I present the chewiest gluten free oatmeal cookies loaded with tart dried cherries and melty chocolate chips so convincing you would never guess they’re not the real thing.
I am obsessed with these chewy gluten free oatmeal cookies. I love the way gluten free old fashioned rolled oats give the crumb a hearty, snappy bite while the dark chocolate chips melt into pockets of bittersweet goo.
I adore that each cookie manages to be dense yet tender, studded with tart cherries that cut through the sweetness. But what keeps me coming back is the contrast between crunchy edges and soft center.
Pure cookie joy. I will admit I hoard them in my freezer and eat them straight from a zip-top bag.
They disappear in minutes flat.
Ingredients
- Gluten free flour: basically the cookie backbone, keeps it together and soft, not gritty.
- Rolled oats: chewy texture and hearty bite, feels kinda wholesome and comforting.
- Baking soda: it helps them puff up light, so they’re not rock hard.
- Sea salt: tiny salty hits that make the sweet actually taste better.
- Cinnamon: warm, cozy spice that smells like nostalgia and autumn mornings.
- Xanthan gum: adds stretch and chew when your flour blend lacks it, trust me.
- Unsalted butter: rich, creamy fat that makes edges crisp and centers tender.
- Brown sugar: molasses-y sweetness and moisture, keeps cookies soft and a little caramel-y.
- Granulated sugar: gives a little snap and balances the brown sugar’s softness.
- Egg: binds everything, gives structure so cookies don’t crumble into sad crumbs.
- Vanilla: simple flavor booster, makes the chocolate and cherry sing together.
- Dark chocolate chips: bitter-sweet pockets of molten goodness in every bite.
- Dried cherries: tart fruit bursts that cut through the sweetness, lovely contrast.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour (measure, spooned and leveled; if your blend has no xanthan gum add 1/2 tsp)
- 2 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (only if your flour blend doesn’t include it)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (semisweet or 60 70% dark)
- 3/4 cup dried cherries, chopped if large
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
2. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it, if your blend has no xanthan gum add 1/2 tsp now, otherwise skip that extra xanthan. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and the 1/2 tsp xanthan gum if you need it in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.
3. In a large bowl cream the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand mixer or 4 to 5 minutes by hand, scrape the bowl down once.
4. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, don’t overmix, just until smooth.
5. Add the dry mixture to the wet in two additions, folding gently with a spatula. You want everything just combined, the oats make it thick and chewy.
6. Fold in the dark chocolate chips and dried cherries, stir until evenly distributed. If your cherries are big chop them smaller so every bite has some.
7. For thicker, chewier cookies chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge. You can skip chilling if youre short on time but the dough will spread more.
8. Scoop dough using a
1.5 tablespoon to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, place mounds about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets and flatten slightly with your fingers because these won’t spread a ton if chilled.
9. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look a touch soft. Rotate the sheet halfway through for even browning.
10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days, or freeze for longer.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Mixing bowls, one medium and one large
4. Measuring cups and spoons (including tablespoon and teaspoon)
5. Whisk for dry ingredients
6. Hand mixer or sturdy wooden spoon for creaming the butter and sugars
7. Rubber spatula for folding dough
8. 1.5 to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons to portion)
9. Wire cooling rack for cooling and storing cookies
FAQ
The Best Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies {With Dark Chocolate And Cherries} Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten free all purpose flour: swap with regular all purpose flour 1:1 if you don’t need GF. If you want a nutty flavor use superfine almond flour but use 3/4 cup almond flour for every 1 cup GF flour and add 1 extra egg or 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water cause almond flour holds less moisture.
- Unsalted butter: use solid coconut oil 1:1 (chill slightly so cookies don’t spread too much) or use vegan stick butter 1:1 if you need dairy free. Melted butter will give flatter cookies so keep it softened not melted.
- One large egg: for egg free try a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce for a softer, chewier cookie. Flax gives more structure, applesauce gives more chew.
- Dark chocolate chips and dried cherries: swap chocolate for chopped bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate bars 1:1, or use toasted chopped walnuts or pecans for texture. For cherries try dried cranberries or raisins 1:1 if you want something less tart.
Pro Tips
1) Soften the butter, not melt it. If it’s too warm the dough will spread way too much. If you forgot to take it out, microwave in 5 second bursts and press between fingers to check — you want it squishy, not greasy.
2) If your oats are super coarse, pulse them once or twice in a food processor so they blend better with the flour. Don’t turn them into flour though, a little texture makes the cookies chewy.
3) Chill the dough whenever possible. Even 20 minutes makes a big difference in thickness and chew. If you’re impatient, pop scooped mounds in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes instead.
4) Taste and balance the mix-ins. If your dried cherries are tart, add a touch more brown sugar or a pinch more salt to the dough to round the flavors. And chop big chips or cherries so every bite has some.
The Best Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies {With Dark Chocolate And Cherries} Recipe
I present the chewiest gluten free oatmeal cookies loaded with tart dried cherries and melty chocolate chips so convincing you would never guess they're not the real thing.
24
servings
156
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Mixing bowls, one medium and one large
4. Measuring cups and spoons (including tablespoon and teaspoon)
5. Whisk for dry ingredients
6. Hand mixer or sturdy wooden spoon for creaming the butter and sugars
7. Rubber spatula for folding dough
8. 1.5 to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons to portion)
9. Wire cooling rack for cooling and storing cookies
Ingredients
-
1 cup gluten free all purpose flour (measure, spooned and leveled; if your blend has no xanthan gum add 1/2 tsp)
-
2 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
-
1 tsp baking soda
-
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
-
1 tsp ground cinnamon
-
1/2 tsp xanthan gum (only if your flour blend doesn't include it)
-
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (not melted)
-
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
-
1/4 cup granulated sugar
-
1 large egg, room temperature
-
1 tsp vanilla extract
-
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (semisweet or 60 70% dark)
-
3/4 cup dried cherries, chopped if large
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
- Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it, if your blend has no xanthan gum add 1/2 tsp now, otherwise skip that extra xanthan. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and the 1/2 tsp xanthan gum if you need it in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.
- In a large bowl cream the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand mixer or 4 to 5 minutes by hand, scrape the bowl down once.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, don't overmix, just until smooth.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet in two additions, folding gently with a spatula. You want everything just combined, the oats make it thick and chewy.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chips and dried cherries, stir until evenly distributed. If your cherries are big chop them smaller so every bite has some.
- For thicker, chewier cookies chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge. You can skip chilling if youre short on time but the dough will spread more.
- Scoop dough using a
- 5 tablespoon to 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, place mounds about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets and flatten slightly with your fingers because these won't spread a ton if chilled.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look a touch soft. Rotate the sheet halfway through for even browning.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days, or freeze for longer.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 38g
- Total number of serves: 24
- Calories: 156kcal
- Fat: 5.8g
- Saturated Fat: 3.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.02g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.6g
- Monounsaturated: 1.9g
- Cholesterol: 8mg
- Sodium: 52mg
- Potassium: 69mg
- Carbohydrates: 23.4g
- Fiber: 1.4g
- Sugar: 13g
- Protein: 2.4g
- Vitamin A: 124IU
- Vitamin C: 0.1mg
- Calcium: 12mg
- Iron: 0.6mg
