My chewy gluten free oatmeal cookies are made with brown butter, which pairs perfectly with the light cinnamon flavor. These cookies require no chill time and you can easily mix them by hand. I like raisins in mine but you can skip or swap them out with chocolate chips.

A stack of oatmeal raisin cookies on a metal plate with one cookie leaning against the stack; a glass of milk is in the background.

Save This Recipe!

Receive this recipe directly in your inbox! Plus you'll get new dessert recipes every week!

Skill Level: Beginner
Flavor Remix: Swap raisins for chocolate chips, dried fruit, or chopped nuts.
Allergy Watch: Gluten Free, Contains Oats (use caution), Nut-Free, Dairy Free option

I have found memories of making oatmeal cookies with my grandmother. Dipping the cookie in a big glass of milk and getting crumbs everywhere. When adapting her recipe, I wanted something that felt nostalgic but had warmer flavors.

Starting with brown butter, which is simply melted butter that has been cooked for a few minutes to give it a nutty aroma. And using 100% brown sugar. I don't trust an oatmeal cookie made with any amount of white sugar. They tend to be dry.

And to keep this cookie moist and chewy, because browning the butter reduces the water content, I added an extra egg yolk. The result is gluten-free perfection.

Ingredient Notes

Gluten-Free Flour: Use any 1:1 gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum, like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure.
Oats: Ensure you use certified gluten-free oats to maintain the recipe's gluten-free status. Regular oats may contain traces of gluten due to processing methods. If you only have oat flour, then follow the recipe for my oat flour chocolate chip cookies instead.
Butter: Use salted butter or increase the salt added by ¼ teaspoon.
Brown Sugar- Brown sugar adds moisture and a delightful caramel flavor to the cookies. Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar can be used, depending on your preference. I don't like to use white sugar in my oatmeal cookies. It lacks the complexity of flavor these cookies deserve.
Vanilla Extract: Or use an equal amount of vanilla paste.

Top-down view of labeled ingredients for baking: raisins, gluten-free flour, butter, baking soda, cinnamon, eggs, salt, brown sugar, gluten-free oats, and vanilla on a dark surface.

How to Make GF Oatmeal Cookies

A step-by-step visual guide for making gluten-free oatmeal cookies. You can skip to the recipe for the full written instructions.

A metal pot filled with foamy liquid sits on a wooden surface next to a bowl of rolled oats and scattered oats.

Brown Butter

Melt the butter in a small pan, simmering for a few minutes until it begins to brown. Cool while you prep the dry ingredients.

A clear glass bowl filled with a dry mixture of oats and flour sits on a dark wooden surface.

Dry Ingredients

Sift the flour and mix with the oats. This evenly distributes the baking soda and cinnamon and prevents pockets of bitterness later.

A glass bowl containing a light brown liquid mixture with bubbles on the surface, sitting on a light-colored countertop next to a white cloth.

Whisk in Sugar

Mix the sugar into the butter before adding the eggs. Use room-temperature eggs for the best texture.

A glass bowl containing oatmeal cookie dough with oats and raisins mixed in. A small bowl of dry oats is partially visible beside it.

Combine

Add the dry ingredients a little at a time. When you can no longer see flour, then add raisins or chocolate chips.

Bake

Rest the dough for 10 minutes at room temp. Before popping into a preheated oven.

Recipe Tips

Soak raisins in warm water (or even a little bourbon!) for five minutes, then dry well, for plumper cookies.
Insulated baking sheets help prevent overbrowning on the bottoms.
If using rimmed sheets, line with parchment or a silicone mat.
Let cookies rest on the baking sheet briefly before transferring to a rack.