These cranberry orange oatmeal cookies have been hiding in the blog archives since 2015, so they are long overdue for an update. These soft, chewy oatmeal cookies are perfect for Christmas with their orange flavor, dried cranberries and crunchy walnuts. They are the perfect addition to your holiday season cookie exchange!
If you're looking for more holiday cookies for Santa (or yourself), check out my list of the 40 best gluten free Christmas cookies, which includes all of the classics like cut out sugar cookies and old-fashioned molasses cookies plus many more!
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Ingredient Notes
These delicious cranberry-orange oatmeal cookies use wholesome ingredients, which should be available at any grocery store. They are both gluten free and dairy free as written.
- Sugar and Brown Sugar - I've used a combination of white sugar and brown sugar in this recipe to give these oatmeal cookies a nice chewy texture with soft centers. Plus the brown sugar adds a nice molasses undertone, which goes well with oats. Feel free to use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar here.
- Orange Zest & Orange Juice - You'll need the zest and juice from one fresh orange.
- Vegan Butter & Shortening - Like the combination of sugars, this combination of fats gives a lovely butter flavor while making soft, puffy oatmeal cookies. If you're not dairy free, you can replace the vegan butter with unsalted butter in the same measure. Don't be tempted to swap out the shortening with butter otherwise your cookies will spread too much.
- Eggs - This recipe calls for two eggs and I haven't tried it with an egg replacer, although I suspect flax eggs would work well here.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 flour blend for all of my recipes. You can use the flour blend of your choice, but ensure it contains xanthan gum or a similar binder. I have only tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill, so your results with another brand may vary.
- Gluten Free Quick Oats - Make sure you're buying certified gluten free oats for your cookies. I use Bob's Red Mill brand. If you can't find quick oats, you can use Old-Fashioned Oats and chop them a bit with a food processor or high speed blender before adding them to the cookie dough.
- Baking Soda - This recipe uses baking soda as the leavening agent. The baking soda reacts with both the orange juice and brown sugar to puff the dough. It also helps the cookies to stay chewy and have a nice golden color after baking.
- Salt - A little bit of salt offsets the sweet orange flavor.
- Dried Cranberries - I use Craisins in my recipe, but any dried cranberries will do. You can swap in another dried fruit if you want, but make sure they are traditional dried fruit not freeze-dried.
- Walnuts - I think walnuts perfectly compliment the orange and cranberry flavors. If you don't have walnuts on hand, pecans would make a great substitute.
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredient list with measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not Dairy Free - if you're not dairy free, replace the vegan butter with unsalted butter in the same measure.
- Make it Vegan / Egg Free - Replace the eggs with flax eggs.
- No Dried Cranberries - Use another dried fruit, like raisins, in place of the cranberries.
- No Walnuts - Replace the walnuts with chopped pecans in the same measure.
- Crazy for Chocolate - Replace the walnuts with your favorite allergen friendly chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies
This recipe is easy to make with only a short chill time. I do recommend using a stand mixer or handheld mixer to make things easier.
STEP 1: Add the granulated sugar and orange zest to a small bowl. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar, imparting the orange oil. The sugar should be lightly orange in color.
STEP 2: Cream butter, shortening, orange sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed.
STEP 3: Add the eggs and orange juice to the creamed butter-sugar mixture. Beat again for another 60 seconds.
STEP 4: Add the gluten free flour, quick oats, baking soda and salt to the mixing bowl. Stir on the lowest speed until about half of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
STEP 5: Stir the dried cranberries and chopped walnuts into the dough with a rubber spatula.
STEP 6: Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
STEP 7: Once the dough has chilled, use a medium cookie scoop to roll the cookie dough into balls about the size of a golf ball. Place them on the prepared cookie sheets spaced about 2 inches apart. Then flatten the balls slightly, now you're ready to bake!
Expert Tip
For cookies that stay soft in the center, only bake until the outer edges are just set. Gently poke one cookie edge with your finger, if it feels set then the cookies are done and should be removed from the oven. If you bake the cookies until they appear golden brown, they may end up too hard.
Storage
Store leftover oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze these cookies for later. Wait until the cookies have cooled completely and transfer them to an airtight, freezer bag. Store for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Either one will make a really good oatmeal cookie. Dark brown sugar
has a richer molasses flavor, so if you like that then use dark brown sugar. They are a one to one swap.
Either you have mis-measured the dry ingredients (flour and oats) or you've baked them too long. For cookies that stay soft, remove the cookies from the oven as soon as the edges are set and only allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.
Oats are naturally gluten free, but highly susceptible to contamination during processing. In the US, you can buy certified gluten free oats which are free from cross contact in the growing and processing stages. Some people who have issues with gluten also have issues with oats, even when they are certified gluten free.
More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes to Consider
If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.
Recipe
Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Zest from 1 medium orange
- 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
- ½ Cup Vegan Butter room temperature
- ½ Cup Shortening
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Juice from 1 medium orange
- 2 Cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend I use Bob's Red Mill
- 1 ½ Cups Gluten Free Quick Oats I use Bob's Red Mill
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ Cups Dried Cranberries
- 1 Cup Walnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add the sugar and orange zest to a small bowl. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar to impart the orange oil. The sugar should turn a light orange color.½ Cup Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Orange Zest
- Add the orange sugar, brown sugar, butter and shortening to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, ½ Cup Vegan Butter, ½ Cup Shortening
- Add the eggs and orange juice to the creamed mixture and beat again for another 60 seconds.2 Eggs, 2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
- Add the gluten free flour, quick oats, baking soda and salt and stir on the lowest speed until the dry ingredients are about half incorporated. It's okay if some dry ingredients are still visible.2 Cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, 1 ½ Cups Gluten Free Quick Oats, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Salt
- Add in the dried cranberries and chopped walnuts. Fold the mixture together with a rubber spatula until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated and the berries and nuts are evenly mixed in.1 ½ Cups Dried Cranberries, 1 Cup Walnuts
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- When the dough is done chilling, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and use a cookie scoop to make dough balls about 2 tablespoons in size. Place them on the prepared cookie sheet spaced 2 inches apart. Flatten the tops of the dough balls slightly.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-13 minutes or until the edges are just set. If you have a dark colored pan it may only take 10-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.
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