This one-bowl recipe for gluten-free cherry oatmeal cookies is not too sweet and is perfect for tucking into school lunches or enjoying as a snack!
I have a short (and not-too-sweet) recipe for you today -- lovely little oatmeal cookies with dried cherries. This is a one-bowl recipe, always appreciated in my kitchen! They are sweetened with a little honey (or maple syrup) and applesauce, with just a bit of coconut oil for richness. The cookies are also dairy and egg-free; I made them when we had friends over for a play date who don't eat eggs, dairy, or gluten. I like to have a few back-pocket recipes I can rely on when I want to bake a certain way, and this one is a reliable favorite.
It's also a great cookie base recipe: you could swap out the dried cherries for chocolate chips (or add chocolate chips), add walnuts or other nuts, try pear sauce instead of the applesauce, and the list goes on. I've included some substitution options below although I'm not sure if it would work to switch out the rolled oats as they are integral to the cookie. But if you can't do oats, I think quinoa flakes would work as a decent swap, perhaps balanced with some dried coconut flakes. (Actually -- including coconut in this recipe would be wonderful!)
We're headed out camping tonight -- crossing fingers for no rain; at least, no rain whilst we're sleeping in a tent! -- and I'm packing up a tin of these cookies for easy snacking. They travel well, and would also be perfect tucked into school lunches.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe For Oatmeal Cherry Cookies
- One bowl. Yes! You'll only need one bowl to put these cookies together, which makes them super easy and helps with clean up.
- Healthy. No butter or even too much oil makes these cookies light on fat. Whole grain oats and oat flour brings protein and fiber.
- Not too sweet. The recipe uses honey and applesauce to bring natural sweetness. I love a recipe that's refined sugar-free, and these are sweet without being overly so.
- Suitable for many dietary needs. These cookies are gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free but they magically still taste so good.
What You'll Need to Make Gluten-Free Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
- Oat flour: Toasty, buttery oat flour is the only gluten-free flour you'll need for this recipe. More about gluten-free flours.
- Baking powder and soda
- Ground spices: Ginger and cardamom
- Fine sea salt
- Coconut oil
- Honey
- Applesauce: Use unsweetened applesauce
- Pure vanilla extract
- Rolled oats
- Dried cherries
Substitutions
- Oat flour - swap in almond flour. This will also bring an extra hit of protein.
- Honey - substitute maple syrup.
Storage
Store cookies in an air-tight container on the counter for 3 days. You can also freeze cookies for up to 3 months in a sealed plastic bag. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
Gluten-Free Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free oat flour (150 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½-2 cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup dried cherries, chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cardamom, and salt.
- Whisk in the coconut oil and honey until smooth. Mix in applesauce and vanilla.
- Stir in the oats and dried cherries, and mix well to combine. The dough may be a bit wet, so add more oats as necessary to help bring it all together. You want the dough to be thick enough to be able to roll cookie balls between your hands. Place dough in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 375ºF and set the rack on the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll the dough into 1 ¼-inch balls and place them 2-inches apart on the baking sheets. Use a fork to gently flatten the dough slightly.
- Place in the oven and bake until the cookies are a gentle brown all across the top, about 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven and place cookies on a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
- Cookies will keep in an air tight container at room temperature for three days.
Lair says
Gooey texture, although I baked them about 13 min. and they were certainly done. It's hard to bake gluten free. I've not had much luck with most recipes. I'm not vegan so maybe will try it again with eggs and butter and less apple sauce. Nice flavor, though.
Nicole Spiridakis says
Thank you for your comment! This is an older recipe I will revisit and update if needed ... agree that an egg may help with texture and make them less soft!