Oatmeal Date Cookies (vegan + gf)
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Published Nov 24, 2015, Updated Mar 05, 2024
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These delicious oatmeal date cookies are easy to whip up and have the perfect texture — crispy edges with a a soft and chewy center! Vegan + gluten-free.
My obsession with Medjool dates continues… this time in cookie form.
I’ve always enjoyed eating and cooking with dates. It’s kind of a problem, but not really because most of my creations turn out to be delicious. Some of my faves are my 4-ingredient samoas, snickers stuffed dates, date-based energy balls and now these cookies.
Before I go any further I have to tell you that we (me, Isaac and everyone who’s tried them) are obsessed with these cookies. I’ve already made two batches and I’m considering making a third for Thanksgiving Day.
Adding Dates to Oatmeal Cookies
Oatmeal cookies have always been one of my favorites. I’ve made them many, many times — sometimes with raisins, other times with chocolate chips or coconut, but never with dates. Turns out adding dates to oatmeal cookies is a genius idea! The dates get soft and caramely after baking and every bite that contains a date is literally the best.
Also, the texture of these cookies is basically perfect! Trust me on this… or make these cookies and find out for yourself how tasty they are.
Ingredients in Oatmeal Date Cookies
- rolled old fashioned oats
- oat flour – store-bought or homemade oat flour
- coconut sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- sea salt
- flax egg – 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons of water
- maple syrup
- coconut oil
- vanilla
- Medjool dates
- walnuts
How to Make Oatmeal Date Cookies
Make flax egg – Whisk together ground flaxseed with water in a small bowl to make your flax egg. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until it thickens.
Mix dry ingredients – Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Mix wet ingredients – In another bowl combine flaxseed egg, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla.
Combine the dough – Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently stir in chopped dates and walnuts.
Place dough in fridge – Place dough in the fridge to setup for 30 minutes. Whatever you do, don’t skip this step!! It will result in cookies that spread too much while baking.
Bake – After dough has set in the fridge, drop round tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure you space the cookies out because they tend to spread a bit. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown at 350° F.
Cool – Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes then gently move to a wire rack and cool completely before eating or transferring to a storage container for later. Store cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
Love Oatmeal Cookies? Try These Other Varieties Too!
- Healthy No Bake Cookies
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Chia Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Oatmeal Date Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rolled old fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup + 3 Tablespoons oat flour
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 flax egg, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup chopped Medjool dates
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a small bowl whisk together ground flaxseed with water to make your flax egg and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients — oats, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl combine the wet ingredients — flaxseed egg, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently stir in the chopped dates and walnuts.
- Place dough in the fridge to setup for 30 minutes (do not skip this step).
- Drop rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking stone. Make sure you space the cookies out because they tend to spread a bit. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
- Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes then gently move to a wire rack and cool completely before eating or transferring to a storage container for later. Store cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- You can buy oat flour or make your own oat flour by blending regular oats in a blender or food processor until they create a fine flour.
- Recipe adapted from Oatmeal, Walnut, Dried Plum Cookies from The Kind Diet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These look like my kind of cookies! I love sweetening with dates because they’re basically nature’s candy. I love that you used oat flour! And of course cookies are good at all times of the year 🙂
Yes, I call dates nature’s candy as well. Sooo good and naturally sweet. 🙂
I’d add a tablespoon or two of extra coconut oil.
These look so good! They sound like the PERFECT cookie texture. And I don’t think anyone would complain about cookies for a Thanksgiving contribution 😉
I agree!! 🙂
Making these now but the dough seems dry and crumbly. What could I add??
I had the same problem . I mixed 1.5 T ground flaxseed with 3 T water let it sit for about five minutes and mixed it in at the end. I would probably mix it with the wet ingredients next time.
Delicious! These are cooling on the tray now.. minus three more than when they were taken out. I subbed 1/3 cup mashed banana (1 small ripe banana worked perfectly) for the maple syrup and 1-1 xylitol for the sugar. Other than that I followed the recipe exactly. It actually made 21 cookies for me and they’re simply amazing <3 I'm not a huge nut person, let alone walnuts… but this is just awesome. I had some left over from a loaf I'd done for Thanksgiving and decided to throw them in.
Watch out though, I could've eaten the whole thing of dough before even baking it!
I just made these. They’re incredible! Subbed cashews for walnuts.
Yay!!! Thank you so much for making them, Leah! Enjoy. <3
I just made these but my batter was extremely runny. They all joined together and made a huge pizza. It’s ok I am going to cut them into squares because they are so good! But I subbed almond flour for oat flour, could that be why they were runny?
Disregard I discovered what it was. My honey use instead of sugar, my conversion was off. Thanks!
Ahh! I’m sorry you had issues with the recipe. I think it was probably a combination of using almond flour instead of oat flour and the honey. Hopefully they still tasted yummy. 🙂
same exact thing happened to me but they still tasted delicious
Oh no! I’m sorry they didn’t turn out as planned. Did you make any substitutions?
this recipe is awesome! i prefer to under bake the cookies so it stays a bit chewy in the middle. thanks for sharing 🙂
So glad that you like them, Stella. Enjoy the chewiness. 🙂
I was searching through old recipes I’ve saved because I was in the mood to bake and wanted a sweet treat and came across this recipe. So glad I was reminded of it! I made it multiple times last fall and it is a winner for sure. They are making my apartment smell delightful 🙂 Thanks!
These are pretty awesome! The first batch I made was a bit wet and did spread quit a bit. I used the same ingredients, except omitted the nuts since I have some nut allergies. And they were so sweet. I admit to eating alot of the batter…so good.
I made them again this morning and added an additional 1/2 cup of oat flour. So 1 1/4 altogether. I may have put in one too many dates on the last batch, so I only put in 2 instead of three this time. These did not spread onto the whole pan like last time and look alot more like cookies and have that wonderful flavor. Next time I might add a bit of cinnamon to entice my son into having a few.
Absolutely Delicious!!
Just made these and WOW! They are AMAZING! I can’t get over how delicious they are! Like the other comments have said, my house smells so good now, too. I did find that the cookies did not hold together very well and many fell apart, so I’ve stuck them into the freezer in hopes of saving them. Nonetheless, I’ll definitely be making these again! Thank you for the great recipe!
These cookies are delicious! I alter them slightly. I omit the coconut sugar, add a couple chia eggs to help bind and add some sunflower seeds. I also create a combo of oat, almond and buckwheat flour to add some variety. Everyone loves them! My 2 year old could eat the whole tray!
I left the comment for these cookies on the page of the other oatmeal cookie recipe. Hopefully you can move it over to this recipe. These cookies are AMAZING!!!
No worries, Jen. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed these cookies. 🙂
I followed instructions precisely, however, it didn’t work out as expected. The cookie dough spread across the whole pan when baked, and when I tried to cut the “cookie pizza”, it was extremely crumbly and started breaking. I assume that there was no binding ingredient included, which would explain the result. It also tasted too sweet for my taste, but maybe that’s just me 🙂 no matter what, thank you for the recipe! I am determined to try them once again, only include more flour, egg or flax seeds to keep the cookies from breaking.
Why would you tell someone to preheat the oven at the first step when you need to put the dough in the fridge for 30 mins? sorry.. that kinda annoyed me. Might want to change preheating the oven to the 5th step instead of the first. Anyways.. Thanks for the recipe.
Man people in the comments sure are ornery!
Made these cookies several time and have decided they will always be my vegan base moving forward! The dates make it taste wonderful, I mince them so it gives a ‘brown sugar’ richness you’re more used to for a normal cookie.
The key is following the directions for the flax egg and refrigerating the dough. I’ve swapped the walnuts for pecans and chocolate chips and added dried fruit and chia seeds and everyone who eats them asks for the recipe.
Just read the directions and adjust from there 🙂
Thank you so much, Nicole. I’m so happy to hear that you love these cookies as much as I do! Aren’t the dates amazing in the cookies?!?
These look great. How do you measure your oat flour? I’ve noticed that it can change between recipes. 🙂
I make these cookies all of the time and my family fights over them. They definitely are crumbly- but I love it. Especially over a bowl of vanilla ice cream. DROOL.
I am currently making them with dried plums/prunes because I didn’t have dates and I expect them to be just as good.
I always add cinnamon and a bit of coconut flakes 🙂
Ohh I’m sure they’ll be delicious with the dried plums/prunes instead of the dates. I’m so glad that these cookies are a hit with your family, Sarah! I really appreciate you coming back to leave a comment. <3
I love these cookies but haven’t made them in a year or two. I don’t remember having to make a flax egg the last time I made them- they always turned out great. Have you updated the recipe recently? Thanks!
Hey Kim! I don’t think so! You can still definitely use a regular egg instead of the flax egg though. 🙂
My husband loves these cookies, thank you so much for sharing.
hi hi
this is a general comment — i haven’t tried these cookies yet. Am new to your site. I am looking at the amazing videos of amazing foods but! you don’t name the different videos so it is taking me quite a bit of time to figure out how to search for them and find the recipe. Anything to do about that? They all look great… would like to try a lot of them!
Hey Mira – I don’t have videos for all my recipes. Is there a specific type of recipe you’re looking for?
Made these today, except I didn’t have a blender or oat flour, so I used quick oats for the “oat flour.” A bit chewier and very oaty (which I prefer), but overall turned out amazing!! So good.
So glad these cookies turned out for you, Madeline! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
If I don’t have coconut sugar, would it be better to use brown sugar or regular cane sugar? And would the same amount be appropriate? I realize it’s not as healthy, but I’m trying to work with what I have on hand!
I’d use brown sugar instead of the coconut sugar and the amount amount. Let me know how they turn out for you.
is it okay if I use canola oil instead of coconut oil? these look awesome
Hey Isa – Canola oil should work just fine. Let me know how these turn out for you!
they turned out great! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that, Isa. 🙂
I loved the oatmeal date cookies. They were delicious!!!
I made them two weeks ago and am going to make them again tomorrow. Thank you very much for an amazing recipe.
Ahh yay!! You’re so welcome, Natalie. I’m glad you’re loving these cookies. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. 🙂
I made these for my kids and I “accidentally” ate most of them! I don’t think I should make these again because they are too delicious! I will definitely have to limit myself to one a day if I make them again.So good!
Haha love it!! So glad these cookies were a hit! Might need to make a double batch next time! And you could always store some in the freezer to limit how many are consumed. 🙂
The taste of baking powder is overwhelming.
Oh no!! So sorry to hear that, Mel. Did you change anything about the recipe? And you used 2 teaspoons or baking powder, right?
I used all the same ingredients except the coconut oil, I used butter, which may have been why they spread so much. I put the batter in the fridge for 30mins before baking. I put the required amount of baking powder and baking soda, but it made the cookies bitter and have a terrible after taste. I thought maybe I was just sensitive to the flavour but 2 others tried them and they said the same thing. I am an avid baker so was really disappointed.
I used all the same ingredients except the coconut oil, I used butter, which may have been why they spread so much. I put the batter in the fridge for 30mins before baking. I put the required amount of baking powder and baking soda, but it made the cookies bitter and have a terrible after taste. I thought maybe I was just sensitive to the flavour but 2 others tried them and they said the same thing. I am an avid baker so was really disappointed.
These cookies are amazing! I can’t believe how much they taste like an oatmeal cookie. I’m simply loving your recipes Brittany. Thank you so much for making sweets that have healthy ingredients in them taste good.
Ahh, that makes me so happy to hear!! So glad you loved this recipe, Joyce. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
Absolutely love these. I had to make a few modifications because my pantry just didn’t have everything!!!!
I substituted the oatflour with 1 cup of almond flour. I also used honey instead of maple syrup. This made them much sweeter and will definitely look into getting a stash of maple syrup (the price though). Overall, they held well, tasted absolutely great and cooked in 12 minutes. They are the tastist egg, dairy and gluten free biscuits to grace these hands. Thank you.
So glad these cookies turned out for you!! Thanks for coming back to share the subs you made and for leaving a review. I so appreciate it!
I refrigerated for a little over 30 minutes and the cookies still spread into a mess and were completely falling apart. Don’t know if I did something wrong but was disappointed.
Hey Sonja – So sorry to hear that. Did you change anything about the recipe?
Hey there!! I was wondering for the coconut Blossom can you use honey instead?? Just a question I love all your recipes!!!!
Hey Natalie – Do you mean coconut sugar? I wouldn’t swap honey with the coconut sugar as you’d be swapping a dry sugar for a liquid one and it might cause the cookies to be too wet.
I was so looking forward to these cookies. However, my husband and I both found that they tasted much too salty, unfortunately to the point of being inedible. Other recipes I have for oatmeal cookies call for almost half the amount of baking soda, and no baking powder. I usually follow a new recipe as it’s written the first time, but if I make these again, I’ll be making a number of adjustments.
Hey Kate – Sorry to hear that. Did you just add 1/4 tsp of salt? I’ve made these cookies many times and haven’t had issues with them being overly salty!
Amazing as usual. My family including my toddler enjoyed this snack so much!
Thanks so much and keep the good work 👍🏻
Yay!! This makes me so happy to hear, Fatima! So glad everyone loved these cookies. Thanks for trying them out and coming back to leave a review. It means so much to me!
Can I replace the flax egg with regular egg??
I haven’t tried it in this recipe, so I’m not sure how the cookies will turn out with a flax egg. Let me know if you try it!
We LOVED these. The flavor of sweet & a tiny bit salty were a perfect combo with the hardy oats and delicious walnuts. I made them exactly as the recipe called for, chilled fully and they turned out just like the photo. Plus, the house smelled so delicious on this cold, Fall night. Thanks for sharing!
Woo!! So pumped to hear these oatmeal date cookies were a success, Lee Anne. Thanks so much for trying the recipe out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Made these today ad they turned out perfect! Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside! I added some mixed spice to them for added flavour. Delicious!
Woo! So glad to hear these were a hit for you, Meeta! The addition of mixed spices sounds delicious. Thanks for making them and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
I didn’t use the flax egg, and I doubled the recipe and added in a little bit of my swerve Brown sugar to help double the Maple syrup. This recipe is so good, I was trying to find something to make for my 16 month old that had more fiber and nutritious benefits to it Then just turkey sausage and eggs every morning. Plus it’s a healthier snack. II did I really wanted the fiber component of the oats and the dates So I was happy when I stumbled upon this recipe. Super moist and crunchy exterior . I have had no complaints out of My son.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear this recipe worked out for you, Rebecca! Thanks for coming back to leave a review and star rating, I really appreciate it.
Brittany! I love all your recipes but these didn’t turn out for me as cookies – they were very thin and spread into one mass. I think too much oil? The flavor is good; I’m going to use as granola instead.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that, Angela. Did you change anything about the recipe?
Mine did the same thing. I even added an extra flax egg the second time I made them to see if that would help. They still spread out. I wondered if it was too much oil or not enough time in the fridge??? idk
Hi Kris – I am sorry to hear they didn’t work out as you had hoped. Did you change anything about the recipe?
Like I said, I added an extra flax egg to see if that would help, but it didn’t. Maybe my ground flax seed was too finely ground and the flax egg didn’t gel enough? Idk My mom suggested leaving the dough in the fridge longer (at least an hour or up to overnight) to see if that will help. So, I may try that next time. They are very delicious otherwise.
These cookies were very good! I adjusted them a bit to my needs. I reduced the coconut sugar and maple syrup to a 1/4 cup each, used a chia egg instead, and added 1 tsp cinnamon.
That’s a great adjustment! Thanks for sharing, Christine. I appreciate it!
Love these! I kept making these and a texture would turn out all wrong, so I figured if they won’t come out right I might as well skip all the complicating steps like mixing the ingredients in separate bowls, making the “egg”, melting coconut oil beforehand, and chilling the dough … And they came out perfect. Just dump it all in a bowl, mix it, and toss it in the oven. It’ll come out perfect.
Glad you found a technique that worked for you! I appreciate you taking the time to come back and share and leave me a review.
Not sure if my first comment posted or not sooo… thank you thank you for this recipe. It’s fantastic! I’ve tried multiple oatmeal cookie recipes and they all fell flat. I did add a teaspoon of cinnamon because I personally feel like it’s not an oatmeal cookie if it doesn’t have cinnamon! I also left the walnuts out because I didn’t have any and just doubled the amount of dates 🙂 I Will definitely be making these again and again maybe with different add ins!
Ah yay! I am so glad to hear that this recipe is a hit, Sara! Your substitutions sound amazing. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate you being here!
These cookies were amazing!! I added double the amount of dates because 1/4c didn’t seem like enough and I’m glad I did! My kids devoured them!
WOO! I am SO glad you gave these a try, Amanda and everyone is loving them. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
It is not VEGAN when you use EGGS, I doubt I will follow this !
The recipe calls for flax seed eggs, not actual eggs.