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My cranberry orange oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with a refreshingly tart flavor. Naturally sweetened, gluten-free, AND vegan!
Need more fall-ready cookies? Try my healthy pumpkin cookies, thumbprint cookies, or applesauce cookies.
In my friend group, the holiday season means one thing: cookie exchanges. And when I need a cookie to stand out amidst a crowd of chocolate chip and sugar cookies, I make my orange cranberry oat cookies!
They’re soft, thick, and chewy, as all oat cookies should be, but the difference comes with the balance of refreshing orange peel and tart cranberries.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- They’re actually healthy. They’re high in fiber from the rolled oats and refined sugar-free thanks to the sweet addition of mashed bananas.
- 5 ingredients and minimal prep time. Meaning you can have these cookies ready in snap!
- The perfect flavor duo. If you tried my cranberry orange cake, you know this is one of my favorite flavor combinations.
- Diet-friendly. There is no gluten, eggs, dairy, sugar, or oil!
Ingredients needed
- Rolled oats. I tested all different kinds of oats, and I preferred old-fashioned oats. Instant oats are a close second, though they’ll be softer. Use gluten-free oats if needed.
- Banana. Use brown, overripened bananas since they’re the sweetest. Alternatively, I also had luck with canned pumpkin, but you’ll want to add two tablespoons of brown sugar if you go that route.
- Peanut butter. To bind the other ingredients. Feel free to use any nut or seed butter, like almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini.
- Dried cranberries. Be sure to use 100% unsweetened dried cranberries. I’ve tried using fresh cranberries, and unfortunately, they fell apart.
- Orange peel. You can use dried orange peel or a mixed citrus peel.
How to make cranberry orange oatmeal cookies
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep work. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2- Mix. In a large bowl, whisk all the oats, banana, and peanut butter. Stir in the cranberries and orange peel until combined.
Step 3- Shape. Form 12 cookie dough balls and place on the cookie sheet 2-3 inches apart. Press each ball into a cookie shape.
Step 4- Bake. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Prefer a softer texture? Pull them from the oven closer to the 12-minute mark.
- Shape them how you want them. Since there’s baking powder or baking soda, these cookies won’t spread, so however you shape them is how they’ll end up.
- Microwave the peanut butter. If it’s really thick, I like to pop it in the microwave in 15-second intervals until it’s smooth and drippy.
- Top the cookies with some reserved cranberries and orange peel for a finishing touch.
Variations
- More orange flavor. Fold in fresh orange zest and a squeeze of orange juice.
- Spices. Add a dash of cinnamon or a pinch of sea salt.
- Mix-ins. Add white chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts, or coconut flakes.
- Top with a glaze. Using an electric mixer, beat together powdered sugar, almond milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy, then drizzle over the cooled cookies.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Store cookies in a freezer bag for up to three months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight.
Frequently asked questions
Your cookies may be dry if the dough was overmixed or if they were overbaked. Only mix the dough until it’s uniform, and remove the cookies from the oven once they’re golden around the edges and begin to lift from the baking sheet.
More holiday dessert recipes to try
Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats gluten free, if needed
- 3 large bananas mashed
- 1/2 cup peanut butter See post for substitutions
- 3 tablespoon unsweetened dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon dried orange peel
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all your oats, banana and peanut butter and mix well. Fold through your cranberries and orange peel until combined.
- Form 12 balls of dough and place on the lined baking tray, 2-3 inches apart. Press each ball of dough into a cookie shape.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges go golden brown. Remove cookies from the oven and allow cooling completely.
A really delicious & festive cookie without sugar. I added some pistachios for colour and crunch. I will definitely bake these again! Thank you very much for the recipe! 🙂
Thank you 🙂 Have a safe holiday!
Hey Arman! These look great and will be perfect for my hubby to nosh on while he walks to the office. Love your recipes! Thank you very much. Cheers!
I love it! Thanks for the feedback, Janeth!