Chewy, incredibly delicious vegan cranberry oatmeal cookies are healthy enough for breakfast, delicious enough for dessert and the perfect midday snack or Christmas treat.
This recipe was originally published in November 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.
Breakfast just got better with these wholesome cookies that are completely guilt free and actually healthy! It’s the kind of cookie that you can feel great about eating, and we can all get on board with that right?
Why you’ll love these cookies
They’re made using nutritious ingredients like oats, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and banana! Just like my sweet potato cookies, these delicious bites are suitable for a healthy breakfast.
No refined sugar here, just a touch (2 tbsp) of pure maple syrup and naturally sweet ripe bananas in the entire batch!
These cranberry oatmeal cookies are not only vegan (dairy free and egg free) but also oil free! That keeps these low fat, making them a heart healthy choice.
Using whole oats and no flour makes them easy to keep gluten free, if needed. Just be sure to choose certified gluten free oats in case of cross contamination.
They’re not only vegan, gluten free, oil free and refined sugar free, but also nut free! So now you’ve got a school safe or workplace safe snack.
They make a great Christmas cookie with festive pops of cranberries throughout.
And lastly, they’re SO delicious! You’d never guess how healthy they are.
How to make them
(This is a summary with step-by-step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Gather your ingredients and make sure to use VERY ripe bananas for best results.
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. (photos 1-3)
Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop the batter from your bowl. Then press the batter with your fingers, down into the scoop to ensure there are no gaps in your cookie. (photo 4)
Place your cookies onto the your prepared baking tray. (photo 5)
Bake for 13-18 minutes depending on your preferred texture.
For chewy, softer cookies, stick closer to 13 minutes and remove from the oven and let them continue to set at room temperature. For crispier texture, bake for 17-18 minutes.
Enjoy!
How long do they keep?
These vegan cranberry oatmeal cookies keep at room temperature for 3-4 days in a sealed container. You may refrigerate for 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Make sure they are completely cooled before freezing and layer them with parchment paper so they don’t stick to one another.
Can I make any substitutions?
Yes! Here’s just a few ideas for you.
- You may sub the dried cranberries for any dried fruit of choice, such as raisins, chopped dates or chopped apricots.
- For banana free, you may sub for pumpkin puree or mashed sweet potato. Use a scant ¾ cup worth.
- If you don’t have pumpkin seeds, you may omit or sub for another filler like chocolate chips, chopped nuts or more dried fruit. (Keep in mind that chocolate chips or more dried fruit will add more sugar.)
- If you don’t have maple syrup, you may sub for date syrup, or another liquid sweetener of choice, or skip it, if preferred.
Expert Tips
Use VERY ripe bananas. Bananas with brown skins work best here for added natural sweetness since we’re not using much sugar to sweeten these cranberry oatmeal cookies.
Use a medium cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies, or an ice cream scoop if you don’t have one.
Firmly push down the batter into your scoop before releasing onto your tray. This will help prevent gaps in your cookies so they hold together well.
For chewier, moister cookies, bake for 13-14 minutes and remove from the oven but let them set at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before enjoying.
For crispier texture, bake for 17-18 minutes.
More favourite cookie recipes
- Vegan Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
- Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
- Healthy Peanut Butter Chickpea Cookies
- Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies
- Vegan Almond Flour Cookies
If you tried this recipe, please let me know in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube to see more delicious food.
Buon appetito
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats NOT instant
- ½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
- ⅓ cup shelled pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup mashed banana about 2 large RIPE bananas
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mash the banana in a large mixing bowl, then add the applesauce and maple syrup. Mix well. Then add all the dry ingredients and mix until evenly coated.
- Use a medium cookie scoop and press the mixture into the scoop before releasing onto your tray. You want to press them into the scoop to ensure there are no gaps and prevent them from breaking apart. Repeat with remaining batter, you should get about 14 cookies.
- Bake for 13-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes to completely set. For softer, chewier cookies bake for 13-14 minutes, but for crispier cookies, bake for 17-18 minutes.
Laurie says
I made these yummy cookies because I had very ripe bananas to use up. I changed up your recipe slightly as I didn’t have pumpkin seeds. Instead I substituted the pumpkin seeds for walnuts and added vegan chocolate chips (my husband says cookies need chocolate in them!) I also had 3 large bananas to use up and these cookies were absolutely delicious! Thanks for all you do for the vegan community by coming up with delicious healthy options.
Rosa says
Thanks for sharing your process with us Laurie! So glad you both enjoyed the cookies. 🙂