Vegan Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts

These one bowl Vegan Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies have everything you could want: crisp edges, soft centers, dark chocolate and walnuts in every bite. Oats form the base of these cookies, making them super tender, flavorful, and low on gluten. Creamy peanut butter eliminates the need for actual butter—and gives these cookies nutty goodness in every bite!

We've been making these cookies for years and won't be stopping anytime soon. The dough can be portioned and frozen, for fresh-from-the-oven cookies whenever the craving hits. But if you're planning to share with family and friends, bake off the whole batch, because these cookies always disappear fast!

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• Ingredients
• How to make (step-by-step photos)
• Tips for making these oat chocolate chunk cookies
• Frequently asked questions
• 📖 Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

• Crisp edges, soft in the middle: These delicious cookies are golden on the edges, but soft and tender in the middle. It's the best of both worlds! They're loaded with dark chocolate, walnuts, and peanut butter which really takes them over the top.
• Dairy-free, egg-free, low gluten recipe: This recipe is great for anyone who is avoiding dairy and/or eggs. The base for the dough is mostly oats, so this recipe contains less gluten than traditional cookies. (Note: This recipe is not gluten-free, but this delicious dark chocolate cookie recipe is).
• No specialty vegan ingredients: This recipe doesn't call for specialty vegan butter, vegan eggs, or gluten-free flour blends. And, you probably already have most (if not all) of the ingredients at home already.
• One bowl: The cookie dough batter gets mixed in one bowl. You don't need an electric mixer for this, a spoon/spatula works just fine. Do take care to add and mix the ingredients in the same order listed in the recipe. This will ensure even ingredient distribution, which is especially important with one-bowl baking recipes.
• Tested until perfect: We made this recipe 8 times before publishing it—and have made it countless times in the years since! This recipe works like a dream (—just make sure you follow it).

Ingredients

This recipe doesn't require any specialty vegan products—like vegan butter or eggs. In fact, you probably already have most of these ingredients at home! Here are the ingredients you need:

• Rolled Oats: Use rolled (old fashioned) oats for this recipe—not quick oats. The oats get blended into a flour, which forms the base for the cookie dough. It keeps the cookies soft and tender, with oat flavor throughout.
• All Purpose Flour: This recipe calls for a tiny bit of all-purpose flour to help keep the cookies together. Without it, the recipe would need a gluten-free starch or binder—which is something I wanted to avoid! So, the recipe is not gluten-free, but rather gluten "light".
• Coconut Oil: Start with slightly softened (but still solid) coconut oil. If your coconut oil is liquid-y, pop it in the fridge until firm, then set it out at room temperature to soften slightly before using.
• Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar is recommended for color, but darker brown sugar works too. If you're vegan, check the label to see if it's vegan friendly (organic brands often are!).
• Dark Chocolate: I usually chop up a bar of dark chocolate, but you could use vegan-friendly chocolate chunks or chocolate chips instead.

Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.

How to make (step-by-step photos)

Here's how to make these delicious Vegan Oat Chocolate Chunk Cookies:

Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.

Video for this Vegan Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe

Tips for making these oat chocolate chunk cookies

• Bake by weight (if you can): We always recommend baking by weight where possible. A scale is much more accurate than using measuring cups.
• Stir your peanut butter thoroughly: Creamy all-natural peanut butter has a tendency to separate. Stir the jar thoroughly to incorporate the oil—then scoop out the smooth and runny peanut butter for these cookies.
• Use chopped chocolate (or chocolate chunks) for the gooier cookie: While chocolate chips can be used, they're designed to hold their shape in the oven. If you're a fan of melted pockets of chocolate, start with a bar of chocolate and chop it yourself.
• Garnish with flaky salt (optional): Flaky sea salt pairs really nicely with the dark chocolate—but these cookies also taste great without it! If you are garnishing with flaky salt, add it immediately after the cookies come out of the oven. The salt will stick better when the cookies are hot and the chocolate is melted.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet: These cookies are very tender straight from the oven, in part because they have such little all-purpose flour/gluten. They will firm up as they cool. Let the cookies cool almost completely on the baking sheet, before gently lifting them with a spatula/flipper. (Note: If you can't resist a fresh-from-the-oven cookie, leave them untouched for at least 5-7 minutes, otherwise they might crumble).

Frequently asked questions

📖 Recipe