Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies

These chewy Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies are such a great catch-all for tasty mix ins. Just be careful these simple oatmeal cookies whisper eat me every time you walk by.

Are oats (and oatmeal) gluten free?

Yes but you have to use gluten free oats. Oats are processed in the same facilities as wheat which makes cross contamination almost certain.

Look for a gluten free certification or label on the bag. If you don't see one find a brand who does have one. The FDA considers products to be gluten free if they have less than 20 parts per million of gluten containing ingredients. So if you see oats labeled gluten free they should be safe to eat. I do know there are some loopholes and if you are very sensitive to gluten it's always best to find products with a certification. Certified produces are independently tested and therefore are more reliable.

I like to buy Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats but I know Quaker Oats carries a gluten free line now with quaker gluten free oatmeal and oats. Just make sure you grab the gluten free bag from Bob's Red Mill because I know they carry a line that isn't as well. It will be somewhat easy to tell. Just look for a big Gluten Free banner in red letters on the top of the bag.

One of the certified gluten free oatmeal brands I really like is Purely Elizabeth but it's hard on my wallet so I typically make my own with oats. Check out these Peanut Butter and Maple Overnight Oats if you love oatmeal for breakfast.

What kind of oats should I use?

I've tried this recipe with both quick cooking and old fashioned oats. Both are delicious.

If you are looking for old fashioned oatmeal cookies where the oats are more obvious I would go for old fashioned oats. If you don't mind the oats blending in a bit more I would go with quick cooking oats.

Honestly, both are very good.

The only oats you shouldn't use are steel cut oats. They take to long to absorb moisture and the texture is completely different. They are great for a hearty breakfast though!

What flour do I need for gluten free cookies?

You need an all purpose gluten free flour that includes xanthan gum.

There are a ton of options for all purpose gluten free flours.

I love Bob's Red Mill 1:1 All Purpose Gluten Free Flour. They sell it at Walmart for close to 4 bucks a bag. I either buy it there or right here on Amazon where you can get it for less than 4.50 a bag. I like to buy a four pack because I'm an avid baker and one bag lasts about three days in my house. I make these buttermilk pancakes with it at least once a week. My kids and I love that carb life.

My backup is King Arthur's gluten free measure for measure flour. It's pretty good but the end result is a little denser.

Can these be made into flourless oatmeal cookies?

Sure can!

I tested this recipe with just quick cooking oats and it was delightful. Gluten free oatmeal cookies without flour are surprisingly delicious!

Simply omit the gluten free all purpose flour (no flour!) and add 2 ½ cups of quick cooking oats. That's it. The end result is an oatier cookie with lovely crispy edges and a chewy center. It may be a stretch to say there healthy gluten free oatmeal cookies but one could say they're healthier. Oats are a good source of fiber and vitamins. Hey, I'll take it!

This is what they look like with just oats! Yum.