Vegan Oatmeal Cookies For Two

Made without egg or butter, these oatmeal cookies for two are not your grandma’s recipe! Instead of granulated sugar, they’re sweetened with dates and maple syrup. The quick recipe is easy to whip up (using a mini food processor) and features a great cinnamon raisin flavor.

Two large cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat.

Oatmeal Cookies for One or Two

Packed with hearty oats and dried fruit, this easy small batch recipe makes a tasty treat, fun afternoon snack, or even a quick breakfast for one or two people. 

You can bake up two large cookies that are as big as the palm of your hand. Or divide the dough into smaller tablespoon-sized portions.

Either way, they’ll be ready in less than 30 minutes! 

Baked cookies on a piece of parchment paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any substitutes for the Medjool Dates?

The dates add sweetness and act as a binder. If you don’t have dates you can try using an equal amount of another dried fruit. Just know that it will change the way the cookie tastes. 

Below are a few date substitutes that we’ve tried:

  • Black Mission Figs (30 grams about 4 small figs). The cookies tasted more like fig newtons with oats than an oatmeal cookie. Tim really liked them, I thought the fig flavor was a little overpowering and borderline savory.
  • Golden Raisins (30 grams rehydrated and drained). These cookies had a super prominent raisin flavor. If we tried this substitute again I’d skip the extra stirred-in raisins and use chocolate chips or chopped nuts instead. 
  • Dried Apricots (30 grams, about 4 small). The dough was a little too wet (so maybe try less apricot) but overall it was a great tasting cookie. 
Four cookies with text written above: figs, dates, golden raisins, and apricots.

I don’t like coconut oil. Can I use a different oil for this recipe? 

Neutral oils like canola, grapeseed, and avocado will all work. Recently, I made a batch using olive oil and wasn’t a huge fan of how prominent the oil’s flavor was so I’d probably skip that one.

Recipe Tips and Notes

How to Revive Shriveled Up Dates: Place the dates in a bowl or coffee mug and cover with boiling water. In 10 minutes they’ll plump right up. Then just drain off the water, dry them with a towel and remove any pits.  

Oil, dates, and oats in a mini food processor.
Balls of cookie dough patted down on a sheet pan.

The cookies don’t spread so make sure to gently flatten them with your hand before baking.

If raisins aren’t your jam you can leave them out or substitute some:

  • dried cranberries
  • chocolate chips
  • chopped nuts
  • or shredded coconut

Have fun playing around with different mix-ins and spices – this is a very versatile dough.

Large oatmeal cookies for two on a white napkin.

Other Small Batch Cookies You’ll Love:

Two large cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat.

Vegan Oatmeal Cookies For Two

Yield: 2 Large Cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes

These cookies are sweet, chewy, and remind me of those breakfast cookies found in the cereal aisle at the grocery store. The recipe comes together quickly in a mini processor and you can even bake them in the toaster oven! 

Ingredients

  • 2 Medjool Dates, pitted and roughly chopped (about 30 grams after pitting)
  • 1 tablespoon Melted Coconut Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
  • 1 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
  • 1 teaspoon Flax Meal
  • 1/8 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 3 tablespoons (23 grams) White Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/4 cup (23 grams) Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 2 tablespoons Raisins, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. If using a toaster oven, adjust the rack to the bottom or middle placement and select the BAKE setting.
  2. Lightly oil a small sheet pan or line with a silicone baking mat.
  3. In a mini food processor combine the dates, oil, maple syrup, milk, flax meal, and vanilla extract. Pulse 4 to 5 times or until the mixture is well combined. It doesn't need to be smooth, there should still be small pieces of dates visible.
  4. Add the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to the processor. Pulse until the mixture combines into a sticky dough. You will need to stop and scrape the sides at least once to make sure all of the flour is incorporated.
  5. Carefully remove the blade from the food processor and stir the raisins into the dough.
  6. Form dough into two large balls and place them on the pan. Lightly moisten your hands with water and gently flatten the dough into discs.
  7. Bake cookies until set and lightly browned on the top, about 8 to 12 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven and leave cookies on the pan to cool completely (about 10 to 15 minutes).

Notes

Oil: Any neutral oil like canola oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil can be substituted for the coconut oil.

Flour: We’ve used white whole wheat flour and spelt flour to make this recipe but you can substitute all-purpose flour if you want.

For Smaller Cookies: Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized balls, press to flatten, and bake for 6 to 9 minutes.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 Large Cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249Total Fat: 8.1gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 311.1mgCarbohydrates: 45.1gFiber: 4.5gSugar: 30gProtein: 3.2g

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6 Comments

  1. What can I replace the dates with I can’t have them. These look the giant chewy soft ones from the bakery that I miss terribly!

    1. Hi Sarah,

      Have you tried replacing dates with raisins?

      I just made a batch using 30 grams of golden raisins in place of the dates. After soaking the raisins for 5 minutes in boiled water, I drained them and patted them dry. Then I added them to the mini processor and followed the rest of the recipe.

      The dough was a little stickier than the date variety so I just scooped it onto the pan and pressed it down with the back of my spoon. The cookies needed an extra minute of baking and ended up a little softer but tasted pretty much the same.

      I also tried a batch using mission figs but they were way too figgy 🙂 so I wouldn’t recommend that substitution unless you really like figs.

      Hope that helps and happy baking!
      Brie

    1. Hi Ann,

      I’ve never made them with a different oil so the texture or flavor might be slightly different.

      I’d probably try olive oil. It can have a more robust flavor in baked goods. If that’s not your thing, avocado oil, canola oil, or another neutral-flavor oil are probably your best option.

  2. Thanks Shannon! If you have a favorite large recipe you would like to see minimized shoot me an email and I will give it a shot.