Chewy orange almond butter oatmeal cookies are naturally sweetened with maple syrup, use gluten-free oats, and are the best thing! These healthy cookies are made in under 20 minutes and mixed in one bowl. The oatmeal cookie dough is easy to mix up – you can have kids join along in the cookie-making fun! The hint of orange pairs perfectly with the natural almond butter and slivered almonds – yum!
Chewy orange almond butter oatmeal cookies
These are not your average white sugar loaded cookies! A little maple syrup and orange juice sweeten these cookies up the perfect amount.
Thanks so the help of almond butter and oats, we’re keeping them gluten-free. I love that using almond butter ups the protein in these cookies.
Why not add more goodness in?
Simple ingredients you’ll need for orange almond butter cookies
Scroll down to view the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions.
- almond butter
- pure maple syrup
- orange juice
- egg
- almond extract
- rolled oats
- baking powder
- sea salt
- cinnamon
- slivered almonds
How to make chewy oatmeal cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Into a large bowl add the creamy almond butter, maple syrup, orange juice, egg and almond extract together. Whisk the wet ingredients until fully combined.
- Add the oats, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon and slivered almonds in the bowl. Mix until just combined.
- Drop large cookie dough balls using a spoon or cookie scoop (2-3 tbsp worth) onto the prepared cookie sheet, at least 1 inch apart.
- Bake oatmeal cookies for 15-17 minutes until the edges become just slightly browned. Let the cookies fully cool on a wire rack.
Watch me make this almond butter cookies recipe
The full how to video can be watched below, or on my YouTube channel!
Love cookies? Try these other favorite cookie recipes!
Try these other easy recipes whenever a healthy cookie craving comes on:
- Chocolate oatmeal almond flour cookies
- Peanut butter raisin banana breakfast cookies
- Vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- Chocolate chip pretzel cookies
- Peanut butter chickpea cookies
Best way to store these cookies almond butter oat cookies
These cookies keep well on the counter, and also in the fridge. Once cooled, they can be added to an airtight container.
If stored in the fridge they become slightly crispy instead of chewy. Both storage options are delicious!
The cookies can be stored for up to 1 week. Any longer, consider freezing them, especially if you make a double batch.
How to freeze cookies
Freeze the cooled cookies on a parchment paper lined tray until frozen, and then transfer to a freezer bag.
Label, date, and keep frozen for up to 6 months.
Simply defrost it by placing it on a counter until no longer frozen. And enjoy!
Substitutions
Below you’ll find a list of substitutions that will work well in this almond butter cookie recipe.
If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!
Almond butter – No almond butter on hand? No worries! Use natural peanut butter for healthy peanut butter cookies. To keep these cookies nut free opt for seed butters instead of nut butter.
Maple syrup – Other liquid natural sweeteners like
Orange juice – Try lemon juice, lime juice, or grapefruit juice in place of orange juice.
Egg – The only ingredient that can’t be swapped in this recipe is egg, unfortunately. It’s needed to give the flourless cookie stability, and a flax egg won’t work well as a swap.
Almond extract – Vanilla extract is a great alternative to almond extract.
Rolled oats – The 2 types of oatmeal that work well are old-fashioned oats and quick oats. Instant oats will work okay as well, but not steel-cut oats. Use certified gluten free oats to ensure this recipe is gluten-free if needed.
Slivered almonds – You can use any chopped nut or seed to replace the slivered almonds in this recipe. Another alternative is to add dark chocolate chips which would give you tasty almond butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies – yum!
More healthy desserts you’ll love
Chewy Orange Almond Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅙ cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Into a large bowl add the creamy almond butter, maple syrup, orange juice, egg and almond extract together. Whisk the wet ingredients until fully combined.
- Add the oats, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon and slivered almonds in the bowl. Mix until just combined.
- Drop large cookie dough balls using a spoon or cookie scoop (2-3 tbsp worth) onto the prepared cookie sheet, at least 1 inch apart.
- Bake oatmeal cookies for 15-17 minutes until the edges become just slightly browned. Let the cookies fully cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition
If you try this healthy oatmeal cookies recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!
XO
Heather
*Originally published in February 2011. Updated February 2023.*
25 comments
I am yet to use almond butter with recipes (vs peanut butter). I wonder if it turns out chewier than regular pb?
It could be chewier, but I’m not sure. Don’t most PB cookies have regular butter in them too? That may make them more crisp compared to these chewy cookies. Let me know if you try em out Amy!
I am glad you’re not giving up on your budget limit. I always struggle to limit my budgit but it doesn’t work all of the time. I guess I should be greatful for the time where it works 🙂
Almond butter oat cookies? Please send some my way.. you had me with rthe alomnd butter! Great idea Heather.
Yeah it can and has been a stuggle, but practice makes perfect, right? I’ll just keep on practicing until I’m perfect at it 🙂
I’m impressed you grocery shop that often. Maybe try going only 1-2x and see if that doesn’t help the budget? I think we were at $400 last month. I want to get it down to $350!
Yeah I think the randon small trips to the store really add up. Just going once or twice would help I’m sure.
You did so good on your spending! You can make your $350 goal!
great recipe!! Goodluck with the budget! I try so hard and fail so miserably ha
Your cookies are the BEST girl!!! I LOVE almond butter. 🙂
Oh yes, almond butter is delicous. Next time I’ll have to use my sweet n salty AB recipe (http://www.healthywithheather.com/2011/01/18/creamy-farro-breakfast-bowl-with-sweet-n-salty-almond-butter/) for the cookies.
I need to cut back on going to Costco so much too. I went there last February, and the person ringing me up told me I had spent more in January than I had all of 2009! I can only imagine how bad the rest of the year was…
Wow Costco must love you!
Great strategies! And those cookies sound incredible. I’m all about the chewy cookies over the crunchy ones.
Me too! Chewy cookies are the best 🙂
mmmmm!!!! I want one of those cookies NOW!!! Yum! My grocery goal is $100/week (total of $400/month), too. It’s SOOO hard to keep it down that low! I don’t know how people do it!
They must do some crazy meal planning and deal searching… I’ll be one of them soon!
Do you think I could sub orange zest for the juice and just add another liquid in its place?
Yes, I bet orange zest would give it even more orange flavor. Another liquid… maybe just a bit of apple sauce?
I love that the cookies are refined sugar free. I am always looking for good recipes that don’t use any, because it doesn’t agree with me, even in moderation. And replacing it in recipes is a pain, because it never comes out quite like its supposed to! Anyway, these look awesome.
Hope you like em Hayley! I always try to leave out refined sugar if possible. You might like my healthy cocoa-coconut no bake cookies too (http://www.healthywithheather.com/2010/12/06/healthy-cocoa-coconut-no-bake-cookies/).
Heather, I know how very difficult it is to stay on budget (or even near it) Good thing you have these cookies to keep you grounded. Awesome recipe girl & one that I will be trying for sure 🙂
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I always struggle to limit my budgit but it doesn’t work all of the time. great recipe!!
Both my kids loved these!
Yay!!