Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: So chewy with crisp golden edges.
Taste: Sweet orange-soaked raisins, delicious oats, and a hint of cinnamon — you can’t eat just one!
Ease: 100% easy-to-make with everyday ingredients.
Top Tips: I recommend a 1-hour chill time for the dough. It gives the gluten-free flour time to hydrate and is key for non-gritty, flavorful gluten-free cookies.
Recommended GF Flour: Make sure to use a high-quality flour that contains xanthan gum. I like King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill. I also like adding a little almond flour in cookies to get that golden color and chewy texture.
Would I make these again? Absolutely! These cookies are made with my all-time favorite oatmeal cookie base. I also use this base recipe to make my husband’s favorite cookies and gluten-free oatmeal scotchies.
xoxo erin
These delicious gluten-free oatmeal cookies are soft in the middle and crisp on the edges! These cookies are made with gluten-free old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, and plenty of raisins.
Featured Comment
From CJ: “BEST Oatmeal Raisin cookies EVER! I made them for a girl at the office for her birthday. She said they were the best she’s ever had. There were several people asking for the recipe. They couldn’t believe it was GF.”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- SECRET INGREDIENT!
- How to Make Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- How do you make gluten-free cookies not crumbly?
- Can I make these gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies dairy-free or vegan?
- Can I make these cookies nut-free?
- More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
- Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Soft and Chewy!) Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies. Jump to the recipe below for the exact measurements.
- Gluten-Free Oats: Oats are often grown alongside gluten-containing grains. It’s important to select certified gluten-free oats for to make these cookies gluten-free.
- Gluten-Free Flour: Use a high-quality 1:1 (also called measure-for-measure) gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. I like this King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour. Bob’s Red Mill is also a great option.
- Almond Flour: I like using a little almond flour in gluten-free cookies because it helps them bake up golden brown and gives them a chewy texture. It’s my secret ingredient in many baked goods like these soft gluten-free chocolate chip cookie! If you’re allergic to nuts you can leave out the almond flour and substitute more gluten-free measure-for-measure flour.
- Brown Sugar: I use mostly brown sugar with a little white sugar in these cookies. The brown sugar gives the cookies a chewy texture and rich flavor. Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work. You can also use coconut sugar but the cookies won’t be as chewy.
- Coconut Oil/Butter: The combination of these 2 ingredients gives the cookies great texture. I prefer salted butter to unsalted butter! The little bit of extra salt gives these great depth of flavor.
- Coconut: This is totally optional (you can just add more oats in it’s place) but I love the addition of coconut to this chewy oatmeal raisin cookie. It adds another layer of chew and flavor.
- Orange Juice/Raisins: One of the tricks with this recipe is to soak the raisins in orange juice. This makes the raisins juicy and gives the cookies a little orange flavor.
SECRET INGREDIENT!
TIP: Soaking the raisins in orange juice hydrates the raisins making them plump and flavorful. It also adds a delicious flavor to the cookies.
How to Make Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Here’s an overview of how to make these cookies. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- Soak the raisins: Microwave the orange juice for 1 minute until warm, then stir in the raisins. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Dry ingredients: Whisk them all together.
- Mix the wet ingredients: You can use a stand or hand mixer. Cream the butter, coconut oil, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth and fully mixed. Add in the vanilla extract and eggs, then beat it all on medium for about 2-3 minutes. You want them light and fluffy.
- Combine dry and wet: Mix the dry ingredients into the wet batter until it’s all incorporated.
- Drain the raisins: Now you have flavorful, plump raisins!
- Add final ingredients: Mix in the oats, coconut, and raisins on low until your batter looks well combined.
- Refrigerate: Chilling the dough for 1 hour is worth the wait!
- Scoop out the cookies: I like to use a cookie scoop to make 2 tablespoon-size cookie dough balls. Place them on your lined baking sheets, leaving room for them to spread.
- Bake and cool: They’ll need about 12-14 minutes at 350°F. Look for them to turn golden brown and set when they’re done. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then continue cooling on a wire rack. Enjoy these chewy gluten-free oatmeal cookies!
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
- To Make-Ahead: The dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
- To Store: These cookies will keep in an airtight container or Ziploc bag at room temperature for up to 4 days. We actually love making them for road trips and traveling because they taste delicious a day or so after baking.
- To Freeze: This dough freezes great! Just scoop rounds of the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze. The frozen dough balls can be baked directly out of the freezer. Just add 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
How do you make gluten-free cookies not crumbly?
If you’ve ever made gluten-free cookies that turn out crumbly it’s probably because of the flour blend you’re using. It’s important to pick a gluten-free flour blend that contains a binder, like xanthan gum. This recipe also has an extra egg to hold the cookies together. This gluten-free oatmeal cookie recipe is perfectly designed for non-crumbly cookies!
Can I make these gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies dairy-free or vegan?
Yes! You can use dairy-free butter to make the cookies dairy-free. Use dairy-free butter and an egg replacer to make them totally vegan. Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer or flax eggs will both work great!
Can I make these cookies nut-free?
Definitely! You can simply use more gluten-free measure-for-measure flour in place of the almond flour.
More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Soft and Chewy!)
Video
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 1/4 cup (25g) almond flour (or and additional 1/4 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour for nut free)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter softened
- 1/4 cup (56g) coconut oil softened
- 1 cup (213g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Other:
- 2 1/2 cups (213g) gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 cup (160g) raisins
- 1/2 cup (120ml) orange juice
- 1/2 cup (40g) sweetened shredded coconut optional
Instructions
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the orange juice for 1 minute until warm. Stir in the raisins and let sit for 15 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the butter, coconut oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar together until smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Drain the raisins. Stir in the oats, raisins and coconut.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop the cookie dough into round balls, about 2 tablespoons per ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers are still soft.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
I was skeptical, but oh my God these are amazing. My friends can’t tell they’re gluten-free cookies, I didn’t add the almond flour and they still turn out fantastic!
Yay! We’re so glad the recipe was such a hit! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us, Taylor!
Do you chop the oats in the blender before adding to the recipe?
Hi Linda, thank you for your question! No need to chop the oats first. We hope you enjoy the cookies!
Can the baked cookies be frozen successfully? Thanks!
Definitely, Rebecca! Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Parchment or wax paper between layers can help avoid sticking too. They should keep in the freezer for up to 3 months and then you can thaw them at room temperature. Happy baking!
Hey,
I love your recipes! The taste of these were amazing, but for both this and the mini egg cookies, when I cooked them they spread quite a bit, what am I doing wrong?
Thanks
Hi Yasmeen, for gf cookie recipes the chill time is definitely important before baking so that the flour absorbs more liquid and the butter goes into the oven firmer. Besides that a number of things can cause cookies to spread from a too cool oven to the dry-to-wet ratio being off when measuring to the material type of the baking sheet. We hope these ideas help!
I have just recently started baking again after at least 10 years of not. I loved how these cookies turned out in form & taste. Will certainly make again & again & again.
Yay! We’re so glad you loved the recipe, Glenda! Thank you for taking the time to share with us!
I made these as written aside from adding only 3/4 amount of recommended sugars, and dried cranberries in place of raisins. I wasn’t able to bake them that day so the dough sat in the fridge for 2 days, and they were awesome upon baking. So soft and pillowy. This recipe is a KEEPER!!!!! Thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Denise! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us!
I made the recipe as written with the exception of soaking the raisins. I don’t have orange juice and my raisins were fresh and plump.
The cookies got the best compliment from my family…”these are better than chocolate chip cookies”. That’s high praise in my house. Delicious!!
Wow that’s high praise! Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We’re so glad everyone enjoyed the recipe!
Soaking the raisins – omg GENIUS! These cookies are so chewy and delightful. I made some of the dough with chocolate chips for my kids to try both – add vanilla ice cream and TA DA! Magical treat – love love love this recipe!
My cookie-monster husband loved these cookies! I had golden raisins, which may not have needed to be soaked since they’re already softer. Also no orange juice. Decided to give the raisins a 10 minute soak in warm apple juice. Very yummy!!
Can you use vegetable oil instead of the coconut oil. I’d like to use what I have on hand. Thanks.
I’m allergic to almonds/almond flour, is there a Substitution for this?
Yes definitely! You can use more gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in place of the almond flour no problem.
BEST Oatmeal Raisin cookies EVER! I made them for a girl at the office for her birthday. She said they were the best she’s ever had. There were several people asking for the recipe. They couldn’t believe it was GF.
Hi Erin,
Can you please clarify that the dough needs 30 minutes rest time plus 1 hour of refrigeration time?
Will coconut sugar work in this recipe?
I LOVE oatmeal raisin cookies so I was excited to try these cookies. They are really delicious and super tasty!
Thanks for this recipe; I will definitely try them… I have one similar I would like to share–it is from my childhood ( more than 60 years ago). I hope you don’t mind. I do not recall how many this makes, but we rolled the dough and left enough space on the cookie sheet for them to spread which depends upon how large you make the ball Try making the balls about 1 inch or less, leave about 2 inches of space..
I didn’t know anyone made these anymore. Anyway, here is the recipe:
“Gumdrop (or raisin) Cookies”.
!/2 c. shortening, beaten smooth 1 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. brown sugar 1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 c. white sugar 1/4 t. allspice
1 t. vanilla 1/4 t. cloves
1 c. flour 1//2 c. gumdrops (We use spice gumdrops–far superior to non-spice!)
1/2 t. baking soda (or raisins–add as much as you like up to 1 c., though, like Erin’s)
1 egg 1. c. quick-cooking oatmeal
Substitute regular oats and flour for gluten-free per Erin’s notes and ingredient notes. Thanks so much Erin!
These truly are soft, chewy and delicious! We love making them for a healthier cookie perfect for afternoon snack. They are great!!