Cinnamon oatmeal cookies (Vegan with an oil-free option)
Warming cinnamon spice is combined with sweet maple flavor in these cinnamon oatmeal cookies. This is a quick recipe and I’m sure you already have everything you need to make them. So grab a bowl because you are just 30 minutes away from enjoying a healthy and tasty treat!
A little over 2 year ago, I still remember very clearly my husband obsessively hoping for our baby girl Lilianne to be born on the exact Equinox day (September 22).
I also remember being highly annoyed by it, since this seemed to me totally unimportant. Especially since I was 38 weeks pregnant, already super busy with an active toddler and ready to burst.
Even though she came 2 days earlier than that very special day, I have to admit that I am now pretty excited to have an autumn child. Her birthday is associated with one of the most exciting times of the year!
Not only do we finally get to harvest all my favorite foods, but I also cannot get enough of all the spices and cozy concoctions, either savory or sweet. Just like in these Pumpkin overnight oats, Vegan tofu Tikka Masala or Spiced coconut whipped cream, the mix of warming spices are just what I need right now to get my autumn fix.
And to add more fall recipes into my repertoire, I made these vegan cinnamon cookies.
And guys. They are sooooooo good.
Even my I’m-sorry-I-only-eat-chocolate-chip-cookies husband could not stop eating them. They are that good.
Why you will love these cinnamon oatmeal cookies
- Healthy. Try the oil free option to make them even healthier!
- Quick. The warm cookies will be ready to be enjoyed within 25 minutes.
- One bowl. Dry ingredients first, then add the liquid ones right in the same bowl and mix. Super simple.
- Freezer friendly. Make double or triple batches of these cookies to always have some ready to go.
- Oh, did I say they were so delicious? Soft, chewy and slightly sweet, these autumn spice cookies are a must to try!
Cassia or Ceylon cinnamon, which one to choose?
Not all cinnamon are the same. Shocking, right? For so long I thought cinnamon was, well, just cinnamon. But it is not that simple.
There are 2 different categories of cinnamon: Cassia vs Ceylon
Both types of cinnamon come from harvesting the inner layers of barks of different trees, but from the same family. Each type will differ in color, taste, texture and smell.
Their coumarin level also vary depending of which type of cinnamon it is. Coumarin is a natural chemical found in all cinnamon and is known to potentially be toxic to the liver if consumed in large amount.
Cassia cinnamon (includes Korintje, Saigon, Chinese and Vietnamese varieties) has a high level of coumarin. This cinnamon is the most common one and the one you are likely to find in most households in USA and Canada. You can find it in any grocery stores and it is the one used in industrial baking. A tough single layer made from a rougher part of the bark makes the cinnamon roll stick. When ground, its color is dark brown, almost reddish, and its flavor is more pronounced and spicier.
Ceylon cinnamon (also called true cinnamon) has a low level of coumarin. Although easy to find here in America, this type of cinnamon is more commonly used in Mexico and Europe. The stick made from this cinnamon is more delicate and can break easily. Its color is more pale and its taste is slightly sweeter and milder than the Cassia. It is also known to deliver more complex flavors when cooked or baked.
For this recipe, Ceylon cinnamon was used. See the notes in the recipe description if you want to use Cassia cinnamon. Having trouble knowing what type of cinnamon you have in your house? If your bottle does not mention Ceylon cinnamon, either in the name or the ingredients on the other side of the bottle, then consider it being Cassia cinnamon.
Why are these spiced cinnamon oatmeal cookie a healthy snack?
- Apple sauce: Using apple sauce limits the amount of fat needed to reach that soft and chewy texture. I love using a little amount of coconut oil combined to the apple sauce since I consider these being a treat, but they can be made 100% oil-free by following the instruction at the end of the recipe.
When using apple sauce in baking, the amount needed is often small. If you want to avoid having to open a big jar of apple sauce only for one recipe, then I recommend you get these pre-packed cups of apple sauce. - Oats: There are a lot of healthy oats in this recipe. Use old fashioned oats to get a good chewy texture and look for a gluten-free type if you want to make this recipe gluten-free (in this case, also choose a gluten-free flour).
- Cinnamon: Not only does cinnamon taste delicious, but did you know that this spice contains a fair amount of antioxidants? Spices are not only great to flavor dishes, they also boost significantly the nutrient profile of your recipes.
Try adding these ingredients to personalize your cinnamon oatmeal cookies
- Raisins or chopped dates
- A hint of nutmeg or clove (in this case, use a little less cinnamon)
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- Chocolate chips
I hope you will love these autumn oatmeal cookies as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were.
And let’s stay in touch with Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter to be sure not to miss any updates!
Cinnamon oatmeal cookie (Vegan with an oil-free option)
Ingredients
- 2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 4 tsp Ceylon cinnamon see note if using regular or Cassia cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut oil liquid, melt in the microwave for a few seconds if needed
- 1/3 cup almond milk unsweetened and unflavored
- 1/4 cup apple sauce unsweetened
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven at 325Ā°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, add the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
- In the same bowl, add the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, almond milk and apple sauce. Combine the dry and wet ingredients with a wooden spoon, but be careful not to overmix. The batter will be pretty sticky and wet at that point.
- Then, using about 2 – 2 1/2 packed tbsp of dough for each cookies, separate the dough into 12 cookies on the baking sheet. Again, the dough is soft at this point, so simply plop the dough on the baking sheet for each cookies and do not flatten the dough. The 12 cookies should fit on one regular sized baking sheet. Keep going until you used all the dough.
- Cook in the oven for 13 minutes. Then, take the baking sheet out of the oven and let the cookies cool down on the baking sheet for about 5 more minutes. Then, you can transfer them on a cooling rack. The cookies might look a bit soft in the middle when just taking out of the oven, but they will set as they cool down.
- Store the cookies in a air tight container in the fridge (after they have cooled down) for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- For a no oil option: Omit the coconut oil and use a total of 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp of apple sauce (instead of 1/4 cup).
- If using Cassia cinnamon instead of Ceylon cinnamon (see blog): Since the cassia cinnamon is stronger in taste, I recommend to use 2 tsp (instead of 4 tsp) when making these cookies. If the type of cinnamon is not mentioned on your bottle, then consider it to be Cassia cinnamon.
- Adds-in possible: Chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chip, raisins or even a hint of nutmeg or clove (reduce the amount of cinnamon accordingly to keep the total amount of spice to 4 tsp).
- To make these cookies gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour and specifically choose 100% gluten-free raw oats.
Pin it for later!
4 Comments
Sonia
Merci pour la belle recette š
plantbasedjess
š Je pense que c’est le genre de tes hommes!
Sarah Manderson
Yummy! Added some raisins, and skipped the oil entirely in favour of applesauce (2 apples, chopped, microwaved for 4 minutes with about 3 tbsp of water, and squished with a fork). I turned out 24 chewy cookies from the recipe. Thank you!
plantbasedjess
Thanks for your comment Sarah! I’m glad you liked them! And I love your idea of using fresh apples when making them. š