Vegan Cookie Recipes Without Oil (2024)

Vegan Cookie Recipes Without Oil! That is correct, no oil or vegan butter is used to make any of these recipes! Only nuts and seeds and chocolate are used for the fat and richness for each recipe. But don’t let that fool you, these are every bit as decadent as all the traditional cookie recipes that rely heavily on unhealthy oils and butters. Many gluten-free options as well!

VEGAN COOKIE RECIPES WITHOUT OIL

I didn’t earn the title Cookie Monster years ago for no reason. Creating amazing vegan cookie recipes oil-free has always been one of my favorite things to do and it is so much fun in vegan baking. My hubby has joked many times that I could run a blog solely on cookie recipes, LOL. Perhaps it’s a passion of mine because I love eating them so much, haha.

Naturally when we think of cookies, we think sugar, butter or oil and not very healthy, right? Well, like I proved on these 15 Vegan Muffin Recipes Without Oil post, you don’t need oil for successful baking. You don’t even need vegan butter. That post got a lot of love and it seemed only fitting to do a vegan cookie recipes collection showing you all my tips for super decadent, fudgy, crispy and buttery cookies.

WHAT CAN I USE IN PLACE OF BUTTER OR OIL FOR COOKIES?

That is right, NONE of these recipes rely on oil or butter to make them. Additionally, my vegan cookie recipes stand up to any made with oil or butter and white sugar. In fact, many of my cookie recipes are your favorites you’ve ever had, even compared to the ones you grew up on. Cookies do require some differences than muffins though. To create delicious oil-free vegan cookies, you do need fat and richness.

Without fat, cookies take on a muffin/cakey texture and will not be fudgy or get crispy edges. Oil-free does not mean fat-free. It just simply means we are using full whole food fats instead of processed oils. I use fats for richness and texture in my cookies and they will please the pickiest of eaters. Some of my main fats I use are almond flour, nut butters and seeds. Be sure to review my guide on How to Cook and Bake Without Oil for more tips.

There is a cookie for everybody here. Some made with oat flour, brown rice flour,white rice flour, almond flour, oats, different starches, you name it.

1. BEST VEGAN SNICKERDOODLES

“These are my new all-time favorite cookies, thank you so much Brandi! They really do taste like the original snickerdoodles. This is a recipe I will return to make over and over again.” – Marie

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2. VEGAN THIN MINTS

“THESE COOKIES ARE AMAZING!! They are in the freezer and HARD TO LEAVE ALONE as I am bringing these as a food gift for Easter, sooooo good!” – Joyce

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3. VEGAN OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

“Hi Brandi — I’ve made many of your recipes, including various cookie ones, but this one is the BEST! I made these cookies today and wow, they taste & look like the chocolate chip cookies I loved before going vegan & oil free.” (full review on recipe) – KD

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4. VEGAN SUGAR COOKIES

“I made these again and it still amazes me that there is no butter in these sugar cookies. They totally remind me of a true sugar cookie, very soft and buttery tasting. I can’t keep them in the house or make them fast enough.” – Estee

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5. VEGAN LEMON COOKIES (also called puffs)

“I severely underestimated just how light and fluffy these cookies could be. Eating gluten free for nearly a decade, I’ve grown accustomed to denser, heavier baked goods. But these cookies are remarkable.I’ve made them a few times now and find something new to appreciate each time. From the cloud-like fluffiness, to the zesty lemon freshness, to the wonderful texture, these cookies are straight delicious.” – John

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6. 5 INGREDIENT ALMOND BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

“Made these today and they were FANTASTIC!!I even sprinkled a tiny bit of coarse sea salt on the top of them before baking and that added a nice little bit of flavor, too.Thank you for the recipe!” – Joe

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7. 4 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

“We’ve made these cookies multiple times and they turn out A-MAZ-ING every time! Quick, easy, soft on the inside, crispy on the outside and incredibly peanuty! Makes the perfect number of cookies too, about 12. Just the right sized batch. Thanks for another winner!” – Cathrine

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8. VEGAN OLD-FASHIONED ICED OATMEAL COOKIES

“These are absolutely amazing and truly taste like old fashioned oatmeal cookies! Will definitely be making these again for my family on Christmas!” – Carolyn

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9. LOW-FAT ICED OATMEAL COOKIES (the Low-fat version of the above!)

“OH THESE COOKIES! I made these when my non-vegan children (adult children) came to dinner. The cookies became an appetizer as well as the dessert!” – Denise

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10. VEGAN ALMOND BUTTER BLOSSOMS

“These are amazing–and healthy!! Super quick and easy, and a recipe that I’m adding to my no-fail go-to recipe book. 🙂 I’m no master-baker (ha!), but if I can figure out the chocolate kisses, anyone can (note: when making a ziplock piping bag, allow the chocolate to cool just a tad and cut a teeny hole. My first kisses looked like an oil spill!). So yummy and pretty–the first batch of these went straight into holiday gift bags for the neighbors.” – Jen

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11. VEGAN GRAIN-FREE CHOCOLATE COCONUT COOKIES

“Oh my GOODNESS!! These are absolutely incredible… I may have eaten three within 30 minutes of them coming out of the oven! Oops! So easy and simple! I will definitely be making these one of my regular rotation cookies! Thank you!” – Andrea

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12. 6 INGREDIENT CRISPY VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (spicy ginger version available)

“My favorite cookie EVER! I make these at least 2-3 times a month. (I don’t use ginger and I add walnuts.) Perfect every time. I am SO addicted.” – Becca

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13. VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO ALMOND COOKIES (my personal favorite cookie I’ve ever created!)

“These cookies are amazing! I had just the right amount of everything to make a batch of these, and like all of Brandi’s recipes—not only did they not disappoint, they exceeded our expectations! These cookies are the real deal, and will win over anyone who likes a sweet treat!” – Mairead

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14. PECAN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (these are beyond incredible, yet many don’t know about them b/c it’s an old recipe!)

“Literally the BEST cookies I’ve ever had, vegan or not!!!! Thank you for your amazing recipe!!!!” – Annie

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15. 6 INGREDIENT VEGAN PECAN PIE COOKIES

“Just made these cookies for the first time and they are amazing! No need to ever make pecan pie again! I decided to ice them with your icing recipe from the oatmeal cookies recipe and then sprinkled with pecan pieces.” – Nina

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16. VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

“We LOVE these cookies!! We even made a video on it lol and the kids loved them too. So simple, and so yummy! It’s been decided- you’re a genius.” – The Bonus Bunch

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17. VEGAN PUMPKIN PIE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

“Just made these cookies… Amazing!!!!! Even my non-vegan parents loved them. Also made your rice, black bean and avocado bowl and my parents loved that as well! Seriously I have tried sooo many of your recipes and loved every single one.” -Lindsay

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18. VEGAN CHAI COCONUT COOKIES

“Brandi, these are wonderful! My husband even loved them, and he doesn’t usually like chai (or my attempts at healthier baking, for that matter)! These will be a fall/winter/holiday staple from now on. Now on to your Snickerdoodles, which my mom has been raving about and has already made twice!” – Brenna

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19. CASHEW BUTTER COOKIES

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I hope you all really loved this collection of Vegan Cookie Recipes Without Oil! Who knew vegan oil-free cookies could be so amazing!

If you make any of these recipes, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!

Vegan Cookie Recipes Without Oil (2024)

FAQs

Do you need vegetable oil for cookies? ›

As with all recipes, everyone is free to experiment. With both butter and vegetable oil providing excellent results, you can be sure that your next batch of chocolate chip cookies will leave your oven as delicious as always, be it using butter or oil.

Why do cookies need oil? ›

The reason oil is used in baking is to add and keep moisture in your baked goods. Oil essentially coats the flour, then traps the gasses produced by the chemical reaction of the leavening agent, slowing down the gluten formation and keeping your treats fluffy and delicate. So cool.

How do you keep vegan cookies from spreading? ›

As little time as 30 mins in the fridge will make a big difference and prevent your cookies from spreading too much. So try chilling your dough if you haven't, it'll do wonders!

What is a good egg substitute for chewy cookies? ›

Based on our experience and research on egg substitutions the most popular substitutes we found were: Applesauce, Banana, Chia Seeds and Baking Powder. Before adding the substitution ingredients we measured all of the other ingredients in the recipe – and tested it side by side with our tried-and-true original recipe.

What can I substitute oil for in cookies? ›

  • Melted Butter.
  • Avocado.
  • Unsweetened Applesauce.
  • Greek Yogurt.
  • Shortening.
  • Coconut Oil.
  • Bacon Grease.
  • Nut Butters.
Nov 3, 2023

What to use instead of oil? ›

So, if you're stuck without this ingredient, here's some alternatives:
  • Butter and margarine. Butter and margarine are glorious for adding flavour, richness and colour to meals so a great swap for oil. ...
  • Ghee. ...
  • Vegetable shortening. ...
  • Bacon grease. ...
  • Schmaltz. ...
  • Mashed bananas and apple sauce. ...
  • Tahini. ...
  • Sunday roast fat.
Apr 26, 2022

Why are my vegan cookies dry? ›

If you think vegan baked goods are dry and crumbly, you probably haven't had one that's been made with the right fat (or the right amount of fat), according to Konya. Butter is what makes traditional baked goods so darn tasty—as well as helps keep it all together—so you can't merely eliminate it and hope for the best.

Why did my vegan cookies go flat? ›

Your vegan butter or margarine was too soft

Using butter or margarine that's too soft is probably the most common reason why vegan cookies go flat.

Why are my vegan cookies so crumbly? ›

Wrong flour = wonky dough = crumbly cookies

You need some gluten to keep cookies tender, so using dough that are lower in protein will cause problems. I'm looking at you cake flour, gluten-free flour, and almond flour.

What is a good egg substitute for oil in cookies? ›

Oil is used in place of eggs for recipes where the egg is included as a Leavening Agent to make the baked goods rise. To make the replacement, mix 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil mixed with 1-1/2 tablespoons water and 1 teaspoon baking powder per egg.

What is the best vegan egg substitute for cookies? ›

ProVeg presents a range of healthy vegan egg alternatives for cooking and baking.
  • Apple sauce. Using apple sauce is a fat-free way to replace eggs in baked goods. ...
  • Aquafaba. ...
  • Black salt (kala namak) ...
  • Egg substitute powders. ...
  • Flaxseed (aka linseed) ...
  • Ripe bananas. ...
  • Silken tofu & firm tofu. ...
  • Tapioca starch.

What oil is best for cookies? ›

Best Oils for Baking

Choosing vegetable oil is the best option for baking moist, delicious baked goods. Canola oil, the most common vegetable oil used in baking, doesn't add a strong flavor. It allows your cake's flavor will shine through while still achieving a moist texture.

Can I substitute butter for vegetable oil in cookie mix? ›

It couldn't be easier to substitute butter for oil using a 1:1 ratio. This should work with olive, canola, vegetable, and coconut oils. Simply melt and cool the butter to room temperature, then continue with your recipe. (If the recipe calls for ½ cup oil, use ½ cup melted and cooled butter.)

How important is vegetable oil in baking? ›

Vegetable oil contributes moistness far more reliably, a result of the fact that oil remains liquid at room temperature while butter solidifies. Liquid contributes to the sensation of moistness, and therefore cakes made with oil often present as moister than their butter-based counterparts.

Do I need to oil baking sheet for cookies? ›

It turns out MOST cookies turn out far more reliably when baked on parchment and without grease on the pan. There are two ways in which a greased pan may negatively affect your cookies: 1. The additional fats are likely to seep into your cookie and cause more spreading and less rise than desired.

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