This simple recipe for thick and chewy gluten free oatmeal cookies is crispy around the edges, soft and chewy the rest of the way through. In other words, perfect.
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Yup, oatmeal cookies can be made gluten free!
Are you worried that oats aren't gluten free? Oats are not a gluten-containing grain. They are frequently contaminated with gluten, though, because of the way they are typically grown and stored.
In the United States, there are certified gluten free oats that are grown on dedicated fields, and processed to carefully avoid any contamination. I even buy certified gluten free oats at my local Trader Joe's for a great price.
Why this is the best gluten free oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe
It's worth sourcing the proper oats just to make this recipe for thick and chewy gluten free oatmeal cookies. It's been a family favorite of mine, in one form or another, for about 20 years (with gluten, at first!).
They're crisp on the outside, especially the edges and the bottom, but never hard to bite. Then, the browned outside gives way to a super chewy cookie all the way through.
Plus, these cookies have plenty of chewy, nutty-tasting purity-protocol gluten free old fashioned rolled oats gives these rich, moist cookies. That's what gives them a completely different texture and flavor from another classic, our thick and chewy gluten free chocolate chip cookies.
Gluten free oatmeal cookies key ingredients
- Gluten free flour blend – I like Better Batter best here, since it's a solid all purpose gluten free flour blend with lots of structure; be sure to measure by weight, to avoid overmeasuring!
- Baking soda – The rise in these cookies comes from the eggs, but we need a touch of baking soda to neutralize the acid in the brown sugar.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar provides crispness and tenderness, not to mention sweetness, of course
- Old fashioned rolled oats – Purity protocol gf oats provide all the chewy nuttiness of a great oatmeal cookie; in this recipe, we have lots of them!
- Light brown sugar – The rich molasses flavor of brown sugar gives chocolate chip cookies of all kinds their telltale aroma.
- Chocolate chips – We don't use too many chips here so they don't overpower the cookie; you can always replace them with soft, plump raisins for a somewhat more traditional gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies.
- Butter – Butter adds richness and flavor, plus gives the cookies their spread and plenty of tenderness.
- Eggs – The eggs are what give these cookies their rise; they also bind the cookies together.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract doesn't make the cookies taste like vanilla! It just adds depth of flavor.
Tips for working with this very thick gluten free oatmeal cookie dough
You'll notice in the video that this cookie dough is very thick, and nearly seems like it won't come together. You might even be tempted to add some water, but resist the urge!
Use the right gluten free flour blend
Like in most of my gluten free cookie recipes, especially the ones that are thick and chewy, Better Batter classic gf flour blend works best here (or my mock Better Batter blend, of course!). A high-starch blend like Cup4Cup will make a considerably lighter cookie that browns less. And as always, measure by weight!
Let a mixer help you with cookie dough preparation
The balance of ingredients is perfect for making oatmeal cookies that are thick and have that delightful chew, and also have crisp, browned edges. The most effective way to integrate the ingredients fully into one another when making the cookie dough by hand is to alternate between mixing the dough and pressing down on the butter with the back of the spoon.
For the easiest way to make the dough, follow the instructions as written, whisking the dry ingredients as instructed. But use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment everywhere the instructions direct you to “mix” rather than “whisk.”
Try a cookie scoop for easy portioning
A spring-loaded ice cream scoop makes it easy to divide the cookie dough up into uniform portions. It also begins to create the right shape for baking, and helps your cookies all bake at the same rate.
Chill the oatmeal cookie dough
Although the cookie dough is so thick, I prefer to chill it before baking the cookies. That ensures the proper texture every time.
You can make it without chilling the dough, though. The cookies will simply spread a bit more, so they won't be quite as thick. But they'll still be delicious.
Avoid over-baking these gluten free oatmeal cookies
Just before the edges of these cookies turn brown in the oven, the tops will still be glossy and look wet. Even when the cookies are done, though, they won't be firm, particularly on top.
In fact, if you bake them until they're firm on top to the touch, they'll be overdone. If you're concerned about over-baking, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake them for 15 minutes. You'll still get browning, but reduce the chance of baking out much of the chewiness of the cookies.
How to store chewy gluten free oatmeal cookies so they stay soft
These cookies are so good at maintaining their texture, whether they're at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or frozen. Magic cookies!
Freezing baked gluten free oatmeal cookies
Once they're baked and set at room temperature, you can freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe zip-top container. You don't even need to freeze them first in a single layer on a baking sheet to protect them from breaking. Just squeeze as much of the air out of the bag as possible.
Freezing gluten free oatmeal cookie dough
These cookies also freeze raw, and can be baked any time a craving hits. Just shape the raw dough as instructed in the recipe, then freeze it in a single layer on a baking sheet before piling it in a freezer-safe bag, squeezing out all the air.
Then, let the cookies defrost until they're still firm, but aren't frozen solid. Bake as usual, in small or large batches!
Substitutions for gluten free oatmeal cookie ingredients
Gluten free dairy free oatmeal cookies
I've made this recipe with Melt brand vegan butter in place of butter, and it worked really well. The cookies didn't brown quite as nicely, and they spread a bit more, but overall the substitution worked great. Miyoko's Kitchen brand of vegan butter is also a great choice.
Gluten free egg-free oatmeal cookies
In place of each of the two eggs in this recipe, you can try one “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel). I haven't tried this substitution, though, so I'm afraid you'll have to experiment.
Gluten free oatmeal cookies without oats
If you can’t have oats, you can replace the old fashioned oats in this recipe with flattened (or beaten) rice. If you can't have oats, I recommend having a look at our full discussion about replacing oats in gluten free baking.
You'll even find a photo in that post of a batch of these very oatmeal cookies made with beaten rice. They look perfect, and although the texture isn't identical to oats, it's closer than I ever thought I'd get for oat-free oatmeal cookies!
Gluten free oatmeal cookie variations
Gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies
Make these into arguably more traditional gf oatmeal raisin cookies by replacing the chocolate chips, by weight, with raisins. My favorite type of raisin for baking (and eating) is Thompson raisins, since they're plump and big, but not oversized.
Other dried fruits
Replace some or all of the chocolate chips with chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries, or even pitted, chopped dates. Toss the dates in some flour first, though, since dates are super sticky!
Gluten free oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
This recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips, so it's already made with oats and chocolate chips. But you can make those chips any flavor you like. Some ideas: milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or even chopped dark chocolate chunks.
Gluten free, oatmeal walnut cookies
Replace the chocolate chips in this recipe with whopped raw walnuts, by weight, and your cookies will taste transformed! The nuts bring out the nuttiness in the oats.
More variations of gluten free oatmeal cookie recipes:
- Our iced gf oatmeal cookies recipe is a thin and chewy gf oatmeal cookie with a thin layer of sweet white icing that sets fully.
- Gluten free monster cookies are thick and chewy peanut butter cookies with crisp edges made with quick oats and oat flour.
- These gluten free pumpkin oatmeal cookies add the warm spices and rich pumpkin flavor of fall to our gf oatmeal cookie recipe.
- For a completely different gf oatmeal cookie experience, our 3 ingredient oatmeal cookies are made without any added sugar and make a very virtuous, delicious snack.
- For the perfect, lightly sweet oatmeal breakfast cookie, look no further. Sweetened only with honey and applesauce.
- If you're missing Do-Si-Dos Girl Scout Cookies, try our peanut butter gluten free oatmeal cookie sandwiches!
FAQs
Oats are naturally gluten free, even though some people who can't have gluten are also sensitive to the distinct protein in oats. Follow the instructions above on how to replace the oats in this recipe if that describes you!
No! Unless, like these gf oatmeal cookies, they're made with gluten-free ingredients, conventional oatmeal cookies are made with wheat flour, which contains gluten by nature.
Oats are a healthy whole grain, and these cookies have plenty of them, but I wouldn't call these healthy cookies. For that, you need our oatmeal breakfast cookies, which are naturally sweetened and much heartier for your morning breakfast.
The best oats for this recipe are purity protocol old fashioned rolled oats. Bob's Red Mill makes safe gluten free oats—but just be sure to grab the bag that says “gluten free.”
Yes! You can successfully double this recipe if you're using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to mix everything together fully. Otherwise, try making two recipes in two separate bowls to ensure all ingredients are combined properly.
Yes, you can use dark brown sugar in place of light brown sugar, if you'd like a richer, deeper molasses flavor. The cookies themselves will be a bit darker in color, too.
Yes! Try freezing the shaped cookie dough balls as disks in a freezer-safe bag, with as much air removed as possible. Let defrost until they're firm but not frozen before baking.
Did you overbake the cookies? Did you make ingredient substitutions, especially the flour blend, or measure by volume instead of weight and thereby overmeasure your flour? All of those can lead to hard cookies.
Thick and Chewy Classic Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend I used Better Batter
- 1 ¼ teaspoons xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups (250 g) certified gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup (218 g) packed light brown sugar
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (See Recipe Notes)
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the granulated sugar and oats, and whisk again to combine.
- Add the brown sugar and mix, breaking up any lumps in. Add the butter, and mix with a large spoon, pressing down with the back of the spoon to moisten the other ingredients.
- Add the beaten eggs and vanilla, and mix until the dough comes together. It will be very thick, and a bit difficult to stir, but continue to alternately press the cookie dough with the back of the spoon and stir, until the dry ingredients are nearly absorbed.
- Add the chocolate chips, and mix to distribute the chips evenly throughout and until the dough is completely integrated.
- Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces, each about the size of a golf ball, on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
- Press each piece of dough with the palm of your hand to flatten it into a disk of about 3/4-inch thick. Place the baking sheets in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Once chilled, place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven, and bake for about 12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown all over (and a bit browner around the edges).
- The cookies will still be soft to the touch. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet until firm (about 10 minutes).
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Sherry Yarema says
I have been making these for a while. My grandson and I both have celiac. My other grandson is the one who always requests this king. For a more adult version of the cookies, I also add chopped dried apricots. The apricots give the cookies a much more elegant taste. I have to admit that the apricots were one of my daughters’s ideas. I, also really like them with cranberries, but not with white chocolate chips, just the regular chips I prefer Ghirardelli or Guitard chocolate chips to Nestle’s. Those brands cost a little more, but it is worth it–especially when feeding adults.
Nicole, you are the queen of Gf baking. I trust all your recipes as my go-tos.
Nicole Hunn says
That does sound elegant, Sherry! Thank you so much for the kind words. And so glad you love the cookies.
Erin says
My daughter and I made these for some friends and they were probably in the top 3 best cookies we have ever had. Our friend agreed. They are awesome and we are making them again this week. So good!
Rhona says
Can I bake these cookies with coconut oil instead of butter or margarine?
Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid I don’t recommend that no, if you want the cookies to keep their shape and not taste oily.
Susan Sharp Lehr says
These were awesome! Thank you so much! I used the dough right away – and it was perfect.
Violet Rademaker says
I mixed mine in my Bosch mixer the traditional way by creaming the butter first then adding the dry ingredients. I also added pasta hip and macadamia nuts, dried cranberries and raisins. Loved them! Violet
Donna says
Great cookies. I didn’t put mine in freezer, but they turned out great. For half, I put them in a muffin liner. Worked great for softer ones.
Kathy says
These are really good. Making gluten free for niece in law. I did like Rita C said below and cooked them in cupcake cups in a cupcake pan. About golf ball size @ 15 mins. They turned out perfect!! Cookie retains it’s shape and not spread all over the pan. Thank you for the recipe!!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Kathy. If you use the ingredients specified, measured by weight and without substitutions, including a recommended gf flour blend, and chill the dough, the cookies do not spread very much, definitely not all over the pan.
Kathy says
They raved about the cookies!! They loved them. I did forget to say, I mixed mine in the Kitchenaid. I threw the butter pats in one at a time. It mixed perfectly. I’m to old to try to hand mix it. This recipe is topnotch!! Thank you so much for posting.
Rita C says
After shaping the dough into a ball, I didn’t chill the dough. Instead I baked them in paper muffin liners which helped them retain their shape. It worked beautifully, I wish I could send a photo.
Tmclain says
Made these for the 1st time yesterday. They tasted delicious albeit a bit too sweet for out tastes. I followed the recipe without modification except for one thing. Instead of using a spoon to mix, I put on latex gloves and and used my hands. I think it was much faster.
My cookies puffed up in the oven but flattened when cool. Still crispy edge, soft center. Just not thick like your picture Nicole.
Any idea why?
Also, is there any way to use less sugar and still have the batch turn out ok?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid no, you can’t just reduce the sugar and get the same results, since sugar isn’t just a sweetener, it’s a tenderizer. For the thickness of the cookies, please see the discussion about chilling the dough in the text of the post.
Denise says
Followed the recipe, did not make substitutions. Placed cookies in freezer for 20 minutes. My cookies did not hold their shape. They went flat. I love your recipes and they always turn out. This is the first time the recipe does not turn out.
eleanor stitt says
this is now my favorite oatmeal cookie recipe!
Nancy Kenaston says
Crispy & chewy! The perfect combo! And I didn’t even have potato flour or pectin to make my own flour blend. Just used the brown/white/tapioca/potato flours & xanthum gum. She’s right, they don’t look done when you pull them out. Trust her! I used dried cranberries & orange zest for my hubby’s birthday. We ALL loved them. THANK YOU!
eleanor stitt says
oh my goodness i never thought of cranberry and orange for these… yum ill try that next… maybe with some white chocolate chips
Kat says
I used the “muffin tin method” & added orange zest & cranberries, no chocolate. I didn’t bother chilling the dough. My parter is GF (allergy) & I always found baking intimidating. But this recipe is so perfect. thank you so much!! I will use this again & again! Next time I plan to use coconut & dried mango with white chocolate.
Jaynie says
These cookies are great! My husband can’t eat gluten but I can. I think these are just as good as wheat flour ones. I use Great Value Gluten Free flour blend – it’s very affordable and works great. We both like straight up oatmeal cookies – no raisins, etc so I leave out the chocolate chips. I’ve made them several times and they’re always a hit. Thanks so much!
Keri Briggs says
Cookies ok but a little bland. Maybe we needed more sugar?! We had to use 4 (Trader Joes) extra large eggs to equal 200 g total. Looked it up and one jumbo egg is only 70 grams! Good texture though!
Nicole Hunn says
This recipe calls for 2 eggs, Keri, weighing 100 grams. It sounds like you went your own way with this recipe.
Dana says
I found the egg measurement unclear. I’d rewrite. Say “100 grams of eggs as weighed out of shell (typically 2 large eggs). I, like others, was unclear whether you meant 2 eggs at 100 grams each.
Nicole Hunn says
Dana, the weight measurement in parentheses in each instance is the corresponding weight measurement, so it’s a total of 100 grams of egg, as weighed out of the shell. The other commenter you’re referring to, I assume, modified the recipe very significantly.
George G says
HI Nicole,
I made these with Melt butter and raisins. They were delicious but they were not thick. I followed the recipe, including Better Batter and freezing, but they wound up thin and about 3″ across. Any suggestions?
Nicole Hunn says
George, you often have similar issues when you make ingredient replacements. Melt is a good butter alternative, but it’s not butter. I’m afraid it’s likely that.
Kim says
Mine batter was just a bunch of crumbs. I did use Swerve Brown sugar , is that why? I ended dumping the entire thing in the trash :(.
Nicole Hunn says
Alternative sugars do tend to be quite drying, Kim. When you replace such a pivotal ingredient as sugar in a recipe like this, you’re really creating a different recipe entirely. All I can promise is a recipe that’s made as written.
Diane says
Spot on Delish!! I added both chocolate chips and raisins :-) They were crunchy on the edges and chewy in the middle. Next time I might add a bit of cinnamon. Really great recipe! Thank you!!
Nicole Hunn says
You’re so welcome, Diane. Crunchy on the edges and chewy in the middle is exactly what we’re going for. :)