Sugar Free Oatmeal Cookies

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These soft, chewy sugar free oatmeal cookies use monk fruit sweetener instead of regular sugar and have only 108 calories per cookie. They’re made with better-for-you ingredients like whole wheat flour, rolled oats, and plump raisins for natural sweetness that won’t spike your blood sugar. I love that they freeze perfectly for easy meal prep and taste just like the traditional version!

I’ve always been drawn to oatmeal raisin cookies, especially when they have that perfect balance of a crispy outside and chewy inside. The problem was that, when I wanted to make a homemade version, every recipe I found was loaded with sugar!

So I decided to create a sugar-free version using monk fruit sweetener, which gives all the sweetness without any of the blood sugar spikes. I spent weeks perfecting the ratio of wet to dry ingredients to get the right texture, and the right proportion of monk fruit so that they taste sweet, but not too sweet.

Now I make double batches and freeze them in portions so I always have a healthy treat ready when cravings hit. My kids love helping me roll the dough into balls, and they never complain that these cookies are healthier than store-bought versions. They just taste like the oatmeal cookies I grew up with!

🥘 Ingredients

Here’s what I use to make these cookies – other than the monk fruit you might already have all of these ingredients in your pantry!

Monk Fruit: Made from the extract of monk fruit, this is the key ingredient to making sugar-free cookies. While it is 150 to 200 times sweeter than regular sugar, it contains no calories, carbohydrates, sodium, or fat. Feel free to use less monk fruit than my recipe calls for if you don’t like super sweet baked goods. I haven’t tested this recipe with powdered stevia so I recommend sticking to monk fruit if possible.

Butter: I add unsalted butter at room temperature for richness and texture. Vegan butter also works as a 1:1 replacement if you want dairy-free or vegan cookies.

Eggs: I use 2 large eggs at room temperature to bind the dough. For vegan cookies, I’ll use 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 5-6 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes).

Flavor: I add vanilla extract and salt for natural sweetness and depth of flavor. A pinch of ground cinnamon gives the cookies a hint of warmth. You can also use nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice as a 1:1 replacement for the cinnamon.

Flour: I use 1 cup whole wheat flour for added fiber and nutrients – it’s a healthier option than all purpose flour, although all purpose flour would work as a 1:1 substitution for the whole wheat flour. For gluten-free cookies, I have used a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (1 cup) as a substitution and while the texture of the cookies changes slightly, it still works. You can also try this vegan gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies recipe!

Leavening: I add ½ teaspoon baking soda to help the cookies rise.

Oats: I use rolled oats for this recipe (old-fashioned oats work too). Note: Steel-cut or quick oats won’t work.

Raisins: You can’t make oatmeal raisin cookies without raisins! I add ¾ cup raisins for moisture and natural sugar.

🔪 How To Make

Making these cookies is straightforward and takes about 50 minutes from start to finish. Here’s how I do it:

Cream The Base: I use a stand mixer with paddle attachment to cream the softened butter and monk fruit sweetener for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Then I add eggs one at a time, mixing well between each, followed by vanilla extract.

Combine dry ingredients: I sift the whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a medium bowl to remove any lumps.

Make the dough: I add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and fold it in until just combined, then fold in the rolled oats and raisins until evenly distributed. At this point, you can add any additional add-ins such as chocolate chips or nuts.

Chill the dough: I cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I preheat my oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit (170 degrees Celsius) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Shape and bake: I scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, roll them into balls, place them on the prepared baking sheet, and gently flatten with a fork.

Bake: To bake, I transfer the cookie sheet to the oven and let the cookies bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. Then I remove them from the oven and let them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They firm up as they cool.

📖 Variations

This recipe is a classic, but I do like changing up the mix-ins depending on what I’m in the mood for! Here are some of the variations I make the most often:

Completely Sugar-Free: I omit the raisins for 0 grams of sugar per cookie, making them safe for diabetic diets.

Chocolate Chip: I replace most of the raisins with 3/4 cup of sugar-free dark chocolate chips, and then use 1/4 cup of raisins total.

Nuts: I add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans and reduce raisins to ½ cup to keep the total mix-ins at 1 cup.

Different Dried Fruit: Cranberries make these cookies feel like fall, dried cherries or currants also work well as a 1:1 substitution for the raisins.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

More often than not, I eat these cookies all on their own for dessert, or as a healthy afternoon snack when my energy starts to lag. But I also do pairing them with warm drinks for cozy afternoons or evenings. They’re excellent with coffee, tea, or my healthy hot chocolate for a comforting treat.

When I want something more indulgent, I serve them with a small scoop of sugar-free vanilla ice cream or this caramel nice cream for an extra special dessert. They also work wonderfully as part of a dessert spread alongside my vegan gluten-free peanut butter cookies.

🧊 Storage Directions

Room Temperature: I store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. I make sure they’re fully cool before sealing to prevent them from becoming soggy.

Freezing: I freeze cookies in freezer-safe containers or freezer safe bags, separated by parchment paper, for up to 3 months. They thaw at room temperature in about 30 minutes or can be warmed in a low oven for a few minutes.

Make-Ahead Dough: I can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days or freeze shaped cookie balls on a baking sheet, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 3 months. Then I just bake from frozen following the same directions in this recipe.

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