Vegan Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies (V, GF, DF): an easy recipe for oat flour cranberry chocolate chip cookies made with whole ingredients. Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free.
Serious question time: do you consider cranberries more Christmas-y or more Thanksgiving-y? And if you don’t celebrate either of those holidays, what do you associate cranberries with?
Yep, that’s a tough one! It’s like the time I pondered the question: is The Nightmare Before Christmas movie about Christmas or Halloween? Like, woah. Brain teaser, right? 😉 But before we get into a raging debate about that one, let’s bring it back to cranberries.
I wasn’t too sure of the answer myself. Especially since I kinda/sorta have been sharing cranberry recipes here on the blog since September. Ooops. So now might (or might not, depending on how faulty my info is) be the perfect time to present my vegan cranberry chocolate chip cookies.
The thing is, I totally made cranberry bites and trail mix cookies, and then sorta lost track of these beloved ruby red beauties due to all the pumpkin and candy fervor. Cranberries, my love, will you forgive me?
Ahem. Growing up, I actually didn’t eat too many cranberries. We had some occasional cranberry sauce with Thanksgiving meals, and maybe some chocolate cranberry bark here and there (btw, anyone interested in seeing a chocolate cranberry bark ‘round these parts?), but no major appearances of cranberries.
Did you eat a ton of cranberries growing up?
We were more of a raisin and dates kind of family. And by family I mean that raisins and dates happened, but were not welcomed by lil me. I didn’t like either of those guys, or even realize that raisins were actually just dried grapes (still a shocker, to this day), but I eventually came to my senses on both. Just like I did on combo desserts being even better than non-combo desserts… I mean, check out this amazing gluten free cookie cake from A “Mind” Full Mom! Cookie in cake form? Oh. YES.
But wait, what was I saying?
Oh yeah! So now I have no real concept or clue of when people eat these things. Even more confusing, there’s also a crazy surge of cranberry-flavored madness during the summer. Color me cranberry-confused. I imagine it’s a bright red color of confusion. Quite startling, really. And embarrassing. (Who likes to be beet-red ruby red in the face, anyway??)
To add another layer to the confusion, there seems to be a total ranking/favoritism system going on with dried fruits. I could go on about this all day, so I’ll just discuss the three big ones: cranberries, raisins and dates. It’s like dates are at the top of the ladder, cranberries are next, then, far, faaaar down, like probably not even ranked, is raisins.
Poor, wrinkly guy. They’re so yummy, too! But I’m telling you guys, if I shared two recipes that were exactly the same, but one had raisins in it, and the other had cranberries—the clear winner would be cranberries.
So in an effort to play favorites (j/k), allow me to present to you my oat flour vegan cranberry chocolate chip cookies. So full of chocolate, so full of cranberries and so not full of low-ranking raisins. They’re incredible. Once I saw how much everyone enjoyed my cranberry-packed trail mix cookies and no bake bites, I knew I had to whip up another recipe with these ruby gems as the star.
Plus, once and for all, declare cranberries as an official crossover holiday ingredient. You with me? 🙂 Heck, we can even be rebels together and make these vegan cranberry chocolate chip cookies in the summer. Or the spring (don’t hold back now!). And if you’re actually feeling more blue(berry) than cran-ruby red right now, try these amazing blueberry cookies (gluten-free, whole wheat, all-purpose flour options) from my talented friend Erin at Texanerin. ????
Let me tell you all about these official crossover holiday/all-seasons-ready-I’m-sure treats. My gluten free vegan cranberry chocolate chip cookies are:
- wonderfully soft on the inside, lightly chewy on the outside
- vegan, gluten free, dairy-free
- made in just two bowls
- packed full of sweet, tart cranberries
- perfectly balanced with chocolate chips
- made with feel-good ingredients
- plant-based and allergy-friendly
- perfect for the holidays and all the other days
Try your hand at creating homemade cookies that will impress your family, your tastebuds, and even your kids (yeah, I said it). I’m so happy to spend the holidays getting ready with you. I can’t wait to hear what you think of this recipe. In the mean time, tell me:
What season do you associate cranberries with? What’s your favorite way to eat cranberries?
I can’t wait to hear what you think. Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter. ❤️
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- 1 ½ cups gluten free oat flour
- ½ cup gluten free rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax + 6 tablespoons water, whisked together, set for 10 minutes)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup dried cranberries, chopped
- ¾ cup vegan chocolate chips
- For topping: 2 tablespoons each of chopped cranberries and vegan chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or greased foil. Set aside for later.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: oat flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients: coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, flax eggs and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combined and resembles caramel.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk until you get a sticky and thoroughly combined ball of soft dough. Fold in cranberries and chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl of cookie dough. Let sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature—this allows the dry mixture to absorb the wet mixture and become more cohesive.*
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a fork, flatten cookies into a round disc—they will not spread during baking. Press cranberries and chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes. Using a flat, heatproof spatula, lift cookies off the baking sheet and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely. Enjoy! Storing instructions below.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
- These cookies freeze well. Store in an airtight, freezer-friendly container for 1 month.
- More cookie recipes (all V, GF, DF): almond butter chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, double chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (paleo), peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
- More dried fruit recipes: no bake cranberry coconut bites, no bake oatmeal raisin bars, oatmeal raisin cookie bars.
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Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free)
Gluten Free Vegan Trail Mix Cookies (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Oat Flour)
No Bake Cranberry Coconut Bites (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free)
Some lovely cranberry recipes from my friends around the ‘web:
Chocolate Banana Cranberry Bread (Paleo, Nut-Free) by Paleo Running Momma
Cranberry Almond Bars (Gluten-Free) by Texanerin
Soft-Baked White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies by Sally’s Baking Addiction
Oh yay! I love when you ask questions, bestie, because I get to insert my opinionated self’s two cents. Bahaha. Okay, so cranberries. This one is tricky. I associate cranberry SAUCE with Thanksgiving, and cranberries themselves with Christmas. So essentially, both holidays, but not really. Although since you have been sharing cranberries since summer (Ha I kid, September), you have made me question my life’s opinions. 😉 As far as dates, dried cranberries and raisins, I love them ALL. However, I’d say dates just barely squeeze in for the win… but it was a very close race. <3 Anyways, LOVE these cookies!! They are so festive and fun, Demeter!! Honestly I'd rather have these cookies on Thanksgiving or Christmas than a big slice of pie. Pinned!! Cheers, sweeeeets! xoxo
Haha. And that’s what I love about you, among MANY other things… 😉 Haha on the life’s opinions. I always end up seeing crazy amounts of cranberry spritzers and stuff in the summer. Just me? Hehe. Come over here so we can couples Thanksgiving together! We’ll throw away all our pie plans and just make cookies. 🙂 xoxoxo
I feel like cranberries waver in between, that’s why I just say WINTER berry! If I did pick though, I’d say I’m more for Christmas…but really…let’s just have cranberries (and cookies) all the time!
Winter berry-that’s a good one! 🙂 Yes, it’s a FANTASTIC plan to just have ’em all the time! 🙂
Cranberries are winter for sure. I love putting them in salads and can’t believe I’ve never put them in chocolate chip cookies. Looks awesome!
I love that you have a very clear opinion about this! It’s given me some good perspective. 😉 Thanks Karen!
Lemme just lay out all of my yeses (yesses??) for you:
Yes to cranberries being THE crossover holiday ingredient.
Yes to Cranberry chocolate bark. Like yes, yes yes and yes.
Yes to these gorgeous cookies because I need them in my life right now. Exactly now.
I probably have a few more (like yes to those feel good ingredients!) but I don’t want to use up all of the yesses. It seems only fair to leave a few for somebody else. Pinned! XOXO
Oh my gosh, I LOVED this!! Gimme me all your yes’s (okay, how do we seriously spell this??? Lolol). You’re so considerate to save some yesses (oh whatever haha) for the rest of the folks… but now I’m intrigued as to what the others are… 😉 Thanks Steph! xoxo
Another delicious cookie recipe, Demeter, these look absolutely scrumptious! I love the added colour the cranberries gives these cookies, so pretty! Seeing as I’m from the UK, I would consider cranberries more Christmas-y 🙂
Aw, thanks Marsha. 🙂 Cranberries are like nature’s gems. 🙂 Rubies, to be exact. They’re so beautiful and tasty–what more could ya need for the holidays? UK: Oh!! I just had to say “duh” to myself. 😉
Cranberries all year round is fine w/ me. Big YES in terms of the bark – maybe some nuts and coconut in it as well? my only compliant is that the recipe doesn’t make more cookies.
Interesting! Most people are saying Christmas and Thanksgiving… but I tend to love ’em all year long, too. 🙂 Oh wow, chocolate, cranberries, coconut and nuts? I’m swooning. This recipe definitely calls for a double batch! Thanks Jacquie. 🙂
Oh man what a hot topic!! I’m going to say they count for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving because cranberry sauce, and Christmas because they look like little twinkly red lights when you snuggle them inside a cookie like this and the light hits them just right❤️ So very festive! Plus cookies are appropriate for ALL holidays, so no one would question you if you show up with a plate full of these, even if it’s Easter. You brought cookies and you are willing to share–okay! Not too many cranberries OR dates happened in my house growing up, raisins were pretty much the only dried fruity option. And for that reason, out of the 3 they are still my top pick. What can I say, I love those little wrinkly guys???? “Color me cranberry-confused” <- totally my kinda sentence???? I might throw in "cookie-craving" for some extra C words and because it's very true right about now. Send some my way please!! xo
Haha. I knew you would think that! Us and food debates, right? Lolol. Twinkly red light: LOVE it. <3 Only raisins... interesting. Is that why you love dates so much now? Because ya didn't get them growing up? You should totally create more raisin recipes! So many C's, let's just add Christmas and we'll have a full party. 🙂 xo
Love experimenting with healthy cookie recioes and will defimitely try these! I eat cranberries year round, but feel that they are more Christmassy 🙂 Sharing!
Right? I just love cookies! And I think they can be healthy and delicious! So year round and Christmassy. Fascinating! Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Mira! 🙂
That’s a tough question, Demeter! I initially associate cranberries with Thanksgiving, but I feel like more and more people bake with it right through Christmas. So I guess it’s an all-around holiday staple of sort? And like you, I didn’t really eat too many cranberries growing up either. And (gasp) I don’t like cranberry sauce! I think it’s a texture, because I do like cranberries and dried cranberries. Which is why I NEED these cookies in my life! Love the chocolate and cranberry combo, friend! SO pretty! Pinned, of course. Hope you have a great weekend!
Yep, exactly! I like the sound of an all-around holiday staple. 🙂 Woah, you don’t like cranberry sauce?? Yeah… me neither. Lolol. Let’s both make a big batch of these and eat them happily instead of cranberry sauce. Haha. Thanks so much, my friend! 🙂
I think cranberries cross over to BOTH holidays – hows that for having our cranberries and eating them too? ESPECIALLY IN THESE COOKIES! Happy Thanksgiving, Demeter!
YAAAAS! Let’s have all the cranberries and eat ’em too. 😉 Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Kate! 🙂
Growing up, we were a dates and raisins kinda family ourselves! Talk about weird coinky dinks eh?! Back before I came to the US, I think I might have eaten my weight in dates alone – one time I ate so many, I ended up at the doctors office – but that’s another story for another time! Ever since I feasted on a cranberry (think it was in a white chocolate, macadamia nut cranberry cookie) I have loved em and eaten them year round! While I love them in savory recipes – cookies -LIKE THESE- will be my favorite vessel to enjoy them in!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Demeter! xoxo
Definitely a weird coinky dink, but possibly why we’re friends… and share the same sense of humor. Lol. Must’ve been the dates and raisins! Woah, that cookie sounds amazing! And one day I will have to hear this mysterious story… 😉 Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Shashi! 🙂
Cranberries are not very popular around here ???? We don’t even have fresh cranberries in stores. Only dried. ???????????? Crazy, right? But I love cranberries !!! And I love these cookies. ???? Looks sooo delicious. Perfect for office snacking 😉 Can you send me some? 😉
PS. Nightmare before Xmas? Def Xmas cartoon 😉 One of my favorite 😉 Have a wonderful weekend Demeter :*
I associate cranberries just with the holidays in general! These cookies look so soft and pillowy! Love the combo of cranberries and chocolate 🙂
In general–I like it! Makes things less confusing, that’s for sure. 😉 Thanks so much, Bethany!