Chewy-soft gluten free oatmeal walnut cookies are studded with bites of crunchy walnuts and laced with cinnamon and ginger.
Like gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies but nuttier! Oatmeal walnut cookies are little bites of buttery, crunchy goodness all wrapped into a sweetly-scented package. These cookies are an adaption of my gluten free oatmeal chocolate chip cookies but made with walnuts instead of chocolate (psst, you can add some chocolate chips, too, and take them out of this world), a bit of warming spice, and an adjustment of the brown sugar to granulated sugar ratio. Also try my gluten free oatmeal raisin bars for a similar type of cookie in bar form!
Jump to:
These are the Yummiest Cookies!
Deceptively simple and made with basic ingredients, these cookies are so much more than the sum of their parts. Is it the combo of chewy oats and whole grain flour in the cookie base, or is it the buttery walnuts and cozy spices that make these stand out? Make this recipe and decide for yourself.
- Easily gluten-free. Each ingredient in this recipe is naturally gluten-free, making this recipe a great choice when you want to bake a gluten-free cookie.
- Texturally excellent. The chewy oats and crunchy nuts plus the soft oat flour base create a wonderful contrasting texture.
- Adaptable. It's fun and easy to adapt these cookies! Add chocolate, brown the butter, you do you!
Ingredient Notes
Here's a look at the ingredients list for these cookies, along with a few notes to help you as you gather up the components needed. Don't forget to check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
- Butter - I always use unsalted butter brought to room temperature so that it easily blends into the dough.
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar is fine (I used dark brown sugar).
- Egg - One large or extra-large egg works.
- Oat flour - Learn how to make oat flour or pick up a package at the store. If you can't eat oats, try brown rice flour or sorghum flour.
- Leavening agents - Baking powder and baking soda help the cookies rise.
- Spices - A warming combo of cinnamon and ginger.
- Salt - Use fine sea salt or table salt.
- Oats - I always use old-fashioned (rolled) oats for that lovely chewy texture, but you can also use instant oats.
- Walnuts
Variations To Try
- Dried fruit - Add ½ cup of dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped apricots.
- Other nuts - Try shelled, chopped pistachios or pecans instead of the walnuts.
- Chocolate - Oatmeal walnut chocolate chip cookies-need I say more?! 1 cup of the chocolate chips of your choice will do the trick.
How to Make Oatmeal Walnut Cookies
Here's an overview in photos of how to make these deliciously easy cookies!
- Cream butter: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, then mix in the egg.
- Add dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, then mix it into the butter mixture until well combined. Add the oats and wanuts.
- Chill dough: Place the dough in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
- Form cookies: Scoop out tablespoons of batter, roll them into balls, and place them on lined baking sheets.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Baking Tip: Chill the Dough
For the best texture and a deeper flavor, chill the cookie dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. Place the assembled dough in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to bake. You may need to rest the dough for 10-15 minutes on the counter to soften it up a bit so you can easily form the cookies.
Tips & Substitution Ideas
- Oat substitutes. If you can't eat oats, swap brown rice flour for the oat flour. Instead of oats, try quinoa flakes or flaked coconut.
- Brown the butter. For depth of flavor, brown the butter before adding it to the dough. If you choose to take this step, make sure to cool the butter slightly before proceeding with the recipe (you don't want it to be too hot to cook the egg!). You could use a whisk and spoon rather than a mixer to streamline the process if you go this route.
- Dairy-free options. Substitute non-dairy butter for the butter or use coconut oil (refined or unrefined coconut oil is fine). You could melt the coconut oil first or keep it semi-solid and cream it with the sugars.
- Egg-free. I haven't made these cookies egg-free, but you could try 1 flax egg in place of the egg to hold the dough together, and it will probably work great.
- Refined sugar-free. Use all coconut sugar in place of the granulated and brown sugars.
Storage Options
- Counter - Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - Transfer freshly baked and cooled cookies to a freezer-safe bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies in the fridge and let them come to room temperature on the counter before eating.
- How to Store Dough - Dough may be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or you can place it in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze it for up to 2 months. You'll need to thaw the dough completely in the fridge before baking it.
More Oat Flour Cookie Recipes
If you try this oatmeal walnut cookies recipe, please let me know! And if you have any questions, always feel free to reach out in the comments or by email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Gluten Free Oatmeal Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar , light or dark brown sugar is fine
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¾ cups oat flour (210 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
Instructions
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the ¾ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar and ½ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the 1 large egg and mix thoroughly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ¾ cups oat flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground gingerr, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, then mix it into the butter mixture until well combined. Add the 2 cups rolled oats and 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts on low speed and mix until well blended.
- Place the dough in the fridge to chill for 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- When ready to bake the cookies, heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out tablespoons of batter, roll them into balls, and place them on the prepared sheets about 1 inch apart. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove cookies from oven, cool on pan for 5 minutes, then place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.
Notes
- Oat substitutes. If you can't eat oats, swap brown rice flour for the oat flour. Instead of oats, try quinoa flakes or flaked coconut.
- Brown the butter. For depth of flavor, brown the butter before adding it to the dough. If you choose to take this step, make sure to cool the butter slightly before proceeding with the recipe (you don't want it to be too hot to cook the egg!). You could use a whisk and spoon rather than a mixer to streamline the process if you go this route.
- Dairy-free options. Substitute non-dairy butter for the butter or use coconut oil (refined or unrefined coconut oil is fine). You could melt the coconut oil first or keep it semi-solid and cream it with the sugars.
- Egg-free. I haven't made these cookies egg-free, but you could try 1 flax egg in place of the egg to hold the dough together, and it will probably work great.
- Refined sugar-free. Use all coconut sugar in place of the granulated and brown sugars.
Helen Spiridakis says
Perfect!