ByCasey Rooney Updated on
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This Oatmeal Cookie Recipe without butter will absolutely surprise you! These cookies are perfectly chewy and just slightly crisp around the edges. They’re finished with a sprinkling of sea salt for the perfect bite!
Good, chewy oatmeal cookies are a thing of glory! These classic cookies are typically loaded with at least a stick of butter…but there **IS** a healthier option that is just as delicious!
In this recipe, butter is replaced with vegetable oil….and the result is perfectly chewy cookies that are just SLIGHTLY crisp around the edges. They’re finished with a little flakey salt for the perfect bite!
Speaking on perfect bites, these Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies are cookie BLISSSS!!!!!! They contain butter butttt….ya gotta have some variety in life, right?!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Perfectly chewy cookies that are just slightly crisp around the edges.
- This recipe is a bit more heart-healthy by replacing butter with vegetable oil.
- Easy oatmeal cookies–uses simple pantry ingredients.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make these delicious oatmeal cookies without butter:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Oats: Old-fashioned oats or “rolled oats” work best. Quick cooking oats can be used in a pinch.
Vegetable Oil: Another oil can be substituted, but make sure it’s an unflavored oil. Canola oil also works well.
HOW TO MAKE OATMEAL COOKIES WITHOUT BUTTER: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions withexact ingredientswill be in the recipe card below!
STEP 1: Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, silicone mats or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
STEP 2: Combine oil, brown and white sugar, egg and vanilla.
STEP 3: . With a hand or stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment, beat together for 1 minute until all ingredients are well-combined. No need to over mix, as it may cause the cookies to spread too much.
STEP 4: To this mixture, add flour, baking soda and oats. With a large spoon, gently stir until all ingredients are well-combined.
STEP 5: Chill dough for 15 minutes.
STEP 6: Form dough into balls that are about 1 tablespoon each. Place on cookie sheet a good distance apart because these cookies will spread a bit.
STEP 7: Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until edges are slightly browned and center is still a bit soft. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt/flakey salt immediately after taking out of the oven.
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- Error on the side of under baking these cookies–they will continue to cook when you take them out of the oven. I start watching carefully at about the 10 minute mark until I see the edges JUST start to darken.
- Pop the dough back into the fridge in between batches to ensure it stays cool.
- DO NOT place cold cookie dough on a hot pan. It will cause the cookies to spread to much and the edges to be thin and dark. Allow your pans to cool completely before starting another batch.
- Sprinkle the tops with sea salt or flakey salt immediately after taking them out of the oven.
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Storage: Store baked cookies in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: These cookies freeze great! Form dough into balls and freeze in a zip top bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, or thaw on the counter for a few hours up to overnight. Add extra time to bake since the cookies will be cold. You can also bake cookies, cool completely, then store in a zip top bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.
ADDITIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS
Oil: Any lighter, non-flavored oil works well in this recipe. It’s important to keep the oil “light” to keep these cookies from becoming too dense. Canola oil is the best substitution for vegetable oil in this recipe.
Oats: Old-Fashioned or “rolled” oats give the absolute best texture to these cookies! Quick cooking oats can be substituted in a pinch. Just avoid using fine oats like steel-cut.
Here are some great additions/easy variations of this recipe!
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (without butter): After adding in the oats, flour and baking soda, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of raisins.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (without butter): After adding in the oats, flour and baking soda, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of chocolate chips.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can you make oatmeal cookies without butter?
Yes! You can easily substitute the butter for a non-flavored oil for vegetable oil. This recipe uses 3/4 cup of vegetable oil.
How can you keep these cookies from burning around the edges?
In order to prevent parts of the cookie from cooking too quickly (the edges), chill the dough for at least 15 minutes before baking. Also, resist the urge to put another batch of cookies on a hot cookie sheet! Wait until the cookie sheets are completely cooled before adding another batch of dough.
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OTHER SWEET TREATS YOU’LL LOVE
- EASY BLUEBERRY BANANA MUFFINS
- DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS
- PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP MARSHMALLOW COOKIES
I hope you love these Oatmeal Cookies {without butter}! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Perfect Oatmeal Cookies (without butter!)
Casey Rooney
This Oatmeal Cookie Recipe without butter will absolutely surprise you! These cookies are perfectly chewy and just slightly crisp around the edges. They're finished with a sprinkling of sea salt for the perfect bite!
4.74 from 19 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Chill Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 42 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 36 cookies
Calories 99 kcal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil canola oil works, too (see Note 1)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar light brown sugar or dark brown sugar both work great
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned/rolled oats See Note 2
- 1-2 tsp sea salt or flakey salt for sprinkling
Instructions
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, silicone mats or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine oil, white sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla. With a hand mixer or stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment, beat together for 1 minute until all ingredients are well-combined. No need to over mix, as it may cause the cookies to spread too much.
To the wet ingredients mixture, add flour, baking soda and oats. With a large spoon, gently stir until all ingredients are well-combined.
Refrigerate dough for 10-15 minutes. This keeps the cookies from spreading too much. Preheat oven to 350°F.
Using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop, form dough into balls that are about 1 tablespoon each. Place on baking sheet a good distance apart because these cookies will spread a bit. I put 8 cookie balls on each cookie sheet to ensure they won't spread into each other!
Quick Tip: Pop the remaining dough back into the fridge in between batches to ensure it stays cool.
Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until edges are slightly browned and center is still a bit soft. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt/flakey salt immediately after coming out of the oven. Cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack or serving!
Notes
Note 1: Be sure to use an unflavored oil if replacing the vegetable oil. Canola oil is a great option. Coconut oil may also be a great option but it has NOT been tested with this recipe.
Note 2: Quick cooking oats can be used in a pinch but rolled oats will give the best texture. I don’t recommend using steel-cut oats.
Nutrition information is only an estimate. Info is based on the Very Well Fit Nutrition Calculator.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 99kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1.3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 39mgPotassium: 30mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5.8gCalcium: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
