Gluten-Free Oatmeal Sugar Cookies

These Gluten-Free Oatmeal Sugar Cookies are a family-favorite recipe! Soft, chewy, and sweet, we never eat just one! Variations and tips are included to get just the right consistency! {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Soy-Free}

Friends, our family LOVES this cookie recipe. Like, we really, really, really love these Gluten-Free Oatmeal Sugar Cookies. And so do our extended families and friends. In fact, one friend declared this her favorite cookie of all time. I make a point to send her a batch at least 1-2 times a year.

To celebrate this deliciousness right now, and any time you want, Gluten-Free Oatmeal Sugar Cookies are getting a permanent place in our virtual recipe tin. That is, this blog. One confession, though, straight out of the gate: this cookie recipe uses white and brown sugars, which is a departure from our usual style of recipe. We’re experimenting with alternatives, but the flavor isn’t there yet. When it is, though, we’ll be sure to showcase it on the blog.

And now that I’ve mentioned that confession, I have another one: I’ve made this cookie so many times, I have memorized the recipe. It harkens back to the days before K-Hubs and I had kids. It was my Saturday/Sunday ritual so that K-Hubs and I had a batch to eat throughout the week. Although, to be honest, these gluten-free cookies never lasted longer than about 24 hours.

The recipe originates from my New Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (12th ed), and the final product happened by accident. The original cookbook recipe, titled Ranger Cookies, called for several mix-ins, which I either didn’t like or didn’t have. So I made the batter, added the oatmeal, and called it good. The final product was soft, chewy, and utterly delicious. It’s a cookie that once baked, still tastes like the batter. Now, more than 20 years later, we’re still enjoying the recipe. 

In the last several years, I have made additional modifications so this a gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free cookie recipe. These modifications include:

• Gluten-free flour
• Soy-free/dairy-free/gluten-free butter
• Gluten-free oatmeal

Honestly, if you like the cookie batter almost more than the cookie itself, then this is the gluten-free cookie recipe for YOU! So let’s get baking!

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Sugar Cookies ingredients

Below are the ingredients to make your own Gluten-Free Oatmeal Sugar Cookies

• Butter. I like Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Spread. And I just use the version that comes in a tub (rather than in stick form). I haven’t been able to confirm that the stick  form is gluten-free, and the tub version is softer, which is perfect for this recipe. I have used coconut oil, however it doesn’t bake the same way in this recipe.
• Sugar. Granulated white and brown sugars.
• Baking powder and baking soda. Look for gluten-free options.
• Egg and vanilla. Add these in before the flour and oatmeal.
• Gluten-free flour. I used a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour for this recipe (first preference). I have also tried an all-purpose gluten-free flour (second preference). Either will work.
• Gluten-free oatmeal. I look for old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats, which are too small for this recipe. Bob’s Red Mill is a good choice (not a paid mention).
• Optional add-ins: Raisins, dates, dried fruit, chocolate chips, shredded coconut. (If you do add an ingredient or two, you may need to back off the gluten-free flour by about 1-2 tablespoons – experiment and see what you like).

How to make Gluten-Free Oatmeal Sugar Cookies

Below are instructions to make Gluten-Free Oatmeal Sugar Cookies. This cookie is a soft cookie and will need to set before serving.

1. Set oven to 375 degrees.
2. Beat softened butter with an electric mixer for up to 30 seconds Then add the granulated sugar, brown sugar baking powder, and baking soda. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, if necessary.
3. Add the flour, in stages if necessary. Beat with electric mixer until combined. Stir in oatmeal. If doing so by hand is too tough, then blend it in with an electric mixer on the lowest speed possible.
4. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least two hours to as long as overnight.
5. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool before serving. Store in an airtight container for about 2 days.

Best practices

This is an easy gluten-free cookie recipe to make. But there are a few things that will help you achieve delicious cookies with a satisfying texture! 

• Beat the butter just long enough to make it creamy. This could be as many as 30 seconds or as short as 15 seconds.
• Chill the batter. At least a few hours to even overnight (that’s what I did). This batter is on the softer side, so the extra chilling time makes it easier to handle and prevents the cookie from spreading and thinning during the baking process. If, once I’m rolling the batter into balls, I get to the bottom of the bowl and see the batter there is still soft (even after overnight chilling), I’ll plop the bowl back in the fridge so that batter has a chance to firm up.
• Bake the cookies one cookie sheet at a time. This helps ensure even baking. You can also rotate the baking sheets one time, halfway through the process, if desired. Line the baking sheets with parchment so the cookies don’t stick.
• Do not over-bake the cookies. They will be soft when they come out of the oven. The key is to let them cool before removing them from the baking sheet. You’ll know they are ready to be stored or enjoyed when air pockets form on top and while still warm, have cooled considerably. 
• Place a layer of parchment in between cookie layers when stacking them for storage. These cookies will be soft and are more likely to stick together if they are stacked for storage.

The art of the chill: If you’re curious about why chilling the dough is so important, you might enjoy Tessa Arias’s article The #1 Reason You Should Chill Your Cookie Dough on her blog, Handle the Heat!

Gimme all the cookies!

And if you love cookies, then you’re in luck! Here are a few more tasty choices from the Spirited and Then Some recipe tin!

• Chocolate Chunk Crinkle Cookies
• Buttery Almond Cookies
• Almond Butter Patties {A Tagalong Copycat}

Enjoy, friends! Stay well and stay wild. I’m glad you’re here. ❤️❤️❤️

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