If you are someone who craves something sweet but wants it to be a little healthier, then these low sugar diabetic oatmeal cookies are the perfect snack for you. Packed with nutritious ingredients and no added sugar, these naturally gluten free oatmeal cookies make a deliciously healthy sweet treat.

It can be hard to find satisfying treats that won’t compromise your health goals. But I think these no added sugar diabetic-friendly oatmeal cookies may just be what you are looking for. Based on a traditional oatmeal raisin cookie, this recipe uses a few ingredient switches, which:

Reduces the sugar content

Adds a little extra nutrition

Lowers the overall countable carbs.

These changes help to make these healthy oatmeal cookies a great option for adults and children alike. But are also the perfect snack if you are looking to reduce your overall sugar intake. And of course these cookies are kinder on blood sugar levels, so make a great diabetic-friendly treat.

Make sure to take a look at my simple sugar free oat biscuits as well for another variation if you want a cookie without the added fruit!

Why Oatmeal Cookies are the perfect diabetic-friendly treat?

In addition to their delicious taste, there are numerous other benefits to these sugar-free oatmeal cookies.

They make the perfect diabetic-friendly snack because of the key ingredient oatmeal. Oats are low in sugar and high in fibre, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. This is because the fibre works to slow down the absorption of glucose, preventing spikes in blood sugar levels. Additionally, oatmeal is known to lower cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation in the body.

But I know what works for us may not be the same for you and I understand that everyone has a unique experience with oats and blood sugar levels. In this particular recipe, however, the oats are combined with sources of fats which should also work to slow the release of glucose.

These oatmeal cookies are also low carb as there are only 2 countable ingredients. By replacing traditional flours and sugar makes these blood sugar friendly and lower in countable carbs.

Not only are oatmeal cookies a diabetic-friendly option, but they are also a satisfying snack that can help curb cravings. The combination of oats and other wholesome ingredients like almond flour and added nuts and seeds, will help to provide lasting energy and keep you feeling full for longer periods.

Oats vs Oatmeal

Oats and Oatmeal are essentially the same thing but we just use different words to describe them. Here are some other terms you may be familiar with:

Porridge
Porridge oats
Rolled oats
Jumbo oats
Instant oats (the most highly processed version of oats)

We are probably more used to seeing the oat flakes in the shop, which are essentially the result of the groats being milled and rolled.

In the UK we are probably most familiar with oats being called porridge oats and they are invariably either the smaller variety (which I use in this recipe) or the larger jumbo oats which I love in my breakfast.

Using a Sugar Substitute in Cookies

In this recipe, I use a white sweetener, xylitol. This is a nutritive 1:1 substitute for sugar and I find it works well in baking and cooking.

This is my sweetener of choice due to its low glycaemic index, it doesn’t have a funny taste profile and we found that it doesn’t cause a rise in blood glucose levels.

You can find a list of my recommended products that I use on my shop page!

Remember to convert your quantity if you prefer to use other sweeteners like sucralose or stevia. Most brands have this information on their websites.

To read more on sugar substitutes and diabetes make sure to read this post.

Sugar Substitutes and Diabetes Management

The world of sugar substitutes and type 1 diabetes can be confusing. This guide explores substitutes in the UK and diabetes management

Read Now

However please also feel free to use good old-fashioned caster sugar if that is your preference. Just remember to carb count for it!

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different sweeteners and quantities in my sweet treat recipes. It may take a few attempts to find your preference as we all have different palates.

What you need to make these diabetic friendly oatmeal cookies

Oats

A gluten-free whole grain

Oats are such a magnificent superfood; they are wholegrain, a great carbohydrate source, and full of fibre, essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Ground almonds/ almond flour

Gluten-free and adds an extra nutty flavour

Used instead of wheat flour – it is a great no-carb-count option.

Read more about using almond flour in this article!

You can find a list of my recommended products that I use on my shop page!

Baking soda

Adds a little rise and air to the cookie

Cinnamon and Mixed Spice

I like to use a combination of both spices for extra flavour
But feel free to use only one if you prefer. Just double the quantity specified in the recipe

Dried Apricots

I switched the traditional raisins for apricots in this recipe because dried apricots have:
27% less carbohydrates than raisins
62% more Dietary fibre than raisins

Butter

I prefer to use butter over coconut oil. However, you can interchange this ingredient and use the same quantity of coconut oil if you prefer
Both are high in saturated fat

Sugar Replacement

I used Xylitol, a 1:1 sugar replacement. But you could use any sweetener of your choice. Just make sure to adjust quantities as the sweetness levels vary between them as I explain here
You can find a list of my recommended products that I use on my shop page!

Eggs

Use free range if you can

Vanilla extract

Adds an intense natural sweetness to bakes and cakes

Seeds and nuts for topping (optional)

Adds a little crunch, extra fibre and nutrients
I used a mix of chopped mixed nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Equipment

Mixing Bowl

Small Saucepan

Spatula / Mixing spoon

Weighing Scales

2 Baking Trays (or cook in batches)

Measuring Spoons

Cookie Scoop

How to make Low sugar Diabetic oatmeal cookies

With this simple step-by-step guide that requires minimum fuss, you can enjoy a delicious batch of healthy oatmeal cookies.

Step 1

Start by preheating the oven to 180 C fan / 200 C

mixed oats, oat flour and almond flour in a bowl

Step 2

In a large bowl weigh the oats, almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon and mixed spice. Mix well and then add your chopped apricots and combine

melted butter, xylitol and vanilla essence in a pan

Step 3

In a small saucepan melt your butter and xylitol on a gentle heat and leave to simmer for a minute. Meanwhile, you can whisk your eggs in a separate bowl with the vanilla extract.

almond flour oatmeal cookie dough in a bowl

Step 4

Now it’s time to bring everything together. Add the egg mixture first and stir through the dry ingredients. Then pour in your butter mixture and combine well to make a fairly firm dough.

Step 5

I found that I don’t need to chill this mixture and in fact, they bake better straight away. So using a medium cookie scoop, roll a scoop of the mixture into a ball (mine weighed around 35g each) and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Do this another 11 times.

6 uncooked oatmeal cookies on a baking tray.

Step 6

Now flatten the balls with the palm of your hand to make a thick round cookie shape and place them in the oven to bake for 10- 12 minutes.

Step 6

Leave the biscuits to cool on the tray before carefully moving them to finish cooling on a rack.

6 sugar free oatmeal cookies on a baking tray.

Tips for making the perfect batch of sugar free oatmeal cookies

To ensure that your sugar-free oatmeal cookies come out perfectly every time, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Choose the right oats – They can make a huge difference in the taste and texture of your cookies. Don’t use processed quick oats for this recipe. Use rolled oats, in particular, I found that the smaller oats work a bit better at sticking together than the jumbo oats.
Measure accurately – Baking is a science and requires precise measurements. Use weighing scales and measuring spoons to ensure that you are adding the right amount of each ingredient.
Don’t overmix the dough – Overmixing can cause the dough to become tough and result in flat cookies. Mix until the dough comes together and then stop.
Use a scoop as suggested – Using a scoop and weighing each ball ensures that each cookie is the same size, bakes evenly and ensures more accurate carb counting

By following these tips, you’ll be able to create a perfect batch of sugar-free oatmeal cookies every time. Enjoy!,

How to store your oatmeal cookies

Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container or a biscuit tin. They will keep for a week like this.

But if you want them to last even longer then you can also store them in an airtight container that is kept in the fridge.

More Easy & Delicious Diabetic Recipes for BALANCED Blood SugARS:

Diabetes Note

These diabetic oatmeal cookies are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre. They are fantastic as a slow-release and low carb snack that potentially can reduce blood sugar spikes.

Carb Counting

The overall carb count for each individual biscuit is based on the ingredients we would count is calculated as follows:

125g Porridge Oats = 75.6g of carbs

150g Chopped Apricots= 80.9g of carbs

Now add all the carbs together – 75.6 + 80.9 = 156.5g

Finally divide this by the serving size, 12 – 157/12 = 13g of carbs per cookie

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