These pumpkin oatmeal raisin cookies are perfect to get you in the mood for fall. They’re egg-free, nutritious, and you can even eat them for breakfast! I’ll even disclose a little secret to those hesitant to eat more plant-based or vegan foods. These cookies are also VEGAN!
Why Egg-Free Cookies?
Eggs are used in baking as a binding agent. When used in cookie recipes, your cookies will turn out more chewy and cake-like. However, there are specific reasons I chose to make an egg-free cookie this time around.
- To accomodate those with egg allergies
- To make these cookies vegan
- To reduce cardiovascular disease risk
Let me explain these reasons a little more.
Egg Allergies
According to the CDC, there are eight common food allergies that produce the most allergic reacions in the U.S (1). These are:
- Milk
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Wheat
- Soy
- Peanuts
- Tree Nuts
As you can see, eggs are listed as #2 on the list. Having a true allergy to a food means your body produces an immune response to the specific proteins in a food. This response can be life threatening, such as in the case of anaphylaxis (1).
I would also like to mention that these cookies are also gluten-free for those with Celiac Disease. Just take special care to use certified gluten-free oats and oat flour.
A Vegan Option
Eliminating the egg in this recipe also makes this cookie vegan. Today, more and more people are leaning towards a plant-based or even flexitarian diet due to the health benefits (2). Overall, the benefits are tremendous and may add years to your life.
Here, I subsitute eggs with ground flaxseed. However, there are other egg substitutes you can use to replace eggs when baking. Click the link in this sentence to skip to the egg substitute list and learn which other food items you can use in place of eggs.
FYI, for a great eggless “egg” salad recipe, try my Vegan Egg Salad.
Reduced CVD Risk
The research on eggs and cardiovascular health is enough to confuse anyone. Research shows that most of the cholesterol in our blood is made by our liver, not from what we eat (3). However others conclude that dietary cholesterol may increase the prevalence of CVD (4).
And while eggs do have a significant amount of cholesterol (~207 mg cholesterol in 1 large Grade A egg), they also have an abundance of healthy nutrients and bioactive components (5).
However, a meta-analysis shows evidence that a larger intake of dietary cholesterol and eggs can increase CVD risk and overall CVD mortality (4). More specifically, they state:
For each additional 300 mg cholesterol intake per day, there was an increased risk for overall and CVD-related mortality.
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.057642
While this does not mean that you should avoid eggs altogether, it does mean you should limit overconsumption. For most adults in the general population, one egg per day is adequate at providing nutritional benefits without an increase in CVD risk.
What to Substitute for Eggs in a Cookie Recipe
There are a few different options you can use in place of eggs. Some are great to use in baking, while others may not be. For example, mashed banana and applesauce are often used when baking. While aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas, is not as common. Here are a few egg-free baking subtitutes you may want to try:
| Mashed banana | Make sure flavor is compatible with other ingredients; use 1/4 cup mashed banana for each egg called for |
| Applesauce | Used mainly as a substitute in sweet or bakery items; use 1/4 cup applesauce for each egg called for |
| Silken tofu | Adds creaminess and moisture; use 1/4 cup silken tofu in place of each egg called for (may need to whip before adding to your recipe) |
| Plain yogurt (or plant-based yogurt) | Can be used in both sweet and savory recipes; use 1/4 cup yogurt in place of each egg called for |
| Commercial egg replacement | Can be used in both sweet or savory recipes; use 3 tablespoons egg subtitute for each egg called for. (FYI, JUST Egg is a great vegan option!) |
| Aquafaba (chickpea liquid) | Best used for savory dishes; use 3 tablespoons aquafaba for each egg called for |
| Gound flaxseed or chia seeds | Can be used in sweet or savory recipes; use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water for each egg called for. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before using in recipe. |
Nutritional Value in Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These cookies are a real treat because they not only satisfy your sweet tooth, they are also a great grab-and-go breakfast, snack, or anytime option if you’re in a hurry.
What makes these nutritious is the addition of pureed pumpkin, oats, flaxseed, and raisins. The pumpkin adds vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, and E, along with the minerals iron, copper, and potassium along with some fiber (6).
The oats provide a wonderful, whole grain base of both soluble and insoluble fiber which can help protect against heart disease, GI issues such as constipation, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer (7).
Essential fatty acids from omega-3 ALA and additional fiber are provided by the ground flaxseed witich can help promote brain and vascular function, as well as protect against and reduce mortality from CVD. The lignans in flaxseed are also shown to reduce inflammation and risk of colorectal cancer (7,8).
And finally, the raisins give a perfect amount of sweetness while also adding soluble fiber, iron, copper, and other essential vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols. These nutritional benefits help to reduce heart disease, prevent anemia, protect against some types of cancer, and more (9).
How To Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Egg-Free)
- Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
You want to first set the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Allow the oven to get up to temperature while you go through the rest of the steps.
- Gather the ingredients.
You’ll need oat flour, old-fashioned oats, pumpkin puree, Cocavo oil, ground flaxseed, raisins, maple syrup, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
There are a few ingredients in this recipe that you may not have on hand. For example, you may not have oat flour. In this case, you can always blend some old-fashioned oats in a blender to make oat flour. Or perhaps you don’t have Cocavo oil. In this case, you can substitute, regular baking coconut oil, stick margarine or butter. Just keep in mind that it may change the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of the final product. - Mix wet and dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Don’t do what I did in the video people. For one, I did not use a large enough bowl when mixing the dry ingredients. And two, I added the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients instead of vice versa.
I suggest making sure you have two bowls handy. First mix the dry ingredients and set aside. Then mix the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. - Bake in the oven.
After scooping the mixture into cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake in your preset oven for about 15 mintues or until set. This should make about 14 cookies total.
Video for Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies [Egg-Free]
FAQ for Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies [Egg-Free]
These pumpkin oatmeal raisin egg-free cookies are best eaten within 2 weeks at room temp. However you can also refrigerate them for up to 2 months.
Yes. If you want to save some for days, weeks, or months later, these cookies can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bags with as much air removed as possible for up to 1 year.
Yes, you certainly can. I would suggest adding 1 whole egg to this recipe. This will give a more chewy, soft, cake-like texture to the final product. Adding an egg will also add about 15 mg of cholesterol per cookie.
Yes, feel free to switch up some of the ingredients if needed. If you do not want to buy special items like the Cocavo brand coconut avocado oil (pictured), you can use real butter, stick margarine, coconut oil, or other appropriate substitute. You can also try using a different egg substitute or use cranberries in place of raisins. Endless possibilities here!
Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies [Egg-Free]
Equipment
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 1 baking sheet
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups oat flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 3 tbsp flaxseeds ground
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup 100% pumpkin puree
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup Cocavo oil melted
Other ingredients
- ¼ cup raisins
Instructions
- Set your oven temperature to 350° Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Whisk together and set aside.
- In your second mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients. Whisk together.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in raisins until evenly dispersed.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with non-stick spray, divide mixture into ~14 evenly sized dough balls. Flatten slightly.
- Baked in preset oven for ~15 minutes or until cooked through. They will continue to cook slightly after removing from oven.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- These cookies will seem hard at first. But I’ve found that after placing in an airtight bag overnight, they’ll soften up.
- Try using dried cranberries in place of the raisins, or folding in chocolate chips, pepitas, or walnuts to the batter.
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can also sub cinnamon or make your own with a little ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
Share with me: Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried this recipe. I’d love to know if you’ve tried any variations and how they turned out!
Other dessert recipes you might enjoy:
- Chewy Granola Bar Recipe
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie [Vegan]
- Healthy Cinnamon Cookie Butter
- Incredible Edible Cookie Dough (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
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Kiran Campbell is a registered dietitian and entrepreneur with 13 years of experience. She has a degree in psychology as well as dietetics. She is also a proud member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ and its Cardiovascular Health and Well-being Dietetics Practice Group among others. Kiran proudly presents and promotes the most up-to-date, science-based nutrition information on all things heart-related. She aims to serve not only individuals with heart disease, but also those wanting to protect against it. Learn more about Kiran by visiting her About Page.