Breakfast Cookies without Nuts, Dairy, Eggs, and Soy

This beloved butterless recipe was shared with us over fifteen years ago by a former blogger named Kate Ekman. She adapted the classic Quaker oatmeal cookie recipe to create a healthier plant-based version with less sugar and more nutrients. She tested countless variations of these nut-free vegan breakfast cookies, and decided the best ones contained a combination of pumpkin seeds, raisins, and cranberries.

Nut-Free Vegan Breakfast Cookies Adapted from Quaker Oats

We recently updated this vegan oatmeal breakfast cookies recipe and added nutrition facts. I also have answers to some FAQs below.

Can I Substitute Gluten-Free Flour?

We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour. If you decide to try it, I would use a gluten-free flour blend meant for baking, like King Arthur Measure for Measure. Do not substitute a grain-free flour like coconut flour or almond flour. These do not work as one-to-one substitutes for wheat flour.

What Type Of Oil Should I Use?

I would use your favorite neutral tasting oil for cooking and baking. I often use extra light olive oil (not extra virgin). Canola oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and other inexpensive oils work great, too. If you’d like to use coconut oil, just make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before adding the oil. You can use refined coconut oil if you want the richness of coconut oil but don’t want to add any coconut taste. Please note that coconut oil will add more saturated fat to this recipe.

Can I Substitute Plant Butter for the Oil?

Dairy-free buttery sticks might work, but we haven’t tested it. Using a vegan butter alternative will create a slightly different taste and texture.

Can I Substitute Maple Syrup for the Sweetener?

Liquid sweeteners don’t substitute welling cookies. If you want to use unrefined sweeteners, I would turn towards organic cane sugar, coconut sugar, or sucanat.

Can I Substitute Chia Seeds for the Flax Seeds?

You can substitute chia seeds for the flax seeds. Unlike flax seeds, chia seeds soften in water . Consequently, you don’t need to grind chia seeds before using them in this recipe. Grind them only if you don’t want the appearance of little seeds in the cookies.

Are There Any Other Egg Substitutes I Could Use?

Some egg substitutes will make the cookies a little more fragile. But most common alternatives, like applesauce or bananas, should work in general. See our Egg Substitute Guide for options.

Can I Use Real Eggs Instead Of Flax Eggs?

We haven’t tested it, but eggs should work in this recipe. Because large eggs are sometimes bigger than standard, I might use to medium eggs in place of the flax eggs. But to ensure the best results, I would use my Dairy-Free Breakfast Cookies Recipe instead. It uses eggs, and can be made nut free. You could even use Kate’s pumpkin seed, raisin, and dried cranberry combo in those cookies.

What Type of Oats Should I Use?

Kate uses rolled oats, which give these nut-free vegan breakfast cookies a rustic, chewier texture. I prefer to use quick oats, which bake up softer. This makes them more enjoyable from the freezer and a little less chewy. When I want something heartier, I use a combination of quick oats and rolled oats.

Special Diet Notes: Nut-Free Vegan Breakfast Cookies

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose the oil, dried fruit, and seeds that suit your dietary needs.

Alisa Fleming

Breakfast Cookies without Nuts, Dairy, Eggs, and Soy

No ratings yet

Kate says this combination of seeds and dried fruit is perfect. But don’t be afraid to try out your own mix of add-ins. Substitute sunflower seeds for the pumpkin seeds, use all cranberries, substitute dried blueberries for the fruit, toss in some dairy-free chocolate chips … the list goes on.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Servings: 36 regular cookies or 14 large cookies

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Calories: 147

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour or wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup oil
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 flax eggs see below
• 3 cups oats
• ½ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup dried cranberries

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the oil, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
4. Add the flax eggs to the wet mixture in your mixing bowl and mix until blended. Gradually stir in the dry mixture until combined. Fold in the oats, dried fruit, and seeds.
5. Drop the dough by the heaping tablespoon (about 2 level tablespoons) onto your prepared baking sheets. For large cookies, scoop the dough using a 1/3 measuring cup. Pat the dough balls down slightly.
6. Bake regular sized cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or large cookies for 15 to 17 minutes. The cookie edges should begin to brown when done.
7. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for a few minutes before removing them to a wire rack to come to cool completely. The cookies will be more fragile when warm, and will set up as they cool.
8. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a few days, or put them in the freezer for longer storage.

Nutrition

Serving: 1regular cookieCalories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 19.3gProtein: 3.3gFat: 6.7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 57mgFiber: 1.9gSugar: 6.3g

Notes

Flax Eggs: Grind 2 tablespoons whole flax seeds. Place the freshly ground flaxseed in a small bowl and whisk in 6 tablespoons water. If using preground flax seeds, use 5 tablespoons ground flaxseed (not packed).

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Also try these Vegan Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies!