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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Raw and Baked Option

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Soft and chewy, with that trademark homemade flavor…these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies turned out perfectly. There’s something magical about their chewy texture, soft centers, plump raisins, and cinnamon flavor.  Your family will love these easy gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, oil-free cookies, which are wholesome-tasting, and downright tummy-tickling-comforting.

raw and baked options for vegan gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies

This morning I woke up to the aroma of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, as the dehydrator across the house was pushing out the most amazing smells–warm and delicious, which only made me want to snuggle down deeper into the blankets. I will admit that I had oatmeal this morning for breakfast… oatmeal that was shaped into a cookie, that is! Later, I shared these cookies with a handful of friends, each of us savoring bite after bite. We all have favorite childhood foods that carry on into adulthood, and cookies are often at the top of the list.

Unfortunately, cookies from our childhood were most likely loaded with unhealthy fats, sugars, and flours.  So when someone takes a bite of a raw, healthier creation and it immediately takes them back to cherished memories… well, that instantly warms my heart and puts a smile on my face.

Further down the post, I will be sharing how you can make these cookies either raw/uncooked or baked. Interestingly enough, they don’t look or taste much different. But it’s nice to have options because not everyone has a dehydrator or perhaps the time to dehydrate them.

raw and baked options for vegan gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies

Gluten-Free Rolled Oats

Psyllium Husks

Apple Puree (Sauce)

Almond Butter

Sweeteners

raw and baked options for vegan gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookiesIngredients:

Yields 15 (1/4 cup measurement) cookies

Preparation:

  1. *Powder the oats by using your food processor.  Pour in  1 cup of oats and process to a fine powder.
  2. *Make your own apple puree–place the diced apples (you can leave the peel on if you wish) in the food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, processing to a puree.
  3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the powdered oats, raisins, psyllium, cinnamon, and salt. Give it a good stir. If any raisins are clumped together, separate them.
    • I love to soak the raisins in warm water before adding to them. This step is optional, but it guarantees they are plump and soft. Blot dry before adding to cookie dough.
  4. Add the drained oats, apple puree, almond butter, maple syrup, and stevia. Mix well (I used my hands).
    • Drain, rinse and squeeze the excess water from the soaked oats.

Dehydrator Method

  1. Using an ice cream scoop, place the dough on the teflex sheets of your dehydrator trays.
    • The batter won’t spread while drying, so wet your hand (so the dough doesn’t stick) and gently press the cookies down to the desired thickness.
  2. Dehydrate for 1 hour at 145 degrees (F), then decrease to 115 degrees (F) for 8-10 hours.
    • The dry time will depend on how thick your cookies are.  They won’t dehydrate to a crispy cookie, due to the fat content in the almond butter.
    • About 4 hours in, turn your cookies over onto just the mesh dehydrator sheet and continue dehydrating to your desired moisture. I like my cookie moist and soft, whereas Bob likes them more dried out.
    • Why do I start the dehydrator at 145 degrees (F)?  Click (here) to learn the reason behind this.
  3. I recommend storing these in a sealed container in the fridge, due to the remaining moisture.
    • I like to wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap, which makes it easy to grab one and head out the door, having a healthy snack on hand for later.  Plus,  because there is still moisture in this cookie, they tend to stick together a bit if stacked on one another.

Baking Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Roll the cookie dough into a ball then gently flatten it in the palm of your hand. Set it on the cookie sheet with a little space between them. They won’t expand; we just want air to circulate around them.
  3. Bake for 20 minutes.
    • As they bake, they don’t change color all that much, so don’t use that as an indicator of doneness. They should be firm to the touch.

21 thoughts on “Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Raw and Baked Option

  1. Annie says:

    Aimee Sue,
    I’d love to try these, and wonder what you think about substituting coconut flour for the oat flour? I just got some but haven’t really experimented much with it. I suppose it is a much finer grind, so do you think would that affect the end result?
    Just have to say again, your recipes are INCREDIBLE! No one makes raw desserts the way you do!
    Thanks, Annie

    • amie-sue says:

      Good evening Annie,

      So good to hear from you. :) Well shoot…I would give the coconut flour a shot. It will be a bit finer but I really don’t think it will mess up the texture much. It might impart a bit more coconut flavor but who’s to say that won’t taste good. If you are leery, cut the recipe in 1/2 so you can do a test run on it and if you do, please let me know how it turns out!

  2. Patty Richards says:

    amie-sue,
    Good morning from the Pacific Northwest. I was very fortunate to get your website from a farmer’s market in Hood River and have had a great deal of fun making several of the recipes all turning out very good. But, I made this oatmeal cookies recipe and they turned out like big hard haystacks—but still very tasty. Was I suppose to soak the oats? I have been soaking everything and I thought it was interesting t I used them right from the store and I think that is why they turned out so stiff and hard.

  3. Patty Richards says:

    amie-sue
    Patty here!
    OOPs! I must have hit a wrong button on the computer and it sent my message not finish! Sorry!! So just to clarify was I suppose to soak the oats in the oatmeal cookie recipe in order to avoid the large haystacks next time? Thanks for all the good recipes and beautiful website.
    Enjoy,
    Patty

    • amie-sue says:

      Hi Patty,

      You know when I made those cookies back then, I didn’t soak them. It is always best to do so so help remove the phytic acid to make it easier for digesting. When you made the cookies did you just drop them on the dehydrator sheet and leave as is? Sometimes I leave them nice and high like that but most often I flatten them with the fingers. You can control the shape and size to fit your preference. But hard? hmmm, maybe they dehydrated to long? You can try to soften them up some by putting them in a sealed container with a wedge of apple. See if that helps. I hope this helps. :) My husband and I LOVE Hood River…hoping to have a home there during the summer! Have a great weekend, amie sue

      • patty richards says:

        Amie-sue,
        Thanks for your reply. I didn’t soak!!!! I should have known better. I know that is why they got so hard. I didn’t press down either next time I will. I love them this way anyway.
        I have tried many of your recipes and love them all. My husband and his buddies also love being guinea pigs. It has been a lot of fun for someone who didn’t like to cook much!
        Hope to see you someday in Hood River.

        In good health,
        Patty

        • amie-sue says:

          Patty,
          My husband and friends love being a test taster as well. :) Stay inspired in the kitchen! Give Hood River a hug for me. hehe

  4. Naomi says:

    Hi Amie, first I wanted to thank you for sharing your amazing recipes that is so generous of you. I would like to ask your opinion on making some oatmeal almond cookies. I saw a great recipe on line and forgot to save it and well now I can’t find it. Typical. I have been making my own raw almond milk which is so amazing and creamy and so much tastier than the carton version full of synthetic vitamins. I read that you can use the left over almond pieces as a meal or grind it into flour. Why waste it right. I also juice lemons and ginger and thought about adding them too. I figured I would replace the almond meal with the oat flour and just add the lemon and ginger what ratio do you think I should use for them as I am guessing they should just be a hin and not overpowering. I also thought about substituting the almond butter for coconut butter what do you think? Considering I am making almond cookies you probably am going to say use almond butter but I have a jar of coconut butter in the cupboard and need an excuse to use it. I was also wondering if I could substitute the agave with stevia as I like to keep my sugar content as low as possible. I look forward to hearing form you.

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Naomi (my sisters middle name is Naomi, I always thought it was so pretty)

      Let’s see if I can help you out…

      Left over almond pulp is an amazing ingredient to have on hand! I wish I had an endless ample supply of it because I would use it all the time. I just don’t use enough of the milk end of it to create a stock pile. hehe I either freeze my pulp or dehydrate it and grind it to a flour. I use the “wet” pulp for recipes that I want to create a lighter texture in, like my raw breads. The dried and ground pulp, I use in cookie recipes mainly. BTW, you can do this with any nut pulp; walnuts, Brazil nut, pecan, etc. Great to get new and exciting flavor profiles.

      Regarding the lemon and ginger… what form of them are referring to? I am getting lost as to what your end result is. Sounds like we are creating a completely new cookie here. To make life easier… please list out exactly what ingredients you are wanting or needing to use and I will help you come up with measurements. :)

  5. Naomi says:

    Rolled Oats
    Almond meal (I don’t have a processor but do have a Blendtec)
    Pulp from juiced lemon and ginger
    Coconut butter (can get almond if you think it is better)
    Liquid Stevia (can also get powdered if you think it is better)

    I really do appreciate your help thanks!

    • amie-sue says:

      Hi Naomi…
      Wow, we are starting a whole new cookie here. I can give approx. but remember I haven’t tried it so you will want to taste test as you go and watch for texture. Always start small and work it up.

      This a rough recipe idea for you….

      Lemon Ginger Oat Cookies

      1 cup almond meal/flour
      1 cup oats (blend to flour or keep whole, depends on what texture you want)
      1/3 cup coconut flakes, shredded (again, blend or keep in larger pieces, depending on end texture)
      1/4 cup coconut butter, softened (might need more, see how this blends)
      Add the pulp from you lemon and ginger (I don’t know how much you have or how strong tasting it is so start with maybe a few Tbsp and work up)
      1/4 tsp sea salt (this elevated the sweet flavor in the cookie)
      1-2 tsp liquid stevia (taste test for sweetness level)
      1 tsp vanilla extract (helps to balance flavors)

      Optional: add dried cranberries? Or other dried fruits to increase sweetness if you want.

      Preparation for chunky cookie:

      In your blender (since you don’t have a food processor), break down the almonds to a small meal. Place in a medium bowl.
      Add oats, coconut flakes, dried fruit, lemon & ginger pulp, and salt. Toss together.
      In a small bowl combine; coconut butter, vanilla, and stevia. Mix well then add to the dry ingredients.
      Get in their with your hands if you want and mix everything really well. Taste test and adjust flavoring.
      Drop on teflex sheet that comes with the dehydrator.
      Dry at 115 degrees for approximately 8-10 hours. Or until desired dryness is reached.

      Preparation for creamier texture cookie:

      In your blender (since you don’t have a food processor), Break down the almonds to a small/ flour like meal. Place in bowl.
      Add oats and coconut flakes to the blender and break down to a flour. Add to almonds in the bowl.
      In a small bowl combine; coconut butter, vanilla, and stevia. Mix well then add to the dry ingredients. Mix well then add to the dry ingredients.
      Drop on teflex sheet that comes with the dehydrator.
      Dry at 115 degrees for approximately 8-10 hours. Or until desired dryness is reached.

  6. Naomi says:

    Great thank you! I will let you know how they turn out :)

  7. Jenny says:

    OMG!! I love your site! I am brand-new to Raw Vegan lifestyle (2 weeks) and your site has been such a life saver!! I have gone “cold turkey” because of my many health issues and am looking forward to a healthier body in 2014. I have not had anything cooked in 2 weeks: lots of salads, smoothies and dehydrated things that I made myself. I have all the equipment I need, but I am in New Hampshire looking at the snow outside my window, its hard to have a huge supply of fresh fruits and veggies.

    Your advice has been sooooo helpful! I am learning to soak everything and dehydrate and have ready and to also make some things ahead and freeze them!!

    I have to prepare “cooked” foods for my son and hubby, so I really needed to find your site!! LOL!

    Thankyou for saving my “raw” life! :)

    Oh! I forgot, my original reason for writing here was I am confused about the ingredient for these wonderful looking cookies (which I am drooling over your photos of them).

    I have soaked some “organic hulless raw oats” for the recommended time. Am I supposed to dehydrate them now to make:

    2 cups of oats
    and then take
    some of the dehydrated oats and make the
    1 cup of oat flour?

    I promise I will learn and get smarter… Im just a little lost at the moment! :P

    Thankyou again, for this glorious website. I have ordered some of your favorite supplies and will be getting more, they are so helpful! :)

    • amie-sue says:

      Good afternoon Jenny,

      What a pleasure to hear from you. Thank you for sharing part of your journey with me. It blesses me that you have found inspiration through out my site, I hope it continues. I am always here should you have questions and comments. I do my best to help when and were I can. :)

      Regarding your question (and please never worry about asking, clarification is always the best way to go!) For this recipe I used a total of 3 cups of oats… 2 cups were kept in their whole form and 1 cup was ground to a flour. This is all for texture reasons. Just to make sure we are on the same page, are the oats that you are using the ones that look more like a rice shape? Oats can be confusing as to what they are called and I just want to make I know exactly what you are using. I used the flat kind.

      I am on day two of sprouting organic hulless raw oats, so it’s funny that you brought this up. Did I answer your question? Have a blessed evening, amie sue

  8. Michele Goot says:

    These are one of my favorites! I Love these cookies! I’ve made them numerous times and have made batches to give away! I never liked oatmeal cookies growing up nor as an adult! I do not like the flavor or the texture and I usually wind up bloated with terrible heartburn after I eat them. I truly believe baked oatmeal cookies made me ill because they’re made with white flour, butter, shortening, baking powder and heat. Amie Sue’s RAW oatmeal cookies do not cause any bloating and/or heartburn and I can eat as many as I want and feel great! I love the flavor of them! However, I do add chocolate chips in these for the chocolate lovers in my family! It’s like having two cookies in one . . . chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies!

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Michele,

      Thank you for sharing this with me/us. :) I really appreciate that. I find that my body handles soaked oats too. We all respond so differently to foods, so finding ways to bring ourselves comfort and nutrients is really a wonderful thing. Have a blessed day and enjoy those cookies. hehe amie sue :)

  9. Sheribeattie says:

    Hi Amie Sue,
    I have to say, this was the first time that Ive soaked Oats. Seems like, it took forever to rinse them. Does it take you long to rinse them as well?
    I feel bad that I had to use so much water.
    I might use another option (in previous comments) for the next time.

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Sheri,

      It does take some time to rinse them, you could always shorten the time a bit. Many people skip the process, but I find them so much easier on the digestion when I do this process. You can always plug the sink while rinsing them and feed the water to plants outside. (just an idea). How did your cookies turn out? Blessings, amie sue

  10. Daniela says:

    Hi Amie. Love all your recipes. I´ve tried many al ready and the results are AMAZING. Can´t wait to try everything. My family enjoys every single bread, cookie and bar recipe. Thank you so much for giving my family and me a delicious time together… so lucky to have met your site.

    • amie-sue says:

      Thank you so much Daniela. I loved reading your comment and appreciate your time in sharing your experience with us. It tickles me that your family is enjoying the recipes. It makes me feel as though I am there (sort of hehe). blessings, amie sue

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