These vegan turmeric cookies are a flavourful sweet treat, with anti inflammatory turmeric and ginger for delicious hints of spice. Very easy to make, these oatmeal cookies are a healthy and tasty snack perfect for a mid-afternoon treat.
Raise your hand if you love a cookie! I know the kids (and adults!) in my family won't ever pass one up . . . There are lots of cookie ideas here on the blog, so perhaps you would like to see my cardamom oatmeal cookies, honey spelt cookies or my oatmeal chia cookies for more sweet treats come snack time!
These turmeric oatmeal cookies are full of flavour and even healthy ingredients. Can we call them anti-inflammatory oatmeal cookies given the turmeric and ginger?! They definitely have that golden milk flavour which is so good, and even better in cookie form! Super easy to make with mostly pantry staples, and a bit of a different flavour for your afternoon snack.
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Why this recipe is so good
Full of flavour. The combination of the spices with almond butter has a lovely flavour, and you can increase the spice if you like!
A grown-up cookie. These feel a little more adult as cookies go, if that makes sense. Perhaps it's the healthy turmeric. I think kids will gobble them up too though!
Easy to make. A simple recipe that comes together in around half an hour and is perfect for a healthy snack.
Ingredients
Find all the ingredients and their quantities in the recipe card below. Some notes on a few of them:
- Turmeric and ginger powder - I've made these cookies to have a hint of spice, but not too much so they aren't overpowering. Add a pinch or two of extra spice if you like a more punchy flavour to your cookie.
- Flaxseed - you want to use milled flaxseed rather than whole flaxseeds to make the flax egg.
- Oat flour - super easy to make, and you don't need to buy a specific product. Just use your own oats (see the instructions to make your own flour below).
Variations on the recipe
Adjust the amount of spice to taste preference. The recipe given below is fairly mild so you can up the spice if you like!
If almond butter doesn't work well for you then swap out for another nut or seed butter.
Be sure to use certified gluten free oats if you are coeliac or sensitive to gluten. The Bob's Red Mill organic gluten free old fashioned rolled oats are good.
Step by step instructions
Although it may seem as though these cookies have quite a few steps to come together, all are quick and easy to do. Kids can definitely help with some of the steps too!
Steps 1 & 2
1. Make your oat flour by blending oats for 5-10 seconds in a blender until you get a fine flour-like consistency.
2. Make the flax egg by combining milled flaxseeds and water, and setting aside for around ten minutes. Stir well a couple of times so the flax absorbs the water and gets thicker in texture.
Steps 3 & 4
3. Add all the 'dry' ingredients to a large bowl. This is the oats, oat flour, turmeric and ginger powder.
4. Pour in the maple syrup, almond butter (or other nut or seed butter) and flax egg to the bowl and stir well to combine.
Recipe tip: be sure to stir very thoroughly so the wet ingredients fully coat the oats! You definitely don't want a bite of dry oats . . .
Steps 5 & 6
5. Wet your hands and form pieces of the 'dough' into a cookie shape. I find rolling into a ball first and then flattening once on the baking tray easiest. Or use a cookie scoop if you have one.
6. Add the cookies to a baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. Then allow to cool and enjoy!
Recipe tip: as above, wetting your hands before handling the dough is really helpful for preventing it from sticking to you!
How to make oat flour
Making your own oat flour is super simple. Save yourself the expense of buying it from the store (it's probably overpriced!). All you need to do is whizz up some oats in a blender to a flour-like consistency. I've never bought oat flour, I just use my NutriBullet.
Equipment needed
Large and small bowls - to mix the cookie 'dough' in, as well as making the flax egg.
Parchment paper - to line your baking tray.
Cookie scoop - optional, but helpful if you like your cookies the same size!
Blender - to blend the oats to make oat flour.
Frequently asked questions
Simply combine milled flaxseeds and water in a bowl to make a flax egg. Stir and set aside for at least ten minutes. If you can, give it a few stirs during this time as it helps the flax absorb the water and get thicker and more gelatinous in texture.
Simply add a few more pinches or turmeric and ginger for more spice! If you like a very spicy cookie then adding a pinch of cardamom is good too.
Any nut or seed butter should work well for these cookies, such as macadamia nut butter or pumpkin seed butter (the latter will turn them green though!).
More tasty cookies to enjoy
Enjoy so many different sweet treats for an afternoon snack, including my blackberry oatmeal cookies and pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies which are always fall favourites! Some recent recipes to try below:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes. And please do leave a star rating if you tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Turmeric Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
- ¾ cup oats
- ⅛ cup oat flour
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder more to taste preference
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder more to taste preference
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed
- 3 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Make a flax egg by combining the milled flaxseed and water in a small bowl. Stir, and set aside for ten minutes. if you can, give it a stir after five minutes to help it bind together.
- If you are making your own oat flour, blend oats in a blender to a flour consistency.
- Combine the dry ingredients of oats, oat flour, turmeric and ginger in a bowl.
- Pour in the almond butter, maple syrup and flax egg and stir the mixture very thoroughly. You want to ensure that all the oats are coated in the wet ingredients.
- Wet your hands and take a small handful of about 1.5 tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball. Then flatten to a cookie shape, and place on the baking tray. Alternatively, you can use a cookie scoop. Repeat the process so you have 5-6 cookies.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, and then transfer (carefully, as they will still be soft out of the oven!) to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of spice to taste preference.
- Make sure the flax egg is set aside for at least ten minutes, as it won't bind the cookie if used too soon.
- Wet hands before handling the cookie 'dough' to help the mixture not stick to your hands.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- almonds (almond butter), which scores 1. There is a note 'small amounts are well tolerated. May cause e.g. sleep problems'.
- ginger, which scores 1. There is a note 'small amounts are well tolerated'.
- Flaxseed isn't rated on the SIGHI list.
Abigaile A. Alfornon says
Hi. Do you have the nutrition facts for your turmeric cookies?
Claire says
Hi Abigaile, I've just added the information to the post 🙂