Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Why These are The Best Cookies!

If you love oatmeal raisin cookies and have been missing them since you went gluten-free-or maybe you just want to bake for a gluten-free friend-you have come to the right place! All of the classic flavors you'll find in a traditional oatmeal raisin cookie are also here, just without any wheat. These are beautifully simple cookies that somehow come together into a salty/buttery/chewy bit of absolute goodness. Here are some of my top reasons why I love these cookies:

• Everything you love about oatmeal cookies, but gluten-free. Each ingredient in this recipe is naturally gluten-free, making it a great choice when you want to bake a gluten-free cookie.
• A perfect blend of soft and chewy. I love how tender these cookies are, yet they retain a bit of chewy texture from the oats.
• Easy to adapt. It's also so easy to make ingredient substitutions or add and subtract add-ins if you like!

Ingredients You'll Need

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.
• Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar is fine (I used dark brown sugar).
• Granulated sugar - For softer cookies with a deeper flavor note use all 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. Oat flour substitutes include brown rice flour or sorghum flour.
• Leavening agents - Baking powder and baking soda (make sure they're fresh!)
• Cinnamon
• Salt - Use fine sea salt or table salt.
• Oats - I prefer old-fashioned rolled oats in these cookies.
• Raisins - I use regular raisins here, but you could try golden raisin if you wish.

Variations To Try

• Cranberries - Make these into gluten free oatmeal cranberry cookies with the simple swap of dried cranberries for the raisins!
• Add nuts - I love adding a bit of crunch in the form of chopped walnuts or pistachios.
• Quick cook oats - For a different texture, use quick cook/instant oats instead of rolled oats. They will meld into the dough and the cookies won't be as chewy (though, still delicious).

Tips & Substitution Suggestions

• Add more spices. For oatmeal raisin spice cookies, whisk in some ground ginger or nutmeg along with the cinnamon, or try adding a pumpkin pie spice blend for a fall-forward cookie.
• 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 (either 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.

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 in the fridge before baking it.