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These healthy oatmeal raisin cookies are soft and chewy and need just 4 ingredients to make. I love how they bake in just 10 minutes.
Love healthy oatmeal cookie recipes? Try my oatmeal breakfast cookies, healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and flourless cookies.
As much as I love a good chocolate chip cookie, sometimes we want something without chocolate (yes, sacrilegious). My healthy oatmeal raisin cookie recipe is the perfect antidote, and it’s wholesome to boot.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Ready in 10 minutes. No refrigeration of the dough or chill time is required.
- No butter, eggs, or oil. Which is perfect if you are following a low-calorie, low-fat, gluten-free, and/or vegan diet.
- Easy to customize. Add extra spices and mix-ins, or even dip them in chocolate.
- Just like classic cookies. They taste sweet and have an almost buttery flavor (thanks to the almond butter!). They have a chewy texture and are loaded with raisins.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“These are delicious and perfect! I omitted the raisins and added more cinnamon and pb. thanks for the quick, easy, and affordable recipe.” – Demi
Ingredients needed
- Rolled Oats (Old fashioned oats). A must for a cookie that requires oatmeal! This also replaces any need for flour. Be sure to use gluten-free rolled oats to keep this recipe 100% gluten-free.
- Banana. Mashed bananas replace the need for oil or butter while also providing sweetness. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the cookies will be.
- Almond Butter. I prefer using almond butter, but any nut butter works, including peanut butter and cashew butter.
- Raisins. I recommend using a good-quality brand of plump and juicy raisins. See my trick below for instant fat and juicy raisins!
- Flavor boosters. It’s optional, but add some sea salt, ground cinnamon, and/or vanilla extract.
Plump and juicy raisin trick
Pour the raisins you want to use into a bowl or mixing bowl, add boiling water over the tops of them, and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
During the 30 minutes, the raisins naturally plump up and become fat and juicy—perfect for these cookies! Discard the water and soak up any extra liquid with a paper towel, and voila—plump raisins.
How to make healthy oatmeal raisin 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- Make the cookie dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine your rolled oats, banana and almond butter, and mix well, until combined. Fold through your raisins.
Step 2- Shape the cookies. Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form 12 small balls of dough. Transfer them to the lined baking sheet, pressing down on each cookie. Top with extra raisins.
Step 3- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges just brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before eating!
Arman’s recipe tips
- Do not overbake the cookies, as they continue to cook as they cool down. We want these cookies to be soft and chewy, so remove them from the oven when they are ‘just’ done. Also, they don’t contain any eggs, so you can underbake them.
- If your dough is too thick, add more banana or even some liquid sweetener, like maple syrup or agave. If the dough is smooth and drippy, add more oats!
- These cookies DON’T spread much, so make sure the cookies are the size and thickness you prefer.
- If you prefer sweeter cookies, add some brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, or honey. These cookies rely on the banana for sweetness.
Dietary swaps and substitutions
- Oats– Quinoa flakes or brown rice flakes work.
- Nut-free– Use tahini or sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter.
- Use a banana alternative– Unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree.
- Cut the carbs– Instead of these cookies, try keto oatmeal raisin cookies instead.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover cookies in the fridge, as they will spoil quickly if left at room temperature. Keep them in a sealable container or covered on a plate. They will keep fresh for up to 7 days.
To freeze: Place leftover cookies in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
When made as instructed, there are just 140 calories per cookie.
More easy cookies you’ll love
- Healthy monster cookies
- Keto chocolate chip cookies
- Vegan chocolate chip cookies
- 2 ingredient Biscoff cookies
- Paleo chocolate chip cookies
Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats gluten free, if needed
- 3 large bananas mashed (approximately 1.25 cups) * See notes
- 1/2 cup almond butter can substitute for any nut or seed butter ** See notes
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon optional
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 of your ingredients except for your raisins, and mix well. Fold through your raisins using a rubber spatula.
- Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form 12 balls using the cookie dough. Transfer them onto the lined tray and place around 1-2 inches apart. Press down on each cookie to form a cookie shape (they will not spread, so make them your desired size and thickness).
- Place them in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden around the sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published April 2020, updated May 2022, and republished April 2024
Interesting combination.
Raisins and bananas.
Good luck I always have peanut butter at home. Will give it a try. Who knows how they turn out.
Good luck I always have peanut butter at home. Will give it a try.
The good thing is all these ingredients you always have at home!
I wouldn’t call them cookies seemed morel like a soft granola bar and when chilled a little they made a delicious granola bar
made these out of curiosity tonite and they were so quick and easy! didnt know what to expect and thought I might have to rework them. they are good and just sweet enough! I like that about them. I might add walnuts for some texture/crunch next time. super healthy recipe!! THANKS!
A rather healthy oat cookie recipe.
I am baking them now and hope they come out well.
NO sugar, only natural one, bananas. I love apples so I added one as well.
Thank you very much.
these are delicious and perfect! i omitted the raisins and added more cinnamon and pb. thanks for the quick, easy and affordable recipe.
Weldon
I’m greatful
Can I substitute the banana for something else
Applesauce could work!
I try this cookies for my husband, he like it, better and healthier way for his sweet thooth.
I tried this recipe because I had no flour. I used butter instead of almond butter and used about two tablespoons of honey. yummmmm so good.
These were perfect for me since I’m diabetic. They have the perfect texture; soft and chewy. My Dad tried them (who’s not diabetic) and he really liked the texture but said they weren’t sweet at all. I would like to make them again for him and my nephew (who is allergic to gluten), but add sugar next time. How much sugar do I add, so they turn out the same?
It’s not too sweet, just perfect for me. I’ve been trying to eat healthier. My fiancé on the other hand said it needed more sugar and/or raisins. But he kept eating them so he must’ve liked them. Haha. Making a second batch right now with an extra 1/4 cup of raisins. Thank you for this recipe.
Added 2 tablespoons of flax powder, vanilla, cacao nibs and some bittersweet chocolate chips and I’m not sure how many will even make it to the oven! Yum . Thanks for this recipe!
Do the bananas need to be soft or can i use firm ones?
Soft are preferred.