Vegan White Chocolate Hazelnut Oatmeal Cookies
Chewy vegan cookies studded with white chocolate chips and roasted hazelnuts, bound with maple syrup and coconut oil. Warm cinnamon spice and toasty oats create depth without dairy or eggs. Perfect for lunchboxes, afternoon tea, or gift-giving. This version skips animal products entirely while delivering rich, satisfying flavor through whole grains and plant-based sweeteners.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flourspelt flour or additional all purpose flour1:1gluten-free option (spelt)texture
spelt adds nuttiness; all purpose may tighten crumb
Full guide → - ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup coconut oil, plus 2 Tbsp
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup hazelnuts, chopped, roasted
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liner.
- 2
Combine oats, both flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. Stir in brown sugar until evenly mixed.
- 3
Melt coconut oil in heatproof bowl or measuring cup, then whisk in maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- 4
Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir until almost combined. Fold in white chocolate chips and hazelnuts until no dry streaks remain.
- 5
Grab golf ball-sized portions of dough, press into balls, place on prepared sheet, and flatten slightly with palm. Space cookies 1-2 inches apart.
- 6
Bake 13-16 minutes until edges just begin to brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Tips
Don't overbake. Cookies set as they cool; removing at the edge-browning stage yields chewier centers.
Room-temperature dough spreads more evenly. If oil separates, gently rewarm wet mixture before combining with dry.
Toast hazelnuts yourself for deeper flavor, or substitute chopped almonds or macadamia nuts if needed.
Good to Know
Airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months in freezer bag.
Prepare dough, scoop onto parchment, freeze on tray 1 hour, then transfer to freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to bake time.
Serve warm or at room temperature with coffee, tea, or plant-based milk. Pack in lunchboxes or gift in mason jars.
Common Mistakes
Overbake to avoid dry, hard cookies. Remove when edges just brown and centers still look underdone.
Don't skip flattening dough. Unflattened balls won't bake evenly and may stay cakey.
Stir gently when adding chocolate and nuts to avoid breaking them into powder.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Vegan Options
Gluten-Free Swaps
spelt adds nuttiness; all purpose may tighten crumb
Full guide →FAQ
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes. Replace all purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour with gluten-free all purpose blend (1:1 ratio) or rice flour. Cookies may be slightly denser. Add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum if blend lacks it.
What if my dough is too wet or too stiff?
Dough should be thick and firm, not sticky. If wet, add 2 Tbsp flour at a time. If very stiff and hard to scoop, warm coconut oil slightly or let dough rest 10 minutes at room temperature.
How long do baked cookies keep, and can I freeze dough?
Baked cookies stay fresh 5 days in airtight container. Unbaked dough freezes up to 3 months; bake straight from freezer, adding 2-3 minutes. Thawed dough may be softer; rebake at same temperature.