Quick and easy oatmeal cookies made with just a few ingredients and no processed sugar. A great snack for kids to enjoy at home, on the go, or at school.
Oats are one of those foods that I always make sure never to run out of. It's an ingredient that can be used in so many different ways, from porridge for breakfast, in cookies and biscuits, in pancakes and waffles and many more things.
These easy oatmeal cookies are made with just 3 ingredients that we always have in our pantry. They are dairy-free & egg-free, perfect for little kids with allergies, and are ready in just 15–20 minutes.
If you are looking for more oatmeal snacks, take a look at my peanut butter & chocolate chips muffins and my blueberry oat pancakes, both delicious and really easy to make.
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👩🏻🍳 Why you should try my recipe
- Made without processed sugar.
- Suitable for babies, toddlers and kids of all ages.
- Ready in under 30 minutes.
- Perfect for snacking and easy to pack.
- Great plain or with toppings for more flavor.
🥘 Ingredients
To make these easy oatmeal cookies, we are going to use oats, dates and nut butter.
- Oats: I'm using rolled or old-fashioned oats. I haven't tried them with quick oats, if you do let me know in the comments how it goes.
- Dates: Instead of white sugar, I'm using dates to add sweetness to the cookies.
- Nut butter: This is the binder to keep the cookies together. You could use any nut butter of your choice, or a mixture of two. I like to use almond butter as it has a milder taste to peanut butter.
For full quantities and to print the recipe, see the recipe card below.
🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
So get your ingredients ready and let's get started!
01. In a small bowl, I add the pitted dates cut in half and a third cup of hot water. I leave the dates to soak in the hot water and get soft for about 10 minutes.
02. I add the dates to a food processor with the water and blend them until I have a thick paste.
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Buy On Amazon03. I empty the dates paste in a bowl and add the rolled oats and nut butter. Using my hands or a spatula, I mix everything together. The texture is going to be grainy and sticky.
04. I take a small lump of cookie dough and shape it into a ball. I place the ball on a lined baking sheet and continue with the remaining dough, leaving at least two fingers space between them.
05. Then, using a cup or glass, I press down the cookie balls to flatten them. Since the dough doesn't contain any leavening agents like baking powder, the oatmeal cookies will retain their shape after baking.
06. You could add some raisins to half of the dough before forming the balls. The cookies are now ready for the oven. If you like, you could add some chocolate chips on top of some of the cookies for the older kids.
🍽 Serving suggestions
Babies 6m-12m: For babies who have just started their solids journey, you can cut a cookie in half and let them hold it in their little hand to munch on. Every baby is different, and although the cookies are suitable from 6 months, I think they’ll be easier to chew from around 10–11 months.
Toddlers & Older kids: For all other ages, you could offer the oatmeal cookies as a snack in the morning or afternoon. You could also pack a couple for school along with a fruit.
💭 Mix-ins Ideas
We love having these easy oatmeal cookies plain with just the 3 main ingredients but also with some toppings for more flavor and sweetness
- Chocolate chips: After shaping and flattening the cookies, you could add 3-4 chocolate chips to each one. They go well with the oats and add a little bit of sweetness to the cookie.
- Raisins: If using raisins, I prefer mixing them in the dough rather than adding them on top after shaping the cookies.
- Spices: Cinnamon is one of the spices that goes really well or you could use a mixture of fall spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger.
- Vanilla: Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract will add more aroma to the cookies.
🧰 Storage
I recommend storing the oatmeal cookies in an airtight container and consume them within 2–3 days. If they get too hard, you could warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds.
❓ FAQ
For a nut-free version of these oatmeal cookies, you could use tahini instead of nut-butter. Tahini is a sesame-seed paste and has a similar texture to nut butters.
📋 Recipe
Easy Oatmeal Cookies (no sugar)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pitted dates
- ⅓ cup hot water
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ⅓ cup nut butter (like peanut butter or almond butter)
Instructions
- Add the pitted dates to a bowl along with ⅓ cup of hot water. Soak for 5–10 minutes.
- Add the dates with the water to a food processor. Blend until you have a thick paste.
- Add the dates paste, oats and nut butter to a bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Take a small piece of the dough and form a ball, about a golf ball size. (30gr or 1oz)
- Place the dough ball on a lined baking tray. Continue with the rest of the dough.
- With a cup or mug, press each dough ball to flatten and form a cookie.
- Bake in a preheated oven to 350℉ / 180℃ for 12 minutes.
Video
Notes
- You can add chocolate chips, raisins or spices before baking.
- Store the oatmeal cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Instead of a nut butter, you could use tahini.
Nutrition
🥣 More to try
If you liked my easy, sugar-free oatmeal cookies, you should try some of these recipes too:
Julia Droulia
I really loved creating this recipe and post for you; I hope you make it and enjoy it as much as we do. Please leave me a comment here and share your feedback with a star rating as well