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Home » Desserts » Leftover Oatmeal Cookies

Leftover Oatmeal Cookies

February 20, 2020 by Joanie Simon 8 Comments

A plate full of leftover oatmeal cookies

Leftover Oatmeal Cookies are super easy to make and a great way to use up leftover oatmeal. Mix in your favorite dried fruits and enjoy this healthy, snack worthy cookie.

Overhead view of a cooling rack with leftover oatmeal cookies
Easy Oatmeal Cookies

What do you do with leftover prepared oatmeal? Make cookies! This recipe calls for 1 cup of leftover prepared oatmeal.

Whether it’s rolled oats, instant, steel cut, I’ve experimented with all varieties and they all work in this recipe. Just make sure to prepare them according to the package directions in terms of the ratio of oats to water.

A plate of tasty cookies that are homemade with leftover oatmeal
You’ll love leftover oatmeal cookies!

I’m personally partial to Coach’s Oats for Steel Cut and Nature’s Path for Rolled Oats. They both have great texture and flavor.

In addition to the 1 cup of prepared oats, you’ll need 2 cups of all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar (I subbed golden monkfruit sweetner to make these lower in sugar), 2 eggs, 2 Tbs lemon juice, and 4 oz dried fruit.

The ingredients needed to make cookies with leftover oatmeal, flour, eggs, sugar, butter and dried fruit
Ingredients for Leftover Oatmeal Cookies

For the dried fruit, I opted for this berry mix from Patience Fruit & Co. But you could go for raisins, cranberries, blueberries, chopped mango…go nuts! Actually, nuts would work, too.

top down view of the ingredients for leftover oatmeal cookies with dried fruit
Mix in your favorite dried fruits and nuts

The process for these cookies is pretty simple. First, combine the dry ingredients.

top down view of the dry ingredients for leftover oatmeal cookies
Mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon

Next cream together the softened butter and sugar. Make sure the butter is softened so that it mixes together with the sugar well.

Then add in the room temperature eggs and lemon juice and blend until smooth.

top down view of the wet ingredients for leftover oatmeal cookies
Mix together the butter and sugar and wet ingredients

Next you’ll add in your oats and your dry ingredients until you get a thick dough. Once you’ve added the dry ingredients, try not to over-mix the dough. Over-mixing can make them tough.

After that, fold in your dried fruits and you’re good to go.

overhead view of mixing the oatmeal batter with the dried fruits
Mix in your favorite dried fruit

I like to use a small ice cream scoop for scooping the cookie dough onto a baking sheet so that they’re all uniform in size.

Parchment paper is my go-to for lining cookie sheets to prevent them from sticking.

Scooping leftover oatmeal cookie dough onto a parchment sheet
Scoop your cookies with an ice cream scoop for uniform cookies

I love these cookies because they’re not too sweet. They’re a little cakey and a little crispy on the outside. They’re healthy enough to enjoy as a “breakfast cookie” if you need a quick bite before starting your day.

I also add a little bit of fresh grated lemon zest on top for a little extra zing. Of course, that’s completely optional, but if you’re using fresh lemon juice in the recipe, it’s just a little bit of extra effort to bust out a microplane or grater for zest.

A plate full of leftover oatmeal cookies
Add fresh lemon zest for extra zing in your cookies
Print
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A plate of leftover oatmeal cookies with dried fruit pieces

Leftover Oatmeal Cookies

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Joanie Simon
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 18 cookies 1x
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

A quick recipe for leftover oatmeal cookies that uses up leftover oatmeal mixed together with dried fruit. It’s an easy and healthy snack recipe!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 2 Tbs lemon juice
  • 1 cup prepared (leftover) oatmeal
  • 4 oz chopped or small dried fruit

Instructions

  • Prepare oatmeal according to package directions, reserving 1 cup for the cookie recipe.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Combine together in a large bowl the 2 cups of flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp salt and set to the side.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter and brown sugar and blend with a hand mixer until fully incorporated and lightened in color. Will appear to be slightly fluffy.
  • Add the 2 eggs and 2 Tbs lemon juice to the butter and sugar mixture and continue to mix with the hand mixer until fully incorporated and no more of the yolks are visible.
  • Next, add the 1 cup of leftover oats to the wet ingredients mixture and beat until fully incorporated.
  • Then pour the oats mixture into the dry ingredients bowl and mix together.  Be careful not to over-mix or it will make your cookies a little tough.
  • Next, fold in the dried fruits to the dough. Sometimes I use my hands because it’s a thicker dough and mixing with your hands can be easier.
  • Scoop 2 oz balls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12 – 15 minutes in the preheated oven at 350F.  The cookies should be fully cooked through and slightly browned on top.
  • Remove the cookies once fully baked and allow to cool at least 5 minutes on a cooling rack.
  • Optional: top the cookies with grated lemon lemon zest to be fancy

Notes

These will keep for up to four days at room temperature in an airtight container.

They can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Keywords: oatmeal, oats, leftovers, dried fruit, lemon, baking, cookies

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Filed Under: Cookies, Desserts

Joanie Simon is a food photographer and stylist and family recipe keeper. In addition to The Dinner Bell, Joanie shares photography education at TheBiteShot.com.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sohnia

    December 2, 2020 at 5:05 pm

    Hello! I was despairing over my leftover porridge because i made a bunch with canderel and soya milk, suited to my mothers diet and there was too much left over. Happily i came across this recipe and successfully manage to bake cookies out if it! They aren’t as aesthetically pleasing but I’m happy i didn’t have to waste food. My thanks!

    Reply
    • Joanie Simon

      December 2, 2020 at 6:12 pm

      I’m so glad to hear you were able to use up the leftovers! Hugs to you and your mother <3

      Reply
  2. Gwen Squires

    December 11, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    Can I just say a big, enthusiastic and super genuine THANK YOU for not covering your blog in ads? I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it!

    Reply
  3. Paula M

    August 24, 2021 at 8:26 pm

    My daughter just made these cookies with our leftover oatmeal. She added craisins, raisins, and semi sweet morsels to batter. Pleased with the outcome. This recipe is a keeper.

    Reply
    • Joanie Simon

      August 24, 2021 at 10:51 pm

      So glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  4. Valerie E

    October 10, 2021 at 3:27 pm

    Have you tried these with gluten free or almond flour? I am wondering if they turned out.

    Reply
    • Joanie Simon

      October 10, 2021 at 4:06 pm

      I haven’t, but I do find the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour to be a reliable swap and would think that would work fine for this recipe. I wouldn’t use almond flour here, though, as that absorbs moisture differently and would significantly affect the texture of the cookies.

      Reply
  5. Gricel

    November 11, 2022 at 5:00 pm

    I made two different batches with your recipe. No lemon juice. One batch with chocolate chips and raisins and the other batch with cranberries and the juice of an orange. They came out delicious. 17 minutes in my convection oven. I would show you pictures but I don’t know how to add them here.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Joanie! This website is where I catalogue my "greatest hits" recipes and ideas for entertaining. I am my happiest when my table is full. Read More…

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