Gluten Free Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Welcome to day ONE of the second annual Ka Pai Cooking Cookie Week!

Cookie Week is the first week of December every year where I release 5 brand new cookie recipes back-to-back and YOU get a chance to win some amazing prizes in an exclusive giveaway.

This year, the winner gets to create their own cookie recipe with me and have it published on my blog!

Imagine having your very own cookie, permanently shared on the Internet for all your friends and family to see, with professional photos and a printable recipe card. WHAT?!

Basically you don't want to miss out this year. To officially join the celebration and enter the giveaway, click here!

OK, now that you're in, you better buckle up, my friend, because I've got some incredible recipes coming your way.

Last year had some amazing recipes like these mini chocolate peppermint cookie pies and my favorite snowman molasses cookies, and today's recipe is a real winner.

In fact, it's actually a suggestion from one of my raving readers! She asked me to make this cookie back in June, so it's been in the works for quite a while.

For day one of Cookie Week, we're kicking off the festivities with white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies, aka healthy oatmeal cookies with rolled oats, tart cranberries, and the perfect chewy texture.

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Why you'll love this recipe

A seasonal favorite: cranberries are a classic Christmas/winter flavor, and they are a great pair with white chocolate. So naturally both of those belong in a chewy oatmeal cookie, right?

Secretly healthy: made with nutritious ingredients like vegan butter, oat flour, and stevia-sweetened chocolate, you'd never know these cookies are gluten free and low sugar!

Great for gifting: if you participate in a Christmas cookie exchange with friends or family, this is the perfect cookie recipe to share!

Easy to make: because there's no chill time, you can have a batch of these cookies ready in 30 minutes.

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Ingredients you'll need

• Vegan butter: I love Miyoko's butter because it's made without vegetable oil and bakes just like regular butter.
• Brown sugar: to add depth and help the cookies spread. Light or dark brown sugar will work.
• Stevia: a zero calorie, refined sugar free substitute for granulated sugar. It'll satisfy your sweet tooth without the extra sugar. (Trust me, your taste buds won't notice!)
• Eggs: for structure, leavening, and flavor. Make sure they're room temperature!
• Oat flour: my favorite flour for gluten-free baking. I recommend using store bought oat flour so it's as fine ground as possible. My favorite is Bob's Red Mill.
• Baking soda: to help the cookies rise.
• Rolled oats: thick and chewy oats that don't absorb the moisture in the cookie dough. Don't swap these for quick oats or your cookies won't spread properly and you won't be able to taste the oats. If your cookies need to be gluten free, make sure to use certified GF oats.
• White chocolate chips: the perfect pair to tart cranberries. I love Lily's brand because their chocolate has no refined sugar or artificial flavors, just good ingredients.
• Dried cranberries: a much better option than raisins if you ask me. They are also a winter flavor, so they're perfect for Christmas baking!

Approved substitutions

• Butter: feel free to use any butter you like, dairy or non dairy. If you use salted butter, cut the amount of salt you add in half. I don't recommend using solid coconut oil because it doesn't cream the same way that butter does.
• Brown sugar: unfortunately I don't have any approved swaps for this one. The structure and spread of these gluten-free cookies is dependent on the brown sugar. If you want an oatmeal cookie with coconut sugar, use this recipe! Just swap the regular chocolate chips for white chocolate chips and add cranberries.
• Stevia: if you don't have or don't like zero-calorie sweeteners, you can use equal amounts white granulated sugar.
• Flour: I've only tested this recipe with oat flour, but I think all purpose flour should be fine. If you need to use a gluten-free all purpose flour, make sure it has xanthan gum in it. Almond flour and coconut flour will not work for this recipe.
• Cranberries: you could used sugar free dried blueberries or reduced sugar raisins. Whichever dried fruit you use, opt for the lowest amount of added sugar possible!

Fun variations

• Swap the white chocolate chips with sugar free dark chocolate chips
• Instead of folding in chocolate chips, melt the chocolate chips and drizzle the chocolate over your fresh baked cookies
• Add some crunchy walnuts or pecans for a boost of heart healthy fats
• Swap half the butter for almond butter (and add one tablespoon coconut oil) to really bring out the cinnamon oatmeal flavors
• Bake the entire batch of cookie dough in a 12" cast iron skillet or 9x13 baking dish for one giant cookie pie!

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How to make gluten free cranberry oatmeal cookies

Step 1: prep your kitchen

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2: cream the wet ingredients

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer and large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and Stevia until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl, then add in the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until well combined, about another 1-2 minutes.

Step 3: mix the dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rolled oats.

Slowly add the oat and flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just a few streaks of flour remain.

Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the white chocolate chips and craisins until just combined.

Step 4: bake the cookies

Use a medium cookie scoop (or roll 2 tablespoons of dough together) and portion out all the cookie dough into even-sized balls.

Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and slightly underbaked.

Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack for the best results.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this cookie dough safe to eat raw?

While this recipe is gluten free, it does have an egg in it, so I don't recommend eating the cookie dough raw. If you want an edible oatmeal cookie dough recipe, use this recipe!

Why are my oatmeal cookies dry?

You probably packed your flour and therefore used too much flour. When measuring your flour, be sure to use the "spoon and level" method: scoop flour into your measuring cup using a spoon, then level off the excess with a knife.

Help! My cookies are crispy, not chewy!

You over-baked them! Pull your cookies out of the oven when the edges are set and the middles look a touch underdone, then let the cookies finish baking on the cookie sheet outside of the oven for 5 minutes. This is the secret to getting a perfect chewy cookie every time!

How long do these cookies last?

Let the cookies cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. You can also freeze in a freezer-safe bag or freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months.

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More holiday cookie recipes

The BEST Healthy Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Vegan Gluten Free Lactation Cookies

Healthy Chewy Monster Cookies

Mini Banana Cream Pie Cookie Cups

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Healthy Chewy Snowman Molasses Cookies

Next time you want to make a batch of gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies, you have to make these gluten-free oatmeal cranberry cookies instead! They are the perfect dessert for Christmas time and since they're made with wholesome ingredients, they can even be a healthy snack for Santa and his reindeer too.

Be sure to leave a star rating and review below if you tried this recipe so other readers know how you liked it!

You can also snap a picture and tag me on social media. I love seeing my recipes in your home!