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These gingerbread oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy inside with crisp edges and loaded with warm spices and molasses for a great holiday treat! They look so pretty on a cookie tray next to my vegan snickerdoodles.

Completed Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies on cooling rack.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Love soft and chewy oatmeal cookies (like these vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies)? Can’t get enough of warmly spiced gingerbread cookies? If the answer is yes to both, why not combine them into soft, thick, chewy, super satisfying gingerbread oatmeal cookies?! Plus, these are free from eggs and dairy, and no one can tell.

Just like regular gingerbread, these ginger oat cookies contain a robust spice blend, brown sugar, and sticky molasses. However, the oaty base makes them extra soft and mega chewy in the middle, with crisp edges, for a super comforting oatmeal cookie with a Fall/Winter twist. Best of all, the dough is easy to prepare and can even be made in advance, which is perfect for Christmas and the holiday season!

You might also enjoy these vegan gingerbread cookies, gingerbread crinkle cookies, soft pumpkin molasses cookies, triple ginger vegan gingersnaps, spiced persimmon cookies, or soft vegan gingerbread cake. For a full holiday cookie tray, I pull ideas from my favorite vegan holiday cookies.

The Ingredients

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, substitutes, and quantities.

Ingredients for Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies on a white surface.

Optional Add-Ins

  • Orange zest (add a Tablespoon for a fresh citrus note)
  • Crystallized ginger (finely chopped for chewy bites with extra ginger flavor)
  • Vegan chocolate chips (dairy-free milk, dark, or white chocolate)
  • Chopped nuts/seeds (raw or lightly toasted pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
  • Shredded coconut (add a few Tablespoons for extra chew and tropical flavor)
  • Cardamom (just a pinch for added depth to the spice blend)
  • A glaze topping (either a vanilla or pumpkin spice glaze, to drizzle or dip)
  • Vegan white chocolate (to drizzle over the top of the vegan oatmeal gingerbread cookies)

How to Make Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

Ground flaxseed and warm water mixed in a small bowl for a flax egg.
Molasses and flax egg added to creamed vegan butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.

Step 1: First, thoroughly mix the ground flax meal and warm water in a bowl and set aside to thicken/congeal.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, and pumpkin spice). In a large bowl, use a hand mixer (or stand mixer) to cream the vegan butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the remaining wet ingredients (vanilla extract, molasses, and the flax egg) and mix on high for one minute.

Rolled oats being added to gingerbread oatmeal cookie dough in a mixing bowl.
Balls of gingerbread oatmeal cookie dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and mix until barely combined. Then add the oats and mix until fully incorporated, being careful not to over-mix. Then, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 4: Once preheated, scoop 2-Tablespoon portions of dough onto the tray, 2 inches apart, lightly pressing them to flatten. Bake the ginger oat cookies for 8 to 12 minutes, until they have golden edges with a slightly soft, underbaked middle. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to fully cool. Optionally, ice the ginger oatmeal cookies. Enjoy!

FAQs

Are pumpkin spice and gingerbread spice the same?

While very similar, pumpkin spice is more cinnamon-forward compared to ginger-forward gingerbread. For that reason, I’ve combined PS with extra ground ginger. Alternatively, substitute the mix of spices for 2 ½ tsp gingerbread spice.

Could I use instant oats?

Yes, but the texture of the cookies will be a little softer and less chewy. You could also go somewhere in-between, if wanted, by pulsing the oats for a few seconds.

Can I use blackstrap molasses instead of regular?

Blackstrap molasses is much more pungent and bitter, so if you want to use it as a substitute, I’d probably recommend only using half the amount (or even less). I haven’t tested this swap, though.

Can I make the cookies gluten-free?

Yes! Just use certified gluten-free oats and substitute the flour with a GF flour blend, like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur’s. You may need slightly more flour, so adjust if necessary.

Pro Recipe Tips

  • Measure the flour properly: To avoid dense gingerbread oatmeal cookies. Fluff it in its bag, spoon it into a measuring cup, then level it with a knife.
  • Don’t overmix the dough: Only mix it until fully combined; otherwise, it can affect the rise and texture of the cookies.
  • Don’t overbake the gingerbread cookies: It’s normal for the middle to look soft and underdone immediately after removing them from the oven.
  • Rest on the tray: After baking, leave the vegan oatmeal ginger cookies on the hot tray for 10 minutes to allow the residual heat to finish cooking the center of the cookies for a perfectly soft and chewy texture.
Completed Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies on cooling rack.

Storage Instructions

Make ahead: You can prepare the ginger oatmeal cookie dough 2 days in advance and store it in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Then, bring it to room temperature to continue.

You can freeze the vegan cookie dough by shaping the cookies, flash-freezing them, then transferring to a Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes.

Store: Store the leftover plain or iced oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week (remove from fridge a few minutes before enjoying).

Freeze: Flash freeze the vegan gingerbread oat cookies on a tray until solid and transfer them to a Ziplock/Stasher for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or quickly in a microwave.

Gingerbread oatmeal cookies stacked in a glass storage container.

More Vegan Holiday Cookies

If you tried these gingerbread oatmeal cookies or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

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Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

5 from 3 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 22 minutes
Servings: 12 cookies
Completed Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies on cooling rack.
These gingerbread oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy inside with crisp edges and loaded with warm spices and molasses for a great holiday treat!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) flaxmeal
  • 2 ½ Tablespoons (37 ml) warm water
  • 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pumpkin spice
  • ½ cup (113 g) vegan butter at room temperature
  • ½ cup (107 g) light brown sugar packed
  • 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) molasses
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (134 g) rolled oats

Instructions 

  • In a small bowl, mix the flaxmeal and warm water.
    Ground flaxseed and warm water mixed in a small bowl for a flax egg.
  • Set the flax egg aside to thicken.
  • In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, and pumpkin spice. Set aside.
    Flour, sugar, and spices measured out in white bowls.
  • In a large bowl, add the vegan butter and light brown sugar.
    Vegan butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.
  • Beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
    Creamed vegan butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the molasses, vanilla extract, and flax egg, and mix on high for 1 minute.
    Molasses and flax egg added to creamed vegan butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the flour mixture and mix until the ingredients are barely combined.
    Flour added to gingerbread cookie mixture in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the oats and mix until well incorporated, without over-mixing.
    Rolled oats being added to gingerbread oatmeal cookie dough in a mixing bowl.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Scoop 2-Tablespoon portions of dough, lightly form them into balls, and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
    Balls of gingerbread oatmeal cookie dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Lightly press each ball to flatten it.
  • Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are golden around the edges and the middles look slightly underbaked.
  • Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up.
  • Use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
    Completed Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies on cooling rack.
  • Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off so the cookies stay soft instead of dense.
  • Mix the dough only until combined to keep the cookies thick and chewy.
  • The middles will look soft when the cookies come out of the oven. The 10 minute rest on the hot baking sheet finishes cooking the centers.
  • You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it in a covered bowl in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before scooping.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 202kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.04gSodium: 121mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 360IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg

Additional Info

Author: Toni Okamoto
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Oven
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂

About

Toni Okamoto

Toni Okamoto is the founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, which she started in 2012. She has created over 1,500 budget-friendly vegan recipes and written four cookbooks, including a VegNews Cookbook of the Year and a Publishers Weekly bestseller. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, and NBC News, and has 2 million followers on social media.

More about Toni Okamoto
5 from 3 votes

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Comments

    1. Hi Anne-Marie! “Better than the non vegan versions” is the best compliment. Thank you so much for the 5 stars!

      Reply