Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe by PJ Hamel
27 Reviews 4.9 out of 5 stars

Crunchy around the edges, with a bit of softness in the center, these very mildly spiced cookies can be enjoyed plain, or "fancied up" with the addition of raisins, other dried fruits, chips, or nuts.

We know you’ll love this gluten-free version of our Oatmeal Cookies recipe, a long-time favorite here on our site. Substituting Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour for the flour in that original yields slightly bendy, chewy oatmeal cookies that are sure to be a hit with friends and family following a gluten-free diet. Enjoy!

Prep
12 mins
Bake
12 to 14 mins
Total
24 mins
Yield
22 cookies without raisins, 24 cookies with raisins
Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies

Instructions

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  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets, light-colored preferred.

  2. Beat together the butter, shortening, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vinegar until fairly smooth; a few tiny bits of butter may still show.

  3. Beat in the egg, again beating until smooth.

  4. Add the baking soda and flour, beating until well incorporated.

  5. Add the oats (and raisins), stirring to combine.

  6. Drop the dough in 1 1/4" balls onto the prepared baking sheets; a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. If you're measuring, this is about 2 level tablespoons (using a tablespoon measure, not a dinner spoon). Space the cookies 2" apart; they'll spread.

  7. If you're a fan of salty-sweet cookies, sprinkle these with a bit of salt (extra-fine preferred) before baking, if desired.

  8. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, reversing the pans halfway through (top rack to bottom, bottom to top). For softer cookies, bake the lesser amount of time; for crunchier, the longer amount. At 12 minutes, especially if you're baking on a dark pan without parchment, a few of the cookies on the edge should just barely be showing a pale brown around their edges. At 14 minutes, they should be starting to color all over.

  9. Remove the cookies from the oven, and let them cool right on the pan.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Substitute 4 tablespoons (57g) butter for the shortening, if desired; the cookies will be slightly cakier.

  • Substitute an equal amount, by volume, of King Arthur Rolled Oats for the oats in this recipe. They'll add slightly more chew and heartiness (and also more protein!). 

  • If your baking sheets are dark/black, shorten the baking time by a minute or so. If you use air-insulated cookie sheets (which we don't recommend), increase the baking time by a couple of minutes.
  • While it's easier to beat butter that's at cool room temperature, it's not necessary to wait for it to warm up if you've taken it straight from the fridge. You'll just need to beat it a bit longer.

  • Why vinegar in a cookie recipe? It helps cut the sweetness and also gives your baking soda a bit of a boost. Mystery solved!

  • Be aware: Some of your baking ingredients can be a hidden source of gluten. Learn more at our blog post: For gluten-free baking, think beyond just flour. For additional information on King Arthur-produced products, read the complete details of our allergen program, including our contact-prevention practices.

Baker’s Resources