Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies Recipe (without Butter)

This oatmeal cranberry cookies recipe makes a crisp but chewy-centered butter free cookie with bits of cranberry and cinnamon.

Everyone needs a good oatmeal cookie recipe and yes, I do love a good oatmeal raisin cookie. However, the texture of these chewy oatmeal cookies paired with the tartness of the cranberries is a nice change from a classic soft oatmeal cookie. These are best when made with old-fashioned rolled oats over instant oats.

I find when I slightly smash down the little balls of dough before baking, that I can get a nice uniform look. A handy little tip for those of you who are like me and like their cookies uniform. The use of coconut oil gives these cookies a slightly longer shelf life and I find that brown sugar over white sugar gives them a better texture overall.

For this, these cookies are great for holiday season, a cookie exchange or whenever its baking time in your house.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Recipe Is…

• ​A great alternative to oatmeal raisin cookies.
• The perfect balance between brown sugar sweetness and tart cranberries. 
• A delicious recipe with a chewy texture.
• ​A favorite cookie recipe for a rainy day.
• A hearty oatmeal cookie with warm spices and old-fashioned oats.

Ingredients

Oats- for best results use old fashioned oats not quick oats.

Cranberries- use dried cranberries not whole fresh cranberries for these cookies.

Coconut Oil- I use raw organic coconut oil in place of butter in these cookies.

Flour- all-purpose flour helps bind the cookies and provide the perfect texture.

Eggs- use large eggs. If using small, add an extra egg to make up the difference.

Rising Agent- I use a combination of baking soda and baking powder in this cookie recipe.

Vanilla Extract- I use my homemade vanilla extract for this but any standard store-bought vanilla works great too.

Sugar- brown sugar adds a delicious flavor. You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar for this recipe.

Salt- I use sea salt but kosher salt or Himalayan pink salt are great alternatives. You can also use standard table salt if you like.

Cinnamon- ground cinnamon provides a nice warmth to the cookies, don’t skip it!

Tools

Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment (optional)

Baking Sheet

Wire Rack (optional)

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Directions

Preheat the oven to 350℉.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Combine the (dry ingredients) oats, baking soda, baking powder, flour, and cinnamon. Mix or stir to combine. In a medium bowl blend the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and coconut oil.

Fold in the cranberries with a large spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer.

When the cookie dough is ready, line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.

Scoop a large spoonful of cookie mix into your hand and form a ball. Place the ball on the lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

Baking Notes

• When using coconut oil it can be very hard if kept in a cold room. I like using it just at the melting point for this recipe. So if your coconut oil is too hard, simply put it in a saucepan and allow it to come to an almost melting point. Be careful not to add hot oil to the bowl with eggs as you don’t want to cook the eggs. I let the oil cool for just a bit before combining.
• Line your cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper for easy cleanup.
• Make sure to use all-purpose flour for this cookie recipe.
• It is a good idea to bring eggs to room temperature before using them to bake. They mix better and rise more easily.

Looking for more variations? Check out these Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies!

FAQ’s

What can I use in place of the coconut oil?

I also have used butter for this recipe and find that works just fine. To do so, use 2 sticks of butter which is 1 cup total in place of the 1 cup of coconut oil in the original recipe. I know there are some slight ratio differences between oil and butter however swapping out straight across 1 cup of butter for 1 cup of coconut oil works just fine for this recipe.

Would raisins work for this recipe?

Absolutely! I love using raisins for oatmeal cookies. It is a classic flavor and they taste great for this recipe.

Can I freeze the dough?

Yes, you can freeze the dough. When I freeze it I wrap it in a piece of parchment paper and roll it just like it’s a cookie dough roll from the grocery store. Folding it at the ends to secure it and then I place it in a freezer bag making sure to push out any air in the bag before closing. They freeze well but make sure to thaw before baking.

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• Baking Sheet
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• Hobnail White Mixing Bowls

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If you try this recipe and love it, I would appreciate you coming back to give it 5 stars!