These Sugar Free Oatmeal Cookies are chewy thanks to oats and flaxseed, and have a sweet pop of nuts and dried fruit. They prove that it is possible to avoid sugar and still bake cookies!
Other oatmeal cookies we love are these breakfast cookies, healthy oatmeal cookies and healthy banana oatmeal cookies.
Table of Contents
Here is a giant healthy cookie recipe with no added sugar and whole food ingredients!
I started making these sugar free oatmeal cookies back in 2018 when we hiked with small kids and I was extremely passionate about healthy eating. Not that I am not anymore, but as kids grew I became more understanding with “balance and moderation”.:)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No added sugar: No maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar or low glycemic sugar substitutes. Fruit is the only sweetener!
- Easy to make: Minimal ingredients and mostly pantry staples, these cookies come together in only 40 minutes.
- Special diet approved: No eggs, dairy or wheat and when using gluten free oats, these are both vegan and gluten-free oatmeal cookies.
- Eat any time of the day: Made with wholesome ingredients these are perfect for a healthy breakfast, snack or even dessert!
- Freezer friendly: Make a big batch and store in the freezer when you need a healthy snack on the go!
Ingredients for Sugar Free Oatmeal Cookies
To make sugar free oatmeal cookies recipe you will need common pantry staples plus bananas.
- Bananas: Make sure you use very ripe bananas with many black spots to ensure sweet cookies.
- Flaxseed and water: Flax eggs keep this recipe vegan, add extra healthy fats and help to eat less animal products.
- Oats: I prefer to use rolled oats or also known as old-fashioned oats. You can use quick oats but cookies will have less chewy texture.
- Oat flour: You can use store-bought oat flour or here is a quick tutorial on DIY oat flour. Don’t use just ground up oats, they have to be sifted.
- Coconut oil: I tried this recipe with both coconut oil and Nutiva buttery flavored coconut oil. Both worked great! I think vegan butter like Earth Balance will be fine too but I am not sure how recipe will work with oil that you can’t melt.
- Nuts: Use whichever nuts you love. I use peanuts, almonds and cashews. I think sunflower seeds, Brazilian nuts, pecans and hazelnuts will go well.
- Dates: You can use regular dates or Medjool dates.
- Baking essentials: Vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
How to Make Sugar Free Oatmeal Cookies
These sugar free oatmeal cookies are so simple to make! There is also a full recipe card below.
- Prep wet ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together flaxseed and water, and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. In another large bowl, mash bananas and add melted coconut oil, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add in the flaxseed mixture and whisk well.
- Add dry ingredients: Add oats and oat flour and mix well. Don’t be surprised that cookie dough will come out pretty thick. Throw in chopped nuts and dried fruit, stir.
- Form cookies: Scoop cookie batter onto baking sheet using a large ice cream scoop or a cookie scoop (a large tablespoon works too!). Flatten with the back of the scoop or a large spoon. Don’t worry, these cookies will not spread out more during baking.
- Bake: Bake cookies for 20 minutes. Then remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for a minute before transferring to a wire rack. Let them cool completely.
Tips for Best Results
- Follow the recipe: For best results, I recommend to follow this cookie recipe as written. Baking is truly a science!
- Chop dried fruit: If using larger dried fruit like apricots, dates or even prunes, chop them into dried raisin sized pieces. Also raisins or dried cranberries will work, no need to chop them. Just make sure you are not using sweetened dried fruit.
- Do not substitute flour: Oat flour is lighter than wheat flours and if you substitute it, your cookies will turn out dry or crumbly.
- Flatten the cookies: These cookies need some help to spread out. Flatten them slightly to ensure they bake all the way through.
- Cool for only 1 minute on the pan: After baking, cool for 1 minute on the pan to ensure the cookie holds shape, then move to a baking rack. Leaving them longer on the pan, might “bake” them longer and your cookies might be dry!
Additions and Variations
No matter what mix-ins you use, either as written or with add-in variations, be sure to use only 1 cup total.
- Mix-ins: Mini chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips (just remember this will change the sugar amount), unsweetened dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, dried cherries, blueberries or even crystalized ginger will work.
- Shredded coconut: Unsweetened dried coconut flakes.
- Nuts and seeds: Pumpkin seeds, chopped walnuts or pecans, pistachios, chia seeds, flax seeds or sunflower seeds. Unsalted is best!
- Warm spices: Swap cinnamon for gingerbread spice, pumpkin pie spice or a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger or allspice.
- Lemon or orange zest: Just a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon will add a delicious flavor.
- Extract: Swap vanilla extract for pure almond extract for a nutty taste.
- Peanut butter: Add just 1-2 tablespoons otherwise you will upset the balance of wet to dry ratio of ingredients. You could also use a small amount of peanut butter powder.
How to Store
Store: It is best to place sugar free oatmeal cookies in a cool, dry ventilated or partially closed container. I don’t recommend storing in an airtight container or the cookies will get soggy.
Freeze: Place in a freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours.
Shipping? I would ship cookies only to a short destination where a receiver can pick up parcel immediately. For 5 days in transit maximum.
I recommend to place cookies in a ventilated container big enough to fit all cookies but so they don’t tumble in it and break.
FAQs
I have not tried this swap, so can’t vouch for results. You will need to skip flaxseed and water and try to add 2 large eggs. That’s what seems to work out for some readers. Please let me know how cookies turn out.
I don’t recommend it. Bananas are quite unique, binding and make the base of this recipe. Maybe pumpkin puree or applesauce will work.
I have not tested this recipe with any oil that you can’t melt like avocado oil, olive oil etc. A reader made these cookies with grapeseed oil and they turned out well.
Dried fruit makes cookies sweeter. If you are OK with not sweet cookies, you can omit dates.
Sugar free cookies will not be chewy because it is sugar that causes cookies to be soft as it melts while baking. These cookies will be soft, but not chewy.
More Healthy Cookies Recipes to Try
- Healthy oatmeal cranberry cookies
- Healthy no bake cookies
- Cottage cheese cookies
- Protein cookies
- Oat flour cookies
- Oat flour monster cookies
- Healthy pumpkin cookies
Sugar Free Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed ground
- 9 tablespoons water
- 2 large over ripen bananas
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1 cup mixed nuts & seeds chopped, if too large
- 10 Medjool dates pitted & chopped, or 1 cup raisins
- Cooking spray I use Misto
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk flaxseed and water. Let sit for about 10 minutes while you are getting other ingredients ready.
- In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add coconut oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add flaxseed mixture and whisk really well.
- Add oats and oat flour; stir to combine. Add nuts and dried fruit; mix well. Dough will be very thick.
- Using large ice cream scoop, place batter on previously prepared sheet and flatten with the back of a scoop into large size cookies. Cookies do not spread. I had about 6 cookies per sheet. Bake in batches for 20 minutes or until nuts start to brown a bit.
- Remove from the oven and let cookies cool for a minute, then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool off completely. Enjoy for breakfast, snack or a healthy dessert!
Notes
- Store: Store in a cool dry place open. Do not wrap or place cookies in a jar. The more air, the better. That way cookies do not get soggy. Remember there is no sugar.
- Freeze: In an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours.
The first thing I ever baked in life and it turned out great ! I am glad you posted this recipe. Thankyou!!
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Is there anyway to make the cookies more crispy. similar to packaged ones. Thankyou again for a great recipe.
Mmmm, no because packaged ones are crispy due to sugar melting into butter during baking.
I see, thankyou for the reply 🙂
This one was an instant hit with my family. So healthy and tasty and moreover guilt free. Actually I have made it three -four times by now
Thanks and waiting for many more
Yay! So happy this is a hit with your family Meenakshi!
Thanks for the gr8 recipe and detailed walk through.
I soak my oats & almonds & flax seeds for 12 hours before I start the process… the result tasted good but the texture was softer than needed. Any advice?
Yes, to follow the recipe and not to soak them.
Hahahahahaa, this made me laugh so much!
Can’t wait to try more recipes off your site. Still living off the split pea soup I found on here when I started my healthier eating. I have it probably 5+ times per week and have not grown tired of it. I’ve lost nearly 70#, my cholesterol levels are superb, and when I eat “junk” I may enjoy it in small amounts but then find myself looking forward to healthier foods. And no, you don’t have to live off pea soup to be healthy, but I love it and I can make it on weekends and bring it to work all week. (Try it even if you think you won’t like it. You will 🙂 )
Thanks for all the effort you put into this site. I am excited to decide between the no-bake peanut butter pie and the coconut mango ice cream to bring to an Independence Day picnic!
Thank you for your positive feedback Kimberely. Sounds like you are doing a really good job at eating healthy. That’s awesome!
Can I use vegetable oil and regular flour for these? I don’t have the other ingredients on hand.
Hi Veda. This recipe is for oatmeal (no flour) cookies. Baking is a science and it is best to follow recipes as written.
I was able to make the substitutions without any issues. I also added two tablespoons of peanut butter for flavor and binding. When I have access to coconut oil and oat flour, I look forward to trying out the recipe closely.
So far, this is my favorite healthy oatmeal cookie recipe. I’m making my fourth batch now.
Thank you!
You are welcome Veda!
My husband loves them!
I have made these many times, my husband and son are actually asking for them regularly. They are so full of flavor, soft and chewy at the same time. Relatively guilt free 🙂 And I would make them just for the way my house smells of melted coconut when I have them in the oven.
Thanks for another great recipe!
You’re welcome Cristina!
Very good cookies! Thanks for explaining about the texture and how to store them. Very helpful! I can’t stop eating them! The first batch I did, I put in pumpkins seeds with dates. Now cooking another batch with dates, cashews and walnuts.
Fantastic additions to the cookies! Sounds so yummy! Happy baking Anna!
Oh my goodness. I’ve tried so many no sugar added cookie recipes and this is the best. I’ve made it about twelve times with different variations. People love these, and not just “I love them for being no-sugar-added cookies.” They love them just as cookies.
I like to add apples, ginger and cacao nibs. But even without any variations, it’s dang good! Good enough to make me take the time to finally write a review. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your positive feedback Amanda!
I was lucky to have all the ingredients. I guess everyone has those at home. Super easy. My chef kid 🙂 (3 yrs old) was skeptic at first about “non-cookie “ ingredients but loved the taste when they were done! Thank you very much!
Woohoo! So happy to hear these cookies were well received by your kiddo!
Hey Olena!
I would like to add another banana to the cookies to make them sweeter. What else should I adjust in the cookies to make that change?
Hi Annie. Problem is that extra banana might make dough more runny but maybe it will work. I have not tried. Add more dried fruit instead of some nuts and cookies will be sweeter.:)