Keto oatmeal cookies, just like Grandma used to make! Well, not exactly. They look like oatmeal cookies and they taste like oatmeal cookies, but they don’t contain any oats at all. Let me show you how it’s done.
Okay, you caught me. There is no oatmeal in these keto oatmeal cookies. Nope, not even a little bit. Completely grain free, with nary an oat to be seen. Not even the tiniest oat flake. There were no oats even in the vicinity when I made them.
But guess what? I am still going to call them sugar free keto oatmeal cookies. I am not one for clever little low carb names like “faux-tmeal” or “N’oatmeal”. Those just annoy me, I don’t know why.
The most I can do is put “oatmeal” in quotations; that’s as far as I will go. I am a stubborn old fart and I don’t care who knows it. If I want oatmeal cookies and I want to make them without the blood-sugar spiking oats, you’re just going to have to go along with it. I will brook no opposition. Got it? Good.
Seriously, who doesn’t love oatmeal cookies? They are the classic childhood after-school treat. Everybody’s mother or grandmother or aunt had the best oatmeal cookie recipe, right? But being devoted to the low carb, grain-free way of life, we can’t exactly have those any more. What’s an oatmeal cookie lover to do?
How to Make Keto Oatmeal Cookies
So how do you make oatmeal cookies without oats? Pure low carb ingenuity, that’s how. And an easy grain free stand in that gives these delicious keto cookies that classic oatmeal taste and texture.
Do you remember my super awesome low carb Carmelitas? Those might have been one of my favourite recipes of the summer, all crumbly, oatmeal-like crust and gooey caramel and chocolate filling. If you never saw them or don’t remember them, I suggest you hightail it on over to that post and take a look.
Similarly to my keto carmelitas, coconut flakes and sliced almonds become the replacement for the oats. You simply give them a whiz in the food processor to break them up a little more and you get that perfect oatmeal consistency. It’s really quite remarkable how much it resembles oatmeal in both taste and texture.
Then you proceed the way you would with any low carb cookie recipe. Cream the butter and sweetener together, add an egg and some vanilla, and stir in the “oatmeal” and flour. Scoop them up, roll them into balls and bake.
It’s a pretty simple formula but it really works for those oatmeal cookie cravings.
Other additions for your “oatmeal” cookies
Conventional oatmeal cookies typically take raisins, but raisins simply aren’t a keto-friendly option. You could, of course, add a tiny amount of them in, but it really wouldn’t be worth your while. There would be so few of them, the flavor wouldn’t come through.
When I originally created this recipe, I simply added sugar-free dark chocolate chips. And that’s certainly an excellent option.
But when I re-made these cookies for the video, I decided to add in some sugar-free dried cranberries as well. They don’t exactly taste like raisins, but they give the cookies that chewy, dried fruit texture. I really liked them this way!
I have a recipe for homemade sugar free dried cranberries, which do use some sweetener. But you can also buy entirely unsweetened dried cranberries as well. They are very tart when eaten on their own, but in these keto oatmeal cookies, they are delicious!
Praise for Sugar Free Oatmeal Cookies
“This is hands-down the best cookie I’ve made Keto.” – Gwen
“Wow! These smell great cooking. My family could not wait to try. Amazed out how much these taste like oatmeal cookies!” – Lori
“Made these tonight—Loved them! Thank you for the recipe!” – Laura
Other great Keto “Oatmeal” Recipes
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Keto Do-si-dos (Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies)
- Keto Granola Bars
- No Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars
- Coconut Cacao Nib Granola
“Oatmeal” Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips, sugar-free
- ¼ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone liner.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flaked coconut and sliced almonds. Process until mixture resembles oatmeal. Add almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and pulse a few times to combine.
- In a large bowl, beat butter with sweetener until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract and then beat in coconut/almond mixture until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
- Form into balls a little over 1 inch in diameter and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. With the heel of your hand, press cookies down to about ½ inch thickness.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and just barely firm to the touch. Remove and let cool on pan.
Video
Tanya says
would this recipe work with swerve confectioners sweetener? or must it be granulated?
thanks!
Carolyn says
I think it’s best with granulated but powdered will be okay if it’s all you have.
Kristen Chidsey says
LOL!!! I love that you call these oatmeal cookies without the oats! And thanks for linking to my Playdate cookies 🙂
Barb Patchin says
Made these tonight for the 3rd time. So good. Thanks so much for all your work and sharing heart with your recipes Carolyn♥
Stephanie Deal says
Made these tonight!! Amazingly easy and so delish!!!
Carol says
First batch of these weeks ago, second batch today made to the letter of the recipe. They are simply GREAT. Thanks for a great recipe.
Nichol says
I made these for my work and everyone loved them! The only change I made was, I used walnuts instead of sliced almonds and I added a little extra sugar substitute. Although, They didn’t stick well together so once they cooled I drizzled a little bit of sugar free dark chocolate on them! Delicious!
A. Fanfan says
Had this pinned forever and FINALLY made them. Few minor changes in that I used only 1/3 cup of Swerve and I added some chopped pecans. Whoa. This cookie rocked! The only tiny issue I had is that I think I may have processed my coconut & almonds too much. I’ll pulse less next batch. Thanks for helping me satisfy my sweet tooth w/out sacrificing my LCHF lifestyle. 🙂
Tory says
Fabulous, really!!
Carolyn says
Thanks!
Eileen says
Your recipe came at a time when I had just noticed that flaked coconut and sliced almonds *looked* like oatmeal! I’d say “great minds” and all that, but if mine is “great” it’s that I know a great recipe when I see one, whereas you’re the actual culinary genius. I’m not even kidding!! These cookies are already a favorite — I’ve made them at least 3-4 times since your recipe came out — and they have been elevated to the permanent Christmas Cookie folder. (Along with your gingerbread men, walnut cardamom snowballs, snickerdoodles, peanut blossoms, and, of course, salted caramel magic cookie bars.) 🙂
Gina says
These are seriously amazing!! I LOVE your recipes!!
Carolyn says
Thanks!
Heidi Huff says
These turned out amazing! They smelled like oatmeal cookies baking and even managed that great texture!
Could you post a picture of when the almond and coconut flakes resemble oatmeal? I thought they looked like oatmeal before blended, so I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be doing. I’m pretty sure I mixed them too fine.
Heidi Huff says
Thank you so much for this recipe. Oatmeal cookies are my favorite, and I was so sad about having to give them up after going low carb. I hate the texture of coconut, so I may have to tweak the recipe a bit. But these look like a great substitute.
Deborah says
Ok Carolyn, you are seriously a genius. Just made these and they are amazing. Thank you!!
Anne O says
Carolyn another big thank you for your creativity! Second batch in the oven- made these as soon as you posted the recipe and they are yum! Dipping half into melted chocolate cuz I’m living a little dangerously. Thank you for your thousands of yummy recipes!
Carolyn says
Sounds good to me!
meagan says
I don’t like coconut very much, but I love oatmeal cookies and really want to try these. Can you taste the coconut in these?
Karla says
I’d say definitely worth an attempt. The overall taste is….cinnamony oatmeal – and I used to avoid coconut.
Cheryl from Melbourne Australia says
I just made these on the weekend and oh my, they are amazing. No one would be the wiser if I didn’t tell them there are no oats in them. I yielded 34 cookies out of the batch, making them only 72kcal per cookie and only 1g net carb. I have to add that I didn’t add the chocolate chips – didn’t need them. Thanks for another yummy recipe.
Btw, I have to view your recipes in drips and drabs. I made the mistake of scrolling through all the pages of your dessert section and I promise you, if I had the time, space to store the food and the supplies, I would have made them all in one day HAHA
Betty McLaughlin says
Wow, my first time trying one of your recipes, and these were divine. Plus the kitchen smells like heaven now too Thank you!
Carolyn says
Glad you liked them!
Regina says
Made these today and they were wonderful. Used Splenda brown sugar blend and swerve because I didn’t have enough swerve. I blended my almonds and coconut a little too much and made my first tray and forgot the chips. But my non keto son ate like 6 and liked them. Kept saying how good they were, even with my mistakes, still very good and easy. Put all ingredients in my kitchen aide and was done. You always make such good tasting treats and I don’t feel sick or guilty after I’ve had some.
Carolyn says
That’s wonderful to hear!
Lorna says
I made these tonight,,, and they are amazing,,, thank you so much for sharing this…. I did make one small change,,, Instead of using 1 cup of almond flour, I did 1/2 cup almond flour and 1/2 cup THM Baking mix,,, I will definitely make these again ! ! ! thanks again
Carolyn says
So glad it worked!
Tamera Alexander says
Just made these. Had to use pecans instead of almonds (no almonds). They just came from the oven and oh… So good! I’d give you my firstborn child if I could, but she’s 29 and a handful. So probably not. But truly, thank you for these great recipes!
Carolyn says
Well, thanks for the offer anyway! 😉