These Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies are thick, chewy, and delicious! Sweet-tart cranberries, plus crunchy walnuts and rolled oats make them extra chunky and satisfying.
Recipe updated 21 July 2026 with new images and minor instructions change to step five – use a wooden spoon or spatula when mixing in dry ingredients, do not use electric mixer after adding flour or the cookies will be tough.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Thick, chewy, and loaded with texture from oats, cranberries, and walnuts.
- Quick to whip up and easy to portion
- Vegan-friendly with no dairy or eggs (but you’d never know!)
- Keeps well in an airtight container, making them ideal for meal prep or gifting.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the specific quantities for each ingredient listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but for your convenience, here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need:
- Flax egg
- Vegan butter
- Brown sugar
- Salt
- Light vegetable oil
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Rolled oats
- Dried cranberries
- Chopped walnuts
Instructions
Step One: Using a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Step Two: Add the applesauce and vanilla extract, then pour in the prepared flax egg. Beat until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Step Three: Mix until the wet ingredients are fully incorporated and the mixture is creamy and uniform.
Step Four: Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix on low speed just until no dry streaks remain.
Step Five: Fold in the rolled oats, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts with a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Step Six: Scoop the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking tray, spacing the portions apart, ready to bake.
Storage
These cookies keep beautifully! Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days – they’re perfect for a grab-and-go snack. If you want them to last longer, pop them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the dough or fully baked cookies for up to 3 months- just thaw at room temp and they’re good as new. I often make a double batch and freeze half so I always have a little sweet pick-me-up on hand.
Expert Tips
Let the dough rest 5 minutes before scooping – rolled oats absorb liquid and help cookies hold together perfectly.
FAQ
Absolutely! Pecans, almonds, or even macadamias all work beautifully. I sometimes swap in pecans for a slightly sweeter, buttery note – it’s a fun twist.
Yes! Just swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture stays chewy, and the oats give them plenty of heartiness.
Not at all. If you prefer, you can use a chia egg, a store-bought egg replacer, or even a small mashed banana for a slightly different flavor. I’ve done all three, and they all work.
Totally! I often scoop the dough onto a tray, freeze the raw cookies, then bake straight from frozen. It’s a game-changer when you want fresh cookies in minutes.
More Cookie Recipes
Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2½ tbsp unsweetened soy milk, mixed and rested 10 min)Â
- ½ cup vegan butter softened 113 g
- â…” cup packed brown sugar 130 g
- ½ tsp salt 3 g
- 2 tbsp light vegetable oil 27 g
- 2 tbsp maple syrup 40 g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 4 g
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 140 g
- ¾ tsp baking soda 3.5 g
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1.3 g
- 2 cups rolled oats 180 g
- ½ cup dried cranberries 60 g
- ½ cup chopped walnuts 60 g
Instructions
- Prepare the flax egg.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and salt using an electric mixer for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and prepared flax egg. Mix on low until just combined.
- Sift in the flour baking soda and cinnamon. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined and only a few streaks of flour remain.
- Fold in the oats, cranberries, and walnuts. Dough should be thick but scoopable. If it feels dry, let it rest 5 minutes or add a tiny splash of soy milk.
- Use a cookie scoop (1.5 tbsp) to portion dough. Place on tray 2 inches apart and gently flatten each ball with the back of a spoon into a thick disc.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers look just set.
- Let cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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