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These Christmas Oatmeal Cookies have so many of the classic flavors of Christmas – toffee, cranberries, orange, and pistachios. They’re a literal dream come true because the combination of all of them makes them so incredibly perfect for this time of year! I think they will for sure be your new favorite cookie recipe for Christmas, and you will want to bring these cookies to all the Christmas parties for sure! They’re chewy and gooey, with the perfect little crunch from the pistachios and toffee. The flavor is balanced with warm notes of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and maple along with bright notes from the orange zest and cranberries, and each bite that has toffee makes them feel like a delicacy.
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Nutritional benefits of this recipe
Just to highlight a few!
- Oats are a prebiotic fiber, which helps feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut. They also have vitamins and minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and B6.
- Maple Syrup – A natural sweetener that’s lower on the glycemic index than refined sugar and packed with minerals like manganese, zinc, and potassium, along with antioxidants.
- I use coconut sugar in my desserts, which is natural, lower glycemic, and unrefined. It’s just the dehydrated sap from coconut trees!
- Grass-fed butter is much healthier compared to conventional butter from grain-fed, barn-raised cows. Grass-fed butter is higher in omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), Vitamin A, Vitamin K2, and more.
Ingredients Christmas Oatmeal Cookies
Butter – we’re using cold butter in this recipe.
Flour – I used white flour.
Coconut sugar – a healthier alternative to refined white sugar. It’s just the dehydrated sap from coconut trees!
Maple syrup – another healthy sweetener (sap from maple trees), it helps make these cookies more gooey and chewy rather than just fluffy.
Eggs
Arrowroot starch – this helps make the cookies more chewy. Coconut sugar in cookies can be a bit finicky sometimes, and I find arrowroot starch really helps!
Unsweetened dried cranberries
Toffee – I recommend this homemade Coconut Sugar Toffee for a healthier version.
Pistachios – or sub chopped pecans, almonds, or macadamia nuts.
Orange zest – this adds the perfect bright flavor that balances the sweetness in these cookies!
Ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground allspice – to add that Christmas flavor!
Baking powder, bakings soda
How to make Christmas Oatmeal Cookies
- Chop up the pistachios and break the toffee into small pieces. Set aside.
- Remove 2 sticks of butter from the refrigerator and dice it into small pieces. Put them into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, arrowroot starch, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground allspice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, mix the cold butter by itself to break up the edges of the butter. Add the coconut sugar and mix to combine. If needed, you can use your hands to squish together if it’s not mixing together on its own within a minute. Add the maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed to combine. Slowly pour in the dry ingredients as you continue beating on low speed. Mix until just combined, do not over-mix.
- Fold in the rolled oats, unsweetened dried cranberries, broken toffee pieces, pistachios, and the orange zest.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop into 3-Tablespoon balls of dough (54 grams each) and place on the parchment lined baking sheet. These cookies expand a lot compared to some because of the toffee that melts out, so be sure to leave about 2-3 inches between each cookie. This will take several batches of baking. Store the cookie dough in the fridge between batches.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges begin browning and the middle looks set (slightly gooey if you want). This takes 12-13 minutes on aluminum and 14-15 minutes on stainless steel.
- The toffee will likely melt out of some cookies, but it’s easy to fix – just take a spatula and push the melted toffee back up against the cookie while it’s still hot and brush the spatula around the cookie to make it more round if desired. Let them rest on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before removing.
- Repeat with remaining batches. This makes 23-24 cookies.
Modifications and variations
- Substitute pecans, almonds, or macadamia nuts in place of the pistachios if desired.
- Substitute chocolate chips in place of the dried cranberries (or toffee or pistachios) if desired. Or simply add in some chocolate chips.
- Use fresh diced cranberries in place of the dried cranberries. Dried cranberries add a nice chewy texture, so keep in mind fresh cranberries won’t be chewy.
Other recipes you’ll love
Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Orange Glaze
Soft Gingerbread Cookies with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Hearty Pumpkin Oat Breakfast Cookies
I hope you love these Christmas Oatmeal Cookies! Please be sure to leave a comment and a rating if you give this recipe a try. I would love to know how it turned out for you!
PrintChristmas Oatmeal Cookies
These Christmas Oatmeal Cookies are chewy and gooey, with the perfect little crunch from the pistachios and toffee. The flavor is balanced with warm notes of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and maple along with bright notes from the orange zest and cranberries, and each bite that has toffee makes them feel like a delicacy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 23–24 cookies 1x
- Category: dessert, Christmas
Ingredients
2 sticks (227g) cold grass-fed butter
1 cup (200g) coconut sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup (115g / 80mL)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (5mL)
265 grams flour
1 Tbsp arrowroot starch (10g)
2 tsp ground cinnamon (2g)
1/2 tsp ground cloves (1g)
1/2 tsp ground allspice (1g)
1/2 tsp baking soda (2g)
1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)
1/2 tsp salt (2g)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (150g)
1/2 rounded cup unsweetened dried cranberries (110g)
1/2 cup broken toffee pieces (70g) – see my healthier homemade recipe.
1/2 cup chopped pistachios (65g)
Zest of 1 large orange, plus more for garnishing if desired
Instructions
- Chop up the pistachios and break the toffee into small pieces. Set aside.
- Remove 2 sticks of butter from the refrigerator and dice it into small pieces. Put them into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, arrowroot starch, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground allspice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, mix the cold butter by itself to break up the edges of the butter. Add the coconut sugar and beat to combine. If needed, you can use your hands to squish together if it’s not mixing together on its own within a minute. Add the maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed to combine. Slowly pour in the dry ingredients as you continue beating on low speed. Mix until just combined, do not over-mix.
- Fold in the rolled oats, unsweetened dried cranberries, broken toffee pieces, pistachios, and the orange zest.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop into 3-Tablespoon balls of dough (54 grams each) and place on the parchment lined baking sheet. These cookies expand a lot compared to some because of the toffee that melts out, so be sure to leave about 2-3 inches between each cookie. This will take several batches of baking. Store the cookie dough in the fridge between batches.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges begin browning and the middle looks set (slightly gooey if you want). This takes 12-13 minutes on aluminum and 14-15 minutes on stainless steel.
- The toffee will likely melt out of some cookies, but it’s easy to fix – just take a spatula and push the melted toffee back up against the cookie while it’s still hot and brush the spatula around the cookie to make it more round if desired. Let them rest on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before removing.
- Repeat with remaining batches. This makes 23-24 cookies.
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