Everything Free Cookies (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free)
We may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read our privacy policy for details.
These Everything Free Cookies are for absolutely everyone. Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Egg-free, Nut-free. You simply can’t go wrong with this delicious recipe because the one thing they’re not free of is FLAVOR!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox!
I was first inspired to make the Friendship Cookies from the Homemade with Love Cookbook. The author’s daughter needed to bring egg-free cookies for her classmates.
But you know, I thought a little bit about this recipe, and I wanted to extend it to ALL my friends! Those who require recipes that are nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, or sugar-free.
And so I came up with this cookie recipe. The ultimate “everything free cookies”. These cookies are everything-free cookies, and they are for everyone!
Can A Cookie Be Both Delicious and Allergy-Friendly?
So if these cookies are free from everything, what do they taste like? Where is the flavor?
Well, I shared these with my family. Some of them require dietary restrictions, and some do not. I just knew they were going to love them because again, they are for everyone.
The cookies disappeared in less than a day!
My family can’t stop raving over how flavorful and delicious they are. That’s right! And yours will love these cookies too.
Why You’ll Love This Cookie Recipe
An Allergen-Friendly Cookie Recipe – Traditional cookies are not going to work if you or your loved ones have a gluten, wheat, egg, or nut allergy, but these do! I’ve chosen the ingredients carefully to make the tastiest cookies that can be enjoyed by the most people.
Refined Sugar Free – Instead of refined sugar, this recipe is sweetened with coconut sugar and brown rice syrup.
They’re Satisfying and Delicious! For a low-fat cookie with all natural ingredients, these cookies are really, really good. If you’ve been avoiding cookies for whatever dietary reason, I hope that this recipe can be life-changing for you!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Oats – Instead of buying oat flour, I buy old-fashioned rolled oats and turn them into flour in my food processor. I like the texture of this homemade oat flour the best. To ensure that the cookies are gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free oats!
Baking Soda and Salt – To give the cookies some rise, and enhance the flavor of the chocolate.
Unsweetened Applesauce – There is no butter or oil in this recipe, so I rely on applesauce to add the needed moisture to the cookie dough.
Brown Rice Syrup – You can replace this with any liquid sweetener, such as honey, pure maple syrup, or agave nectar.
Coconut Sugar – I love baking with this! You can use any kind of granulated sweetener though.
Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Chips – My favorite are from Enjoy Life.
Dried Fruit – Use what you like – raisins, cherries, blueberries, or cranberries all are delicious here.
I have more cookie recipes for you! There are my plant-based chocolate chip cookies, my no bake chocolate orange cookies (that I’m obsessed with), or those super yummy Vegan Carrot Cake Cookies.
Cindy’s Insider Pro Tips for Everything Free Cookies
- Make your own oat flour – Simply put the oats in your food processor or a high-powered blender and pulse until the oats look like flour! This method will give you more control over the oats used, and the texture of the cookies.
- Try other mix-ins – You can use just chocolate chips or just fruit in these cookies. If nuts are ok, chopped walnuts or pecans could be tasty too.
- Avoid overbaking – To keep the cookies tender, bake just until they start to brown. Overbaking will make them dry.
More Desserts to Try
- Healthy flourless cookies are super chocolatey and easy to throw together.
- Peppermint Chia Cookies are another favorite, especially for the holidays.
- These Paleo Chocolate Cupcakes are gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free, so they’d be a total win as well!
- Vegan Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Thumbprints
- Gooey Vegan Brownies
- Vegan Marshmallows
- Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
- Gluten Free Apple Cake
- Easy Vegan Hot Chocolate
- Vegan Marshmallows
FAQ
Everything-Free Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups oat flour (old-fashioned oats blended to a flour – use gluten free oats if you’re needing to make this GF)
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or other granulated sweetener of your choice)
- 1/4 cup brown rice syrup (can replace with honey, pure maple syrup, or agave)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips (I love Enjoy Life Brand)
- 1/2 cup dried fruit (dried cherries, raisins, blueberries, etc)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Add the oat flour, baking soda, and salt to a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the applesauce and coconut sugar to a larger bowl and beat on high with a mixer until light and creamy, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the brown rice syrup and vanilla extract. Beat on medium high speed until thoroughly mixed, 1-2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the dry ingredients, mixing until the dough is just combined. Refrigerate dough for 10 minutes before placing on cookie sheets.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir in the dairy-free chocolate chips and dried berries.
- Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. You can leave them as they are or flatten them slightly, just note that they will not spread while baking, so they will stay in the shape you leave them. Bake until the edges are golden, 11-13 minutes.
- Remove the trays from the oven and let the cookies cool on the trays for 2 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Notes
- Make your own oat flour – Simply put the oats in your food processor or a high-powdered blender and pulse until the oats look like flour! This method will give you more control over the oats used, and the texture of the cookies.
- Try other mix-ins – You can use just chocolate chips or just fruit in these cookies. If nuts are ok, chopped walnuts or pecans could be tasty too.
- Avoid overbaking – To keep the cookies tender, bake just until they start to brown. Overbaking will make them dry.
We Updated the Photos!
Here’s a look at the first go-round with these everything-free cookies. The recipe has stayed exactly the same, we just learned how to take better pictures!
Hi, Any alternative to oats? My son is also oat intolerant.
Oh, I haven’t tried any alternatives to oats, but it could be worth experimenting! Let me know if you do.
Thank you so much for these! They are my go-to whenever I have friends over whose kids have allergies 🙂
My pleasure, Melinda! I’m glad you love this recipe.
I just had to drop a comment after trying out these Everything Free Cookies, and let me tell you, they’re an absolute game-changer! As someone who navigates through the dietary restrictions of dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, and nut-free, finding a delicious treat can be quite the challenge. But these cookies exceeded all expectations.
The combination of ingredients might be “free” of certain elements, but they are definitely not lacking in flavor. In fact, they’re bursting with it! The texture is just right—crispy on the edges and wonderfully chewy in the center. I couldn’t believe that something so accommodating to dietary needs could taste so indulgent.
I appreciate how easy the recipe is to follow, and the result is a batch of cookies that can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of their dietary restrictions. It’s a win-win situation, and I can’t wait to make them again. Hats off to the creator for proving that you don’t have to compromise on taste when catering to various dietary preferences!
Hi Sebby so glad you loved them! 🙂
I am so intrigued by this recipe. My brother has Parkinson’s disease and his naturopathic dietitian has him on a very strict diet, which has been helping for a long time but it is so restrictive that he hasn’t had a dessert in years. This recipe is the closest I’ve seen to being able to make him a dessert (and he really likes cookies) but he can not have the coconut sugar or any of the syrups, guava or honey. He can have monk fruit with no additives, which seems to mean it only comes in a fine powder and is quite sweet. Is there a way to substitute the powdered monk fruit? All the other ingredients work.
His diet is basically vegan (though fish and an occasional egg is allowed) but the diet also does not allow gluten, sugars, peanuts, cashew (almonds he’s allergic to), nothing out of a can, no soy (also allergic to). He can have healthy oils and pistachio nuts are very good for him. So your cookies are very enticing and I want to make them but need to figure out how to use monk fruit powder instead of the coconut sugar and syrup component. Is there a way to do this? Thank you.
Hi Linda, thank you for writing in and for checking out a recipe for your brother. I am glad it almost checks all the boxes that he needs. I haven’t experimented with monk fruit powder in this particular recipe but have used it in other recipes and yes it is very sweet. I also have tried this recipe with a brown syrup sub. If I was attempting, I would make the recipe and leave out the coconut sugar and syrup. Then I’d add in teaspoon of monk fruit powder and taste it, then adjust as needed. You are going to have to adjust on the fly with the taste. It will change the consistency, you may have to add in a touch more oat flour and a little water. Let me know if you try it! I just remade this and have new pictures, I”ll get them up soon.
Hi – I am concerned about using coconut sugar since coconut is a nut and people with nut allergies cannot have coconut. I plan to substitute with regular powdered sugar.
Hi Connie, thanks for letting me know. I would use regular table sugar for the swap. I do not believe that powdered sugar will work as a swap with this recipe, the texture is very difference, but regular table sugar should be fine 🙂 I hope you enjoy!
Coconuts are NOT nuts. They are classified as a fruit, and do not contain any of the allergens associated with true nuts.
Made these for my grandad for his 85th birthday today, he enjoyed them and so did I and my two kids. I will definitely be making them again!
So glad to hear that he enjoyed them as well as you and your kids! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let us know 🙂
My 3 yr old grandson has severe allergies to WHEAT, OATS, & EGGS only. I’m looking for desserts that would work for him – thanks!
HI Grace, I am so glad you found something yummy that works for the allergies! Glad to help!
🙂 The HFHL Team
LOVE this so much everyone enjoyed this is awesome ❤️❤️
I a little confused, as I do not see stevia on your ingredients list – did you use that instead of the coconut sugar? I am very excited to try these, as our family eats egg and gluten free!
So sorry – that was a typo! I used coconut sugar, not stevia, in this recipe.
These are absolutely AMAZING! I baked them just now and I think that they’re going to be perfect for our school’s annual bake sale.
I’m so happy you love them! They’re one of our all-time favorites and work for just about anybody 🙂
Thank you for create this recipe. My children have food allergies. this will be their first cookies. I’ll try to make it hopefully it turn out.
Hi, my daughter is allergic to oats too. Can I use other gluten-free flour? I’m currently using Red Mills gluten-free flour to bake my cake and brownies that are also allergen-free such as your cookies. Thanks!
I haven’t tried it with another flour, but you could try the Bobs Red Mill AP GF Flour. I would check the consistency when mixing and adjust liquid if too dry, etc 🙂
Will almond flour work?
Hello, I haven’t tried it with almond flour, so I cannot speak to that. If you try it let me know!
Will plain flour work for these if gluten isn’t a problem??
yup – all-purpose flour is perfect if gluten isn’t an issue. Enjoy!
I get gluten reactions from oats. Is this just me? I’ve heard there are gluten free oats, but the regular ones certainly aren’t.
It’s like those recipes with spelt flour claiming to be gluten free. Spelt is a variety of wheat !!! Oats is a cereal grain. It has gluten. Maybe not as much as wheat, but enough to cause reactions is those sensitive to it.
Danger. Be careful allergy sufferers.
Charlotte, thank you so much for your comment. I will admit my mistake. I actually had full intentions and writing the recipe to note GF oats if necessary and must have completely forgotten. I am so sorry and truly hope this hasn’t caused anyone problems. I appreciate you and hope you make these with GF oat flour.
Check where the “gluten free oats” come from. Chances are its Europe, where oat gluten is not classed as “gluten” (as in wheat gluten) for their food allergy labeling. unless it says “deglutnised” or some other thing to say the gluten has been removed from the oats, there is not such thing as a gluten free oat. sorry.
Actually oats contain no gluten, but are frequently processed in a plant with gluten products. it’s cross contamination that results in the gluten reaction.
Hi Kathy :). Yes, the cross-contamination is the issue with the oats. Many celiacs cannot tolerate oats, but the oats actually do not contain any gluten it is the processing. There are some certified gf oat companies out there. We’ve used GF Harvest before, do you have a safe brand that you like to use? 🙂
I love what you called these, haha. These would be great to send as snacks to school and such when you’re unsure of allergies. Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Link Party!
If I used natural sugar, would I sub it 1:1 for the stevia?
Yes Danielle, go ahead and sub 1:1 – enjoy!
Your cookie dough experiment is so interesting! I think I would eat all 4 at once, too, so I’m interested if I owuld be able to not binge like you were able to! These cookies looks so, so good as well.
You are such an inspiration! Congrats on such a milestone with the cookie dough. And now you have me craving a COOKIE! These look great! 🙂