These gluten-free vegan buckwheat chocolate chip oatmeal cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth without giving you the icky feeling that many cookie recipes do!
The other day I was craving cookies. The kind of craving that any cookie will satisfy. It was bad. Lo and behold I had ZERO cookies in my pantry. So my options were to either (a) drive to Trader Joe’s to buy their gluten-free Snickerdoodles or (b) make my own cookies. Don’t get me wrong, those TJ Snickerdoodles are reeeeallly good, but on this particular day, I chose to make my own cookies.
It was a good decision. My homemade cookies satisfied my craving and they’re made with better ingredients than a box of cookies from the store. And, they just happen to be vegan!
Aaaand now I am sharing this yummy cookie recipe with you. You know, just in case you ever find yourself in the same situation I was in. 🙂
How to Make Gluten-Free Vegan Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
This batch makes about 10-12 cookies. So you won’t be left with 36 cookies like so many recipes! Just enough to last you a few days! (Or a few hours, depending on how many mouths are in your house!) Let’s be honest here, some (most) days we just want to eat #althecookies, right?
Ingredients
Rolled oats
Buckwheat flour
Unsweetened coconut flakes
Baking soda
Salt
Coconut sugar
Cane sugar
Dairy-free mini chocolate chips
Coconut oil
Almond milk
Rolled oats are one of the healthiest grains on the planet.
They’re naturally gluten-free and rolled oats are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. They are a really great source for carbs and fiber. Plus, they provide excellent amounts of Manganese and Phosphorus. (Note: watch out for “May Contain Traces of Wheat” on the back if you are extra sensitive to gluten. Or buy a certified gluten-free brand!)
Buckwheat flour is nutrient-packed
And honestly, just a great alternative to white or wheat flour if you want to go the gluten-free route. Buckwheat actually contains a complete protein meaning that all the essential amino acids are available. It also contains great sources of copper, manganese, iron, and phosphorus.
Coconut flakes have so many health benefits!
Sure, coconut meat is high in saturated fats and high in calories, but just eat it in moderation! Eating coconut meat can boost heart health, digestive health, stabilize blood sugar, improve immunity, and have brain functioning benefits.
Baking soda has tons of uses in the kitchen and bathroom realm
But for this recipe, it’s just needed as a leavening agent to make the cookies rise a bit.
Salt is actually an important nutrient that we all need for a body to function optimally.
Our bodies use salt to balance fluids in the blood and maintain healthy blood pressure and it’s essential for nerve and muscle function. Just don’t overdo it!
Coconut sugar is made from coconut palm sap
And surprisingly, it retains quite a few nutrients including minerals iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium.
Cane sugar is just added here to sprinkle in a little more sweetness without making the cookies too heavy.
Dairy-free chocolate chips for that yummy chocolatey cookie flavor.
You can use regular chocolate chips if you’re not a vegan or concerned about dairy!
Coconut oil, like coconut meat, contains healthy fatty acids that raise HDL cholesterol levels (a good thing)
And have antimicrobial properties that can help kill harmful pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Almond Milk can be low in calories and sugar – depending on the brand you buy.
Most brands, however, have high levels of Vitamin E and provide a good source of calcium. Just watch the ingredient labels as many brands like to throw in sugars and extra thickening agents that you really don’t need.
It comes together so quickly! Watch this short video!
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Step 2
Blend the oats, buckwheat flour, coconut flakes, baking soda, salt and sugars in a food processor or blend. (Because this is a small recipe, you can even use your immersion blender with the mixing cup that comes with it!)
**Don’t blend it into smithereens. You want it combined and to break up the whole oats, but to still have some whole oats in there.
Step 3
Pour into a medium bowl
Step 4
Add the coconut oil and 2 tablespoons almond milk and stir until just combined.
Step 5
Squeeze the dough little with your finger and if it seems like it won’t hold together like a good little dough with a little pressing, add 1 more Tablespoon of milk and combine.
Step 6
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Step 7
Using a mini ice cream scoop or a small spoon and your hands, shape into balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet (or a pan lined with parchment paper). Lightly press the tops to slightly flatten.
Step 8
Bake for 6 minutes, or just until the edges start to look a little crispy.
Step 9
Let the cookies cool on the rack for 2-3 minutes until they are firm enough to be removed with a spatula and placed on a cooling sheet.
Variations
Leave out the coconut flakes
Coconut can add a strong flavor, so if you don’t love it, leave the coconut flakes out.
Sub Buckwheat for Alternative flour
Despite its name that suggests otherwise, buckwheat actually is gluten-free. I love using buckwheat because it gives these cookies a really rich, deep flavor. If you don’t have buckwheat flour handy (or just don’t prefer that flavor), you could also sub in regular flour or gluten-free flour for this recipe.
Sub out the coconut sugar
I get it, coconut sugar isn’t as cheap as the other sugars out there or as readily available. Trader Joe’s has some coconut sugar at a decent price — but if you really don’t want to use it, just sub brown sugar instead of coconut sugar
Sub Dairy-free chocolate chips for regular
I like the Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips, but any vegan chips will work for these cookies. Or if you don’t care about the vegan aspect, buy whatever mini chocolate chips you like!
Given the small size of these cookies, I recommend mini chocolate chips but regular ones work too.
Sub coconut oil for butter
Butter will work in place of the coconut oil, but it will not be vegan at that point.
Gluten-free
If you are extra sensitive to gluten, don’t rely on products that should be gluten-free to actually be gluten-free. I’ve mentioned this before – but even though oats are technically gluten-free, they might be packaged in or near wheat products which causes contamination possibilities. So, be sure to get certified gluten-free oats if you need that!
Nutrition
Exact stats will vary on the ingredients and brands you use. But these are based on 11 cookies which is usually how many cookies my batches yield.
102 calories
2.7 g fat
1.7 g saturated fat
1.8 mg cholesterol
20.3 g carbohydrates
0.9 g fiber
15.4 g sugar
1.2 g protein
2. Blend the oats, buckwheat flour, coconut flakes, baking soda, salt and sugars in a food processor or blend. (Because this is a small recipe, you can even use your immersion blender with the mixing cup that comes with it!) Don’t blend it into smithereens. You want it combined and to break up the wholes, but to still have some whole oats in there.
3. Pour into a medium bowl and add the coconut oil and 2 tablespoons almond milk and stir until just combined. Squeeze the dough little with your finger and if it seems like it won’t hold together like a good little dough with a little pressing, add 1 more Tablespoon of milk and combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Using a mini ice cream scoop or a small spoon and your hands, shape into balls and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet (or a pan lined with parchment paper). Lightly press the tops to slightly flatten.
5. Bake for 6 minutes, or just until the edges start to look a slightly crisp. Let cool on the rack for 2-3 minutes until they are firm enough to be removed with a spatula and placed on a cooling sheet.
Notes
You can leave out the coconut flakes.
Despite its name that suggests otherwise, buckwheat actually is gluten-free. The buckwheat gives these a really rich, deep flavor, which I love. You could also sub in regular flour or gluten-free flour.
You can use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar.
I like the Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips, but any vegan chips will work. Or if you don’t care about the vegan aspect, buy whatever mini chocolate chips you like!
Given the small size of these cookies, I recommend mini chocolate chips but regular ones work too.
Butter will work in place of the coconut oil, but it will not be vegan at that point.
Be sure to get certified gluten-free oats if you need that!
Nutrition
Calories:102 calories
Sugar:15.4 g
Fat:2.7 g
Saturated Fat:1.7 g
Carbohydrates:20.3 g
Fiber:.9 g
Protein:1.2 g
Cholesterol:1.8 mg
I first published this Gluten-Free Vegan Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies recipe in 2013!! Enjoy the old school photo. 🙂
These look absolutely amazing! And I just so happen to have all the ingredients in my pantry, what a coincidence…these will definitely have to be made the next time I actually have time to turn my oven on.
These cookies look awesome. I’ve had some buckwheat flour sitting in my cabinet forever that I can’t figure out what to do with. I think cookies will be a great way to fix that problem 🙂
I’m gonna try this, as my first official gluten-free baking attempt.
What role do sweets play in your life? When I’m eating more healthfully, I feel less inclined to eat sweets, but I’ve always wondered how it works for other healthy folks.
I just made them and they are so yummy! Mine didn’t flatten out (next time I’d just flatten the balls) but I love them. Question though- how long are they supposed to last? I give the 8 I made 24 hours. And I live alone lol.
Hey Sarah! Maybe I added a little more water to mine? I didn’t exactly measure but it seemed like 1-2 T. So you could try that or just flatten out. Uh….mine lasted 24 hours. ha! I think they’d be fine for a couple days but they seemed a bit more crumbly the next day. Enjoy!
I’m sorry that I need to ask, but what does “T” in this recipe mean?
I have went GF because I’m sensitive to it and have given up dairy for health reasons (the same reason that I want more grains). I find myself craving sweets and this is a great alternative to what is readily available.
Leave a Comment
14 responses to “Gluten Free Vegan Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies”
I love smaller batch healthy cookie recipes. I’m pinning this to try later–thanks!! 🙂
These look absolutely amazing! And I just so happen to have all the ingredients in my pantry, what a coincidence…these will definitely have to be made the next time I actually have time to turn my oven on.
Necessity breeds invention…or something like that. This is the perfect because I have all the ingredients on hand. Love it when that happens!
I think these look SOOO good and healthy, in the best of ways! I’ve never tried buckwheat flour, but I’m really interested in it!
Oh, yum! Did you grind your own buckwheat flour or purchase some?
I bought it pre-ground. 🙂
These cookies look awesome. I’ve had some buckwheat flour sitting in my cabinet forever that I can’t figure out what to do with. I think cookies will be a great way to fix that problem 🙂
Looks amazing! And I LOVE your blog’s new look.
I’m gonna try this, as my first official gluten-free baking attempt.
What role do sweets play in your life? When I’m eating more healthfully, I feel less inclined to eat sweets, but I’ve always wondered how it works for other healthy folks.
I just made them and they are so yummy! Mine didn’t flatten out (next time I’d just flatten the balls) but I love them. Question though- how long are they supposed to last? I give the 8 I made 24 hours. And I live alone lol.
Hey Sarah! Maybe I added a little more water to mine? I didn’t exactly measure but it seemed like 1-2 T. So you could try that or just flatten out. Uh….mine lasted 24 hours. ha! I think they’d be fine for a couple days but they seemed a bit more crumbly the next day. Enjoy!
Never tried buckwheat flour but you have me intrigued! These look tasty. I looove coconut in things too.
I’m sorry that I need to ask, but what does “T” in this recipe mean?
I have went GF because I’m sensitive to it and have given up dairy for health reasons (the same reason that I want more grains). I find myself craving sweets and this is a great alternative to what is readily available.
No problem! It’s Tablespoon