Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies Recipe (With Video)

Prep Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Yield:

3 dozen

Packed with chocolate chips and raisins, these gluten-free oatmeal cookies are easy to make and don’t require any special ingredients, like gluten-free flour. In fact, they don't contain any flour at all, instead using oats ground into a fine meal. (Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you are making the cookies for anyone with a celiac or a gluten sensitivity.) This simple recipe doesn't call for chilling the dough, and the cookies bake in just 15 minutes—but you'll need to allow time for them to cool before sampling one or two!

Baking Ingredients That May Contain Gluten

Gluten doesn't begin and end with wheat flour (or rye, barley, or other grains). There are plenty of common baking ingredients that don’t naturally contain gluten but may contain trace amounts due to cross-contamination. If you're only reducing the amount of gluten in your diet, you can most likely use these products in your baking without worrying if they might have trace amounts of gluten. However, if you or someone you are baking for are on a strict gluten-free diet, you may want use products that are certified gluten-free, or contact the manufacturer to learn more about the product before using if necessary.

Some ingredients to think about:

Oats
Sprinkles
Corn products like cornstarch and cornmeal
Baking powder
Chocolate (chocolate chips, cocoa powder)
Espresso powder
Vanilla extract and other extracts
Spices
Confectioners' sugar
Brown rice syrup

Directions

Preheat oven, prep baking sheet, and process oats:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, In a blender, process 1 1/2 cups oats into a fine meal.

Credit:
Romulo Yanes
Whisk together oats and other dry ingredients:

Whisk together ground oats, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
Beat butter and sugars:

In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
Beat eggs and vanilla; then add oat mixture:

Beat in eggs and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add oat mixture, beating until combined.
Add chips, raisins, and oats:

Fold in chocolate chips, raisins, and remaining 3 cups oats.
Drop dough onto baking sheets:

In batches, drop dough in 2-tablespoonful mounds onto prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
Bake:

Bake until cookies are golden brown at edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack 2 minutes, then transfer to rack and let cool completely.

Storing Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies

Store the cookies in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to five days.

Freezing

These gluten-free oatmeal cookies may also be frozen. Place in freezer bags and freeze for up to one month.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are oats not gluten-free?

Oats are not considered gluten-free unless they certified as such. Oats themselves do not contain any gluten proteins, but it is very easy for them to become contaminated by grains that do. Large, big-box commercial rolled oats are often produced, processed, or packaged in facilities that also handle other grains like wheat, barley or rye—all of which contain gluten which can lead to contamination. This type of contamination is called "cross contact."
What is the purpose of baking soda in oatmeal cookies?

Baking soda is used as a leavener in baked goods like cookies. While we do not use baking soda in this gluten-free oatmeal cookie recipe, it is used in some oatmeal cookie recipes. Oatmeal cookies can be dense, and baking soda helps to make them lighter and chewier. It can also promote browning and caramelization.
Can you make these gluten-free cookies vegan?

Yes, you could make these gluten-free cookies vegan, but we have not tested a vegan version. This recipe uses eggs and butter. It is simple to swap the butter for vegan butter and have similarly delicious results, but swapping the eggs for a vegan egg alternative is more complicated.