These oatmeal walnut cookies make a simple, whole-food treat to keep on hand through the week. This recipe is from Go Vegan by Marlene Watson-Tara. They rely on oats, fruit, and nuts rather than heavy fats or refined sugar, and the dough comes together quickly. They fit well into everyday baking and suit afternoon tea or a quick snack.

Oats form the base and give the cookies their hearty texture. Wholewheat flour and walnuts add substance and a nutty finish. Currants bring sweetness, while orange zest, juice, ginger, and vanilla keep the flavor bright. Barley malt or brown rice syrup binds everything and keeps the sweetness gentle. The result tastes lightly spiced and naturally sweet.

Read more: Pop Quinoa Chocolate Bars

Serve the cookies slightly warm or fully cooled. They work well with tea, coffee, or fresh fruit for a simple dessert. Store them in an airtight container for up to four days, or freeze a batch for later. The texture stays tender and the flavor holds well after baking.

Bake those oatmeal walnut cookies

Try these oatmeal walnut cookies for a wholesome vegan treat made with oats, nuts, and fruit. They keep well, taste gently spiced, and work as a simple dessert or everyday snack.

oatmeal walnut cookies with apple butter, orange, currants, and ginger juice

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Duration30

Cook Time20

Prep Time10

Servings cookies

Ingredients

1½ cups oatmeal
¾ cup wholewheat pastry flour
¾ cup unbleached white flour or almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt
¾ cup currants
1 cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp *apple butter or ½ cup organic cold pressed sunflower oil
½ cup barley malt or brown rice syrup
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup orange juice
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger juice
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F), gas 4. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then stir into the dry ingredients.
Transfer heaping tablespoons of dough to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch (2 cm) of space between the cookies.
Flatten the cookies with the back of a fork to make rounds. Dip the fork in water to keep the mixture from sticking.
Bake the cookies until the edges and undersides are golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack.
Makes 16–18 cookies.

*Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of apple sauce produced by long, slow cooking of apples with cider or water to a point where the sugar in the apples caramelizes, turning the apple butter a deep brown. The concentration of sugar gives apple butter a much longer shelf life as a preserve than apple sauce.

Republished with permission from Go Vegan: A Guide to Delicious, Everyday Food – for the Health of Your Family and the Planet by Marlene Watson-Tara, published by Lotus Publishing, 2019.

Marlene Watson-Tara is a plant-based nutrition educator, author, and co-founder of the Human Ecology Project. Her forthcoming book, Macrobiome: How the Planet Governs Human Ecology and a Healthy Microbiome, is scheduled to launch at the Oxford Literary Festival in March 2026. See their upcoming lecture at Oxford here, and learn more on their website MACROVegan.

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kid friendly

oats

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vegan recipes

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The Author

Marlene Watson-Tara

A lover of animals, nature and passionate about human ecology. An eternal optimist, she is focused on increasing the number of people worldwide who understand the powerful impact of their food choices. She has been a healthy vegan and an active advocate of a whole-food plant-based diet and vegan life for over three decades. A highly profiled and dedicated health counsellor and teacher with fifty years of experience in the health and wellness industry. She has designed and presented corporate and personal programmes covering most aspects of nutrition and wellbeing. Aside from nutritional science, her approach draws from the fields of Macrobiotics, ecological sustainability and her studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine. She is the author of Macrobiotics for All Seasons, Eating as If All Life Matters, Weight Loss Nature’s Way, and Go Vegan, and soon to be published, as co-author with Bill Tara, Macrobiome - How the planet governs human ecology and a healthy microbiome. Both Bill and Marlene present their latest books each year at the Oxford Literary Festival, alongside hosting their own one-day event that includes a delicious plant-based lunch. Marlene also designs the vegan menus for the Oxford gala dinners each year. She has worked with clients from royalty to global business leaders, many from the world of movies and art in the UK, Europe, the USA and Australia. Designing bespoke nutritional programmes for them whilst training their private chefs in plant-based nutrition brings incredible success to all her clients. Marlene and her husband, Bill Tara, teach online training programmes and have graduates of their Macrobiotic Vegan Health Coach Programme in 28 countries. In 2003, Bill and Marlene first outlined their vision to create the Human Ecology Project to serve their shared vision of a healthy world for humans and non-humans alike. The charity produces educational videos and materials for schools, colleges, and universities, as well as the general public.

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