Sugar-Free Keto Oatmeal Cookies

Our Keto Oatmeal Cookie Recipe is finally here! Delicious soft sugar-free oatmeal cookies, without the oatmeal, and actually without any grains at all. Easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser, oh and don’t forget the chocolate chips or dried cranberries you can add in as well!

Oatmeal cookies were one of my very first recipes I learned how to bake when I was probably around 12 or 13 years old. We never kept brown sugar in the house, so I took the recipe on the lid of the oatmeal container and I altered it. 

From that moment on a few friends of mine called them “Stephie Cookies”, and from then on it just stuck. I would make them all the time, and then as I got older I made them less and less, making them a real treat when I did. 

I’m sure you are all wondering though, how can you really make oatmeal cookies keto or low carb? Isn’t oatmeal too high in carbs?? The simple answer is yes, oatmeal has too many carbs, so we had to play around with it but we were able to come up with the perfect diabetic oatmeal cookies!

I made them for my brother while he was just visiting and he said they are the best low carb cookies that we have made. And let me tell you, he’s a cookie SNOB!

They are up there with our Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies or our Low Carb Sugar Cookies, so I’d say they were a true success!

Enough chit chat, let’s get to the recipe!

What are Oatmeal Cookies?

Oatmeal cookies are an all-time classic cookie that have a large following for many many years. They are a drop style cookie, made with oats, flour, sugar, eggs, salt, and spices like cinnamon. 

A lot of people love adding raisins or chocolate chips to their oatmeal cookies for added flavor.

Can You Eat Oatmeal on Keto?

You cannot eat traditional oatmeal on a Keto diet. Oats are whole grains making them high in carbs. How high exactly? 

Just ½ cup of uncooked oats has 23 NET CARBS. That’s a crazy amount!

If you are keeping your net carbs between 20-40 a day, or if you are diabetic, then I’d stay clear from oats.

How to Make Oatmeal Cookies Keto-Friendly

As I already mentioned oatmeal isn’t exactly a great option for Keto due to its carb content. However, you can still make low carb oatmeal cookies with almond flour and a few other ingredients as a substitute. What are those other ingredients you ask? 

We chose to use a combo of oat fiber and unflavored beef gelatin to give both the texture and the flavor of oatmeal cookies. We also used slivered almonds to mimic the texture of oats. 

Another clever substitution that can be used instead of oats, is coconut flakes. You can add chopped coconut flakes to your keto oatmeal cookies but it’s not my favorite so that’s why I chose to use almonds instead.

What Do They Taste Like?

These low carb oatmeal cookies with almond flour really do taste like oatmeal cookies, it kind of plays tricks on you. They are soft and chewy with a nice little crunch that you get from the almonds.

What Ingredients are in Keto Oatmeal Cookies?

• Butter – A lot of cookie recipes require at least a stick of butter, but this one only uses a ½ stick instead. Make sure you soften your butter first. Let it sit on the counter to come to room temp. 
• Low Carb Sweetener – I chose to use Lakanto Golden Monkfruit sweetener in this recipe. But you can use another one if you prefer. 
• Almond Flour – Be sure to use finely ground almond flour, and not almond meal. My favorite brand is Kirkland Blanched Almond Flour. 
• Egg – 1 egg….helps to bind the ingredients. 
• Baking Soda – ½ tsp 
• Oat Fiber – Gives our diabetic oatmeal cookies a real “flour-like” taste. You almost think that there is wheat flour in them by the taste. 
• Unflavored Beef Gelatin – Might sound stranges but it gives these sugarless oatmeal cookies the texture that is found in real oatmeal cookies. 
• Spices – ½ tsp of salt, and ¾ tsp of cinnamon.
• Vanilla – Added flavor.
• Slivered Almonds – Place the slivered almonds into a food processor and chop. This mimics the texture of oats.

What Can I Use Instead of Real Oatmeal in Low Carb Cookies?

To replace the real oatmeal with something that is more suitable for your low carb lifestyle I have 2 recommendations for you. 

1. Sliced Almonds – Chop them in a food processor to get them to be more like the size of real oats. 
2. Coconut Flakes – Also chopped into smaller pieces. 

Both of these ingredients replace the use of oatmeal, while still giving you delicious Low Carb Oatmeal Cookies.

How Many Carbs Would They Be If I Used Real Oats?

I want you to be informed when making my recipes, so because I love you all, I ended up redoing the nutrition facts for you. 

• Real Oats – If you decided to eliminate the slivered almonds, and replace them with 1 cup of Old Fashioned Oats instead, each cookie comes out to just about 5 NET CARBS EACH.
• Low Carb Version – Instead, using the ingredients exactly shown in the recipe card, each no sugar oatmeal cookie comes out to 1 NET CARB EACH. 

Technically you could make them with real oats, but on a Keto diet you could probably only have one or two maximum. In my opinion, that’s a crazy big difference and the low carb version is just as good!

Almond Flour vs Coconut Flour for these Cookies

We used almond flour in this sugar-free oatmeal cookie recipe. It’s pretty much my go-to flour in cookies. 

However, if you have a nut allergy then you could try using coconut flour instead. I have not tried using coconut flour yet, but if you do please let me know. 

Keep in mind that you can’t substitute almond flour with coconut flour using the exact same quantities. Normally speaking, you would use about ⅓ of the amount of coconut flour, opposed to almond flour. 

This keto oatmeal cookie recipe uses 1 cup of almond flour, so lower the amount to ⅓ cup coconut flour instead.

Sweetener Options

Sweetener options really come down to what you prefer using in this low carb oatmeal cookie recipe. I chose to use Golden Monk Fruit, which is meant to be more of a raw cane sugar replacement. 

But other options are:

• Swerve: Brown Sugar – this will give you a real brown sugar flavor. 
• Classic Monk Fruit
• Swerve – Powdered or Granulated 
• Allulose – This is result in a very soft cookie
• Stevia – Is not a 1:1 ratio with most other sweeteners. 
• Sukrin Gold – Also another great brown sugar substitute.

Butter vs Coconut Oil in these Cookies

I chose to use butter in this sugar-free oatmeal cookie recipe because I tried to stick to my original oatmeal cookie recipe I used to make. Yes, cookies in general can be made with coconut oil instead, but I like the buttery taste and texture I got. 

If you have a dairy allergy then go ahead and use coconut oil, or you could use vegan butter such as Earth Balance.

Can I Substitute the Egg in these Cookies?

If you need to substitute the egg in this keto oatmeal cookie recipe, then replace it with either a flax egg or a chia eggs. 

When replacing eggs keep in mind that 1 flax or chia egg = 1 regular egg. 

• 1 Flax Egg: 1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp hot water. Combine and let sit for 5 minutes before adding. 
• 1 Chia Egg: 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp hot water. Combine and let sit for 5 minutes before using.

Different Variations of Low Carb Oatmeal Cookies

As far as variations go I have a few things that come to mind when making low carb oatmeal cookies. 

• Flaked Coconut or Shredded Coconut – Adds a chewy texture to your sugarless oatmeal cookies. 
• Replace almond flour with coconut flour but be sure to use only a ⅓ of what is called for. Or you can replace the almond flour with equal parts of sesame flour or sunflower seed flour. 
• Flax Meal – Instead of oat fiber you can use flax meal which adds fiber and texture.
• Nuts or Seeds – You can add chopped pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds. 
• Peanut Butter or Almond Butter – Be sure to use natural nut butters with no added sugar.

Can I Put Raisins in these Cookies?

It depends on how strict you are with your keto diet. Raisins aren’t really one of the foods listed that’s ok for keto, but it’s up to you if you want to throw in a few. 

I’ll give you the nutrition facts for raisins and you can be the judge whether or not you want to add any into your sugar-free oatmeal cookies. 

1 oz Raisins:

• 90 Calories 
• 0g Fat
• 22g Carbs
• 2g Fiber
• 20g Sugar
• 1g Protein

Add-In Ideas

Ok, let’s talk about add-ins for these diabetic oatmeal cookies. I’m a purist when it comes to my oatmeal cookies, but I know a lot of you out there may not agree with me. 

Here are a few things you can try adding in if you’d like while still keeping them low carb:

• Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips – I recommend using Lily’s Chocolate Chips, or ChocZero Chocolate Chips
• Dried Unsweetened Cranberries – UNSWEETENED being the keyword. 
• Dried Unsweetened Blueberries – Also make sure they are unsweetened.
• Raisins – Not the best if you are strict on Keto, but a few shouldn’t hurt. 
• Coconut – A lot of people love adding flaked coconut to their keto oatmeal cookies.

Tools to Use

• Mixing Bowl
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer – I prefer using my Standing Kitchen Aid Mixer
• Mini Food Processor – For grinding the almonds.
• Baking Tray 
• Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper
• Cookie Scoop
• Cooling Rack

How to Make Sugar-Free Oatmeal Cookies from Scratch

Let’s dive into how to make this Keto Oatmeal Cookie Recipe:

Mixing the Batter

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Step 2: In a small mixing bowl add the almond flour, unflavored beef gelatin, oat fiber, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients together and set aside.

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Step 3: Using the stand mixer, add the butter and sweetener to the bowl. Use the paddle attachment and beat until creamy.

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Step 4: Add the dry ingredients and beat again.

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Step 5: Now add the egg and the vanilla. Mix the dough until creamy and all the dry ingredients are fully combined. Set aside for a few minutes.

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Step 6: In a mini food processor or a blender add the slivered almonds. Pulse a few times, you want the pieces to be small but not ground too finely. It should resemble the size of oats.

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Step 7: Add the chopped almonds into the cookie dough and stir until well combined. (If you are adding chocolate chips or dried cranberries, add them here.)

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Step 8: Place a silicone mat or parchment paper onto a baking tray. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough and place it onto a baking tray.

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Step 9: Roll each one evenly, and then using the palm of your hand lightly press down each cookie dough ball. (The flatter you make them, the crispier they will be.)

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Do I Need to Chill the Dough?

No need to chill the dough. Easy peasy.

Baking

Step 10: Bake for 10 minutes. or until the top of the cookies start to turn golden brown.

Step 11: Let the cookies sit on the tray for a few minutes to cool. After about 5-10 minutes transfer the keto oatmeal cookies to a wire tray to finish cooling.

Best Tips

• Nut Allergy: To replace almond flour, use the same amount of either sunflower seed flour, or sesame flour. 
• Nut Allergy: Coconut Flour: Use ⅓ of the amount of coconut flour instead of almond flour. 
• Add-ins: Sugar-free chocolate chips, dried unsweetened cranberries, dried unsweetened blueberries, unsweetened coconut, or raisins. 
• Crispier Cookies: After they are rolled out, press them flatter. The flatter they are the crispier they will be. 
• Egg-Free: Replace the egg with either a flax egg or chia egg. 
• Dairy-Free: Instead of butter use vegan butter or coconut oil.

How to Make them Crispier

If you want a crispier low carb oatmeal cookie we can make that happen. All you need to do is scoop the sugarless oatmeal cookie dough onto the tray and roll them, press them down much flatter than I did. 

A good rule of thumb when baking cookies is: the flatter they are, the crispier they will be. These cookies don’t spread too much, so in order to get them flatter, you need to help them.

My Cookies Fall Apart

They probably fell apart because you didn’t let them cool long enough.

Cookies made with almond flour or even coconut flour are way more fragile than cookies made with wheat flour. So be sure to let them completely cool down before handling them.

Other Diets This Recipe is Good For?

Besides a Keto and Low Carb diet, here are some other diets that you can eat these cookies on:

• Gluten-Free: Don’t you just love gluten-free cookies that don’t actually taste like they are gluten-free? Well, these are the cookies for you! 
• Dairy-Free: These keto oatmeal cookies are NOT dairy-free because they have butter. But you can replace the butter with either vegan butter or coconut oil and now you have some dairy-free keto oatmeal cookies. 
• Vegan: To make them vegan, replace the egg with either a flax egg or a chia egg. And also replace the butter with vegan butter or coconut oil.

What to Serve with Low Carb Oatmeal Cookies?

Ok, what can you serve these low carb oatmeal cookies with? For starters, they are just a dessert cookie, but they are actually a perfect low carb breakfast snack.

They are great dipped in your coffee or tea, or they are great for an on the go snack.

Can You Make Sugar-Free Oatmeal Cookies Ahead?

Cookies can always be made ahead of time, and these sugarless oatmeal cookies are no exception.

In fact, since cookies made with almond flour tend to be more fragile, it’s best to make them ahead of time and let them fully cool before starting to eat them.

How to Store Oatmeal Cookies

Store your no sugar oatmeal cookies in either an airtight container or in a Ziploc bag. Keep them at room temperature for up to 5-7 days.

Can You Freeze Keto Oatmeal Cookies?

Yes, you can freeze Keto oatmeal cookies!! Isn’t it great to be able to freeze cookies and pull them out whenever you want a snack?

To freeze these keto oatmeal cookies, place them in either a Ziploc bag or an airtight container, then place them in the freezer. They will stay fresh for up to 3 months. 

When ready to eat, pull them out and place them on the counter until thawed.

Other Low Carb Cookie Recipes

If you are looking for other great Keto cookie recipes try these ones too:

• Fudgy Keto Chocolate Cookies 
• Keto Peanut Butter Cookies 
• Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies 
• Low Carb Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Keto Cream Cheese Cookies

They are all low carb and will have your friends and family raving!

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