Oatmeal Cookie Recipe Without Egg

Name: Oatmeal Cookie Recipe Without Egg
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 67 min
Ingredients: 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon Kosher salt; 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon; 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature); 1 cup light brown sugar (packed); ½ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup unsweetened plain applesauce; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups powdered sugar; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 Tablespoons milk

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This Oatmeal Cookie Recipe Without Egg is a version of the classic homemade oatmeal cookie. These cookies have all the characteristics of the traditional oatmeal cookies, including the "craggy" tops complete with sweet confectioner's sugar icing, minus the egg!

I created this recipe because I have an egg sensitivity. I struggle to find baked goods that taste like the traditional recipes I remember. So, if you have this problem, I sympathize!

At last, you (and I) can have this classic cookie recipe and not fret about an egg allergy or sensitivity! After making these, I'm convinced you will agree that these are the best eggless oatmeal cookies, and I promise you will never notice the egg is missing.

If you are looking for a fantastic cookie recipe that includes eggs, try my Panera Kitchen Sink Cookie Recipe.

There is an arrangement of iced oatmeal cookies without egg on a white platter sitting on a yellow background with an aqua blue linen tucked under one of the edges. There are broken oatmeal cookies scattered about the surface and an open jar containing brown sugar in the upper left-hand corner. A cup of coffee, a serving spatula, a saucer of cinnamon, and a small dish of oats also frame the serving dish.

Table of Contents

Why you will love these Oatmeal Cookies

Eggless - This cookie will become one of your favorite go-to cookie recipes to accommodate those with an egg allergy or sensitivity. However, it tastes so much like the traditional recipe with egg that even those who don't follow a special diet will be requesting these cookies.

Simple ingredients - Everything you need for these easy oatmeal cookies is basic ingredients readily available in most pantries.

Soft and chewy - After a couple of minutes in the oven, you will have a batch of eggless cookies that will satisfy your cookie cravings. They have slightly crisp edges to allow for easy dipping, but the soft centers will have you reaching more!

No raisins! - Dare I say it? Some people love oatmeal raisin cookies. My daughter is one of these people. However, this Oatmeal Cookie Recipe Without Egg is just a simple, easy cookie that isn't fussy with a lot of add-ins.

A whole oatmeal cookie resting on a piece of parchment paper with broken cookies, oats, and cinnamon sticks scattered about the surface.

Equipment Needed

Large mixing bowl
Baking sheet
Parchment Paper
Cookie scoop
Electric Hand Mixer (these may also be mixed by hand)
Cooling Rack

Ingredient List

Old-fashioned oats
All Purpose Flour
Baking soda
Kosher salt
Cinnamon
Butter
Light brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Unsweetened plain applesauce
Vanilla extract
Powdered Sugar
Milk

*Please scroll down to the recipe card for specific ingredient amounts.

All the ingredients needed to make the oatmeal cookies without egg including: brown sugar, butter, oats, flour, applesauce, baking soda, vanilla, granulated sugar cinnamon, milk, and powdered sugar.

Instructions

Step 1. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Step 2. In a large bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar, on medium speed until thoroughly mixed (about 1-2 minutes).

Step 3. Add unsweetened applesauce and vanilla extract and beat on high until combined, about another minute.

Step 4. Add in flour mixture and combine on low speed. Chill dough for 45 minutes.

Don't Overmix!

Overmixing leads to overdeveloping the gluten and makes a tough cookie. If you're using an electric mixer, mix the dough just until you can't see streaks of the dry ingredients. It would even be acceptable to mix the dry ingredients in by hand.

A collage of 4 photos showing the first steps to make the cookie dough including: combining the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, creaming the butter and sugars together, and mixing the dry ingredients in with a hand mixer to form the dough.

Step 5. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 6. Scoop about 1 ½ Tablespoons of dough for each cookie, and place about 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheets.

Step 7. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on the edges.

Step 8. Remove from the oven and let sit on a baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Because they don't have eggs, they can be on the delicate side until they've cooled. Carefully transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

A collage of 4 photos showing the next 4 steps including scooping the cookies onto a baking sheet, baking and cooling the cookies, making the icing and dipping the cookies.

Step 9. While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. Place the sifted confectioner’s sugar in a shallow bowl. Add vanilla and 1 Tablespoon of milk at a time, until desired consistency is reached. The icing will be pretty thick.

Step 10. Dip the tops of the completely cooled cookies by turning them upside down and dipping them in the icing. Pull the cookie straight up, letting the excess icing drip back into the bowl. Turn the cookie right-side-up and transfer it back to the cooling rack. Let icing set for 15-30 minutes.

Pro Tip for Icing the Cookies

Use a shallow bowl to make the icing. This will make dipping the tops of the cookies easier.

Don’t let the cookie sink too much into the icing. The cookie may break with the weight of all that icing. Get the icing on top of all those bumps created by the oats.

Storage and Freezing

Store baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
Roll unbaked cookie dough, place in Ziploc freezer bags, and freeze for up to 4 months. Add about 1-2 minutes to the baking time. No need to thaw cookie dough.
Place baked cookies, plain or iced, in a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3-4 months.

Two oatmeal cookies overlapping and laying on a piece of crumpled parchment paper in front of a coffee cup.

Substitutions

Other egg substitutes. Don't want to use applesauce? Try making a flax egg! You will need to make 2 of them for this recipe. It's easy! For each egg, combine 3 Tablespoons of ground flax seeds (sometimes called "flax meal" ) with 1 Tablespoon of water. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until thickened, and add to the recipe as directed.

Variations

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies - Take the flavor up a notch and add some dark chocolate chips to the cookie dough! I would recommend no more than 1 cup of morsels.

Recipe Notes

If using salted butter, reduce the kosher salt amount to ½ teaspoon.
Having room temperature butter makes for more effortless blending.
Chilling the dough not only lets the flavors combine, but also allows the rolled oats to absorb moisture and soften.
These cookies are better on the small side. We used a scoop that was 1 ½ Tablespoons or .75 ounces. These cookies were also tested using a 2 Tablespoon scoop and were thinner than desired due to how much the cookie spread when baking.
Let the cookies completely cool before dipping them. This allows the cookies to harden, although they will still be very soft. Adding the icing too quickly will result in it sliding off of the cookie.

An iced oatmeal cookie broken in half and stacked on top of each other to show the inside texture of the cookie. It is golden brown, pieces of oats can be seen inside the cookie, and a little icing is peeking out from the cookies' tops. A platter of cookies is in the background.

Are old-fashioned and rolled oats the same?

Yes! They are oats that have been cut and rolled into flakes. They are also larger than quick oats.

Can I use quick oats or instant oats?

We think the old-fashioned rolled oats create a chewy texture and moist cookie. In our experience, the quick oats make these cookies dry and crumbly. Rolled oats are best.

Can I spoon the icing on the cookies instead of dipping them?

Certainly! The “signature” look of an iced oatmeal cookie is that craggy-looking top, and dipping the cookies is what helps create this look. The icing clings to the bumps on the cookie but doesn’t sink into the cracks. However, if spooning or spreading the icing works better for you, go for it! The cookies will have a slightly different look but taste just as fantastic. The icing recipe is enough to ice all the cookies this way. If you dip them, you may have some leftover icing.