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These wholesome Cherry Oatmeal Cookies made with just a handful of better-for-you ingredients! Simple to prepare and a moment’s notice and the most loveable healthy treat!
Making fun and unique oatmeal cookie recipes has been a passion project of mine for years. It all started with my 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, and has since evolved to include other star ingredients.
Including, but not limited to, my Oatmeal Pistachio Cookies, Apple Oatmeal Cookies, Peach Oatmeal Cookies and my Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies.
And now I’m back with these delightful cherry oatmeal cookies, which have been my favorite way to enjoy cherries so far this season!
I’ve been enjoying one for dessert each night, and I also believe they make a healthy snack, too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Wholesome Ingredients: These wholesome cookies are made with all better-for-you ingredients, like almond butter, oats, pure maple syrup, and fresh fruit. They are also naturally gluten-free (as long as you use GF oats), dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. Ideal for those who love a healthy treat!
- Easy to Prepare: There is no stand mixer (or any fancy equipment) required, and there is no need to chill the dough, making this an incredibly easy cookie recipe to make!
- Versatile: Swap out ingredients to customize the recipe. You can see some options in my Recipe Adaptations section below!
- Great Taste and Texture: These healthier cookies have a soft and chewy texture, like muffin tops. They have a standard oatmeal cookie flavor with a hint of cinnamon and little subtle bursts of cherry.
Ingredient Notes:
Fresh Cherries: The star of the show! Pick up some fresh cherries and give them a nice chop before mixing them into the oatmeal cookie batter.
Almond Butter or Cashew Butter: Rather than using butter, I like using almond butter or cashew butter, which adds healthy fats and richness to the cookies. It also serves as the glue that binds all of the ingredients together.
Eggs: A couple of eggs help the cookie batter rise to a fluffy consistency and act as a binding agent.
Quick Oats: I skip the flour and only use oats to make these hearty cookies. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you follow a gluten-free diet. I use gluten-free sprouted oats.
Pure Maple Syrup: My sweetener of choice. A little pure maple syrup goes a long way in bringing just the right sweetness to the cookies. The cookies taste sweeter as they sit (compared to fresh out of the oven), and you can easily add some granulated sugar to boost the sweetness if you’re going for very sweet cookies.
Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract (optional): Vanilla and almond extracts bring extra nuance to the flavor profile. Skip them if you don’t have them on hand.
Ground Cinnamon: To me, ground cinnamon is mandatory in all oatmeal cookie recipes. I like that it adds a warm spice for an inviting feel.
Baking Soda: The leavening agent to help the cookie dough bake evenly and prevent it from spreading during the baking process.
Sea Salt: Salt is a big flavor enhancer and makes the cookies taste bolder. Don’t skip it!
Recipe Adaptations:
- For sweeter cookies, add 3 tablespoons of brown sugar or coconut sugar.
- Use 1 cup dried cherries for more cherry flavor. Fresh cherries don’t impart as much cherry flavor, unlike the dried counterpart.
- Swap the almond butter for your favorite nut or seed butter. Peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, cashew butter (my favorite) and walnut butter all work. Just be sure you enjoy the flavor of whatever you use, as you will be able to taste it.
- Add ½ cup to ⅔ cup of chocolate chips if you enjoy the combination of cherries and chocolate.
- Mix in ½ cup to ⅔ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for a nutty crunch.
- Swap out the cherries for any well-chopped fresh fruit.
How to Make Cherry Oatmeal Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the eggs well in a large bowl. Add the almond butter (or cashew butter), pure maple syrup, and extracts. Mix well until the wet ingredients are fully combined and form a creamy consistency.
Tip: If your almond butter is cold from sitting in the refrigerator, microwave it for 30 seconds, or until it is easy to stir. I use a fork to do the mixing, but you can also use a hand mixer or an electric mixer.
In a separate bowl or measuring cup, stir together the oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients.
Add the chopped cherries and stir well. The mixture will be very wet and sticky – this is normal.
Use a spoon or a cookie dough scoop to scoop mounds of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving room in between each mound of dough to allow it to grow.
You can make any size cookies you like. I go with 10-12 large cookies, but you can just as easily make small cookies.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies turn a lighter color and appear golden brown around the edges. Small cookies take about 10 minutes, whereas my large cookies require 15 minutes.
Remove the oatmeal cherry cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them.
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: Keep the cookies in an airtight container or a zip lock bag on the counter for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftover cookies for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: For longer term storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container or a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
The next time you’re craving a sweet treat, whip up these chewy oatmeal cookies!
More Cherry Dessert Recipes:
- Almond Flour Cherry Scones
- Cherry Pie Bars
- Gluten-Free Cherry Cobbler
- Roasted Peach Cherry and Walnut Yogurt Parfaits
Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, well beaten
- 1 cup almond butter , or cashew butter
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract, optional
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ⅔ cup fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the eggs well in a large bowl. Add the almond butter (or cashew butter), pure maple syrup, and extracts. Mix well until the wet ingredients are fully combined and form a creamy consistency. Tip: If your almond butter is cold from sitting in the refrigerator, microwave it for 30 seconds, or until it is easy to stir. I use a fork to do the mixing, but you can also use a hand mixer or an electric mixer.
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup, stir together the oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients.
- Add the chopped cherries and stir well. The mixture will be very wet and sticky – this is normal.
- Use a spoon or a cookie dough scoop to scoop mounds of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving room in between each mound of dough to allow it to grow. You can make any size cookies you like. I go with 10-12 large cookies, but you can just as easily make small cookies.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies turn a lighter color and appear golden brown around the edges. Small cookies take about 10 minutes, whereas my large cookies require 15 minutes.
- Remove the oatmeal cherry cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
can you use regular oats?