespoons. I have tried all different sizes and this is the perfect one. So you don’t actually have to measure that size out, use a Tablespoon and scoop the dough so it is heaping over the top- this is just the perfect amount. Then use a little spoon to scoop the round of dough out of the Tablespoon. [If the cookies are smaller than this size you will have a chewier cookie and any bigger they break apart easily.]
Bake directly on a baking tray. This is not a must- but I find that baking the cookies directly on a non stick baking tray(I have one from Nordic Ware), makes the bottoms extra crisp and golden.

Lastly, if you make The Best Dairy-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, leave a comment/rate the recipe below! I love to hear about your tips and tweaks to the recipes, and all about what you are cooking! Of course, don’t forget to share a photo on Instagram, those make my day.
Happy Cooking, Estee