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These oatmeal cookies without baking soda are made with whole wheat flour, oats and sesame seeds. They have no eggs and no baking powder either. They are simple, filling and perfect for tea time or a kids’ snack box.
What Are Eggless Sesame Oatmeal Cookies?
Eggless sesame oatmeal cookies are baked cookies made with rolled oats, whole wheat flour, butter, sugar, milk and sesame seeds. They use no eggs, no baking soda and no baking powder.
The butter is rubbed into the flour, and a little cold milk brings the dough together. The cookies come out dense, chewy and a little crumbly, with a nutty taste from the sesame.
Most oatmeal cookie recipes use eggs or a raising agent to make the cookie puffy. Here we skip both. That is what makes this recipe different from the usual oatmeal cookie.
Regional Variations
Oatmeal cookies are not a traditional Indian sweet, so I cannot tell you about regional versions of this exact cookie. But sesame has a long place in Indian sweets, and that is where this cookie takes its inspiration.
In Maharashtra, people make tilgul, a sweet of sesame seeds and jaggery. It is shared on Makar Sankranti, and people say “til gul ghya, god god bola”, which means “take this tilgul and speak sweetly”.
In Bihar, we have tilkut, made from pounded sesame seeds with jaggery or sugar. It comes from the Bhojpuri and Magahi regions, and the tilkut of Gaya is the most loved. It is made around Makar Sankranti, in the cold months.
At home, you can also change this cookie in small ways. You can use jaggery powder instead of sugar, ghee or oil instead of butter, or quick oats instead of rolled oats. These are simple home changes, not old regional traditions.
The information shared here is based on my own research across food blogs, recipe sites, and publicly available sources. If you are from any of these regions and something reads differently from what you know, I would love to hear from you in the comments.
Preparation Tips for Oatmeal Cookies Without Baking Soda or Baking Powder
Cookies without a raising agent need a little care. These tips will help you get soft, chewy cookies.
- Use chilled butter. Rub it into the whole wheat flour with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs.
- Add the milk a little at a time. You may not need all of it.
- Do not knead the dough. Mix it only until it comes together.
- Do not worry if the dough is sticky. It is meant to be sticky.
- Powder the sugar finely before you start. Fine sugar mixes into the dough easily.
- Keep about 1 inch of space between the cookies on the tray.
- Press the top of each cookie gently with a spatula before baking. This makes the top smooth.
If your cookies turn out hard, the most common reasons are too much flour, too much mixing or too much baking time. Measure the flour with a spoon and level it, instead of scooping it straight from the container.
Take the cookies out when they are light golden.
Why This Recipe Works
These cookies work because the butter, flour and milk hold the dough together without any eggs. You do not need a raising agent to make a good cookie.
First, the chilled butter rubbed into the flour gives the cookie a soft, crumbly bite. Second, the oats add chew and make the cookie filling.
Third, the sesame seeds add a mild nutty taste and a light crunch. Fourth, the recipe uses simple things you likely have at home, like flour, oats, butter, sugar and milk.
Last, it is a good choice for small kids, since there is no baking soda or baking powder in it.
Sesame Cookies and Bihar Winters
Winter in Bihar has its own smell. It is the smell of sesame.
Around Makar Sankranti, tilkut is made in Bihar. Sesame seeds are pounded with jaggery or sugar, and the sweet tastes nutty and warm.
I grew up in Bihar, and that taste stayed with me. Now I live in South India, far from those winters.
I wanted a simple cookie that carried the same nutty taste of sesame. Something I could make in my own kitchen with whole wheat flour and oats.
This cookie is not tilkut, and it does not try to be. But when the sesame seeds turn golden in the oven, the smell takes me back.
If you miss a taste from your own home, try making a small version of it. It may not be the same, but it can still feel like home.
What to Serve with Sesame Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies go well with a hot cup of chai or coffee. They are also nice with a glass of cold milk.
You can pack them in a lunch box or a kids’ snack box. They also work as a light evening snack when you need something small.
If you have guests, put them on a plate with some fruit. They also look nice in a small gift box during Diwali and Christmas.
How to Store Leftover Oatmeal Cookies
Let the cookies cool completely before you store them. If they go into the box warm, steam will make them soggy.
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay good for a few days, and they may soften a little over time.
If your cookies were crisp on day one and soft on day two, this is why. Always cool them fully first.
Pro Tips for Perfect Oatmeal Cookies Without Baking Soda
- Use whole wheat flour for a healthier cookie. Use all purpose flour if you want a lighter cookie.
- Rolled oats are the best here. You can use quick cooking oats, but add the milk in parts so the dough does not turn watery.
- Unsalted butter is best. If you only have salted butter, you can use that too.
- Roast the sesame seeds lightly first if you want a deeper flavor.
- Skip the cinnamon if you do not like it. I always add it because it gives the cookies a warm flavor.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and press them gently, so they stay on the cookie.
- Put the tray on the top rack first. Then move it to the bottom rack for the second half of the baking.
- Do not over-bake. Cookies that turn too golden become hard.
- To check if a cookie is done, press the top with a spoon or fork. It should not leave a mark.
- Oven timings are only a guide. Every oven bakes a little differently, so watch your cookies.
- Keep the tray outside for 2 to 3 minutes after baking. Then move the cookies to a wire rack.
Looking for Some More Recipes Like This
Eggless Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins and Cranberries
Atta Biscuits Recipe Without Oven
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Basic Ingredients Used
Whole wheat flour: I use whole wheat flour to make the cookies a little healthier. You can use all purpose flour if you want a lighter cookie.
Rolled oats: Oats give the cookies their chew and make them filling. You can use quick cooking oats too, but add the milk slowly.
Unsalted butter: Butter adds taste and softness. Use chilled butter here, and rub it into the flour. If you only have salted butter, that works too.
Sugar: White sugar works well when it is powdered. You can also use brown sugar, and then you do not need to powder it.
Sesame seeds: Sesame gives a mild, sweet and nutty taste and a little crunch. I roast them lightly, but this is optional.
Cinnamon powder: Cinnamon gives a warm flavor. Skip it if you do not like it.
Chilled milk: Milk brings the dough together. Add it in small parts, because the dough should be sticky and not watery.
How to Make Oatmeal Cookies Without Baking Soda
You can find the full ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below. Here are the steps in detail.
Getting Ready
- Add the sugar to a grinder jar and powder it finely. Keep it aside.
- Grease a baking tray with a little butter and keep it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes.
Making the Dough
- In a mixing bowl, add the whole wheat flour and the chilled unsalted butter.
- Mix with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs. You can use a stand mixer for this too.
- Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon powder, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and the oats. Mix well.
- Add the milk a little at a time and mix until the dough comes together. Do not knead it.
- The dough will be sticky. That is how it should be.
Shaping the Cookies
- Scoop out some dough with a spoon, or pinch off a piece with your hand.
- Place it on the greased tray. Keep about 1 inch of space between the cookies.
- Make cookies with the rest of the dough in the same way.
- Press the top of each cookie gently with a spatula or your hand, to make it smooth.
- Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top and press gently so they stick.
Baking and Cooling
- Put the tray on the top rack of the preheated OTG. Bake for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Move the tray to the bottom rack. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden.
- Do not over-bake them. To check, press the top of a cookie with a spoon or fork. It should not leave a mark.
- Keep the tray outside for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Use oven mitts and a spatula to move the cookies to a wire rack. Let them cool completely.
- Store them in an airtight container once they are cold.
- Serve with milk, tea or coffee.
Eggless Sesame Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 2/3 cup Unsalted Butter chilled
- 1 cup Oats rolled oats
- 2 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- 2 to 4 tbsp Chilled Milk or as required
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
Instructions
Preparation for Cookies:
- Add the sugar to a grinder jar and powder finely. Set it aside.
- Now grease a baking pan or tray with some butter and set aside.
- Preheat oven at 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes.
How to Make Cookie Dough:
- Take a mixing bowl add whole wheat flour and chilled unsalted butter.
- Now mix well using your fingertips and make a breadcrumb-like texture in flour. (you can use a stand mixer for this process if you have one).
- Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon powder, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, and oats. mix well.
- Now just add enough milk in parts to mix and bind the mixture well. Do not knead.
- The cookie dough will be sticky (that is how it should be).
How to Make Cookies:
- Now scoop out the dough with any spoon or you can simply pinch the desired amount of dough with your hand.
- Place the scooped dough on the greased tray or pan. Keep some space of about 1 inch between the cookies.
- Make cookies this way with the rest of the cookie dough.
- Now gently press the top of each oatmeal cookie with a spatula or hand just to even it and make it smooth.
- Now sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of each cookies and press gently, so that the sesame seeds stick to the cookie.
- Now place the cookie tray in the preheated oven on the top rack of an OTG and bake it for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit). Then move the tray to the bottommost rack and then bake it for another 15-20 minutes or till the cookies become light golden in color.
- The time taken can be different in your oven. While these are guidelines, you might want to follow whatever is the best and recommended timings for your oven.
- Do not over-bake them or make them too much golden as then oatmeal cookies will become hard. (If you want to check the doneness, press the top of the cookie with a spoon or fork. It should not create any impression on it.
- Keep the tray outside for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Then using oven mitts and a spatula remove the cookie and place them on a wired rack and let it cool down.
- Once it gets cold store oatmeal cookies in an airtight container.
- Serve these tasty oatmeal cookies with milk or tea or coffee.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions About Oatmeal Cookies Without Baking Soda
Can you make oatmeal cookies without baking soda?
Yes, you can. This recipe uses no baking soda and no baking powder. The cookies turn out dense, chewy and a little crumbly, and they rise only a little.
Do oatmeal cookies need baking powder?
Not in this recipe. The chilled butter and milk hold the dough together. Do not knead the dough and do not over-bake the cookies.
Are these sesame oatmeal cookies eggless?
Yes. There are no eggs in this recipe. The dough is held together by butter and a little milk.
Can I use black sesame seeds instead of white?
Yes, you can use either. Black sesame has a slightly stronger flavor and looks nice on top of the cookies.
Why are my oatmeal cookies hard?
Too much mixing, too much flour or too much baking time makes cookies hard. Measure the flour by spooning it into the cup, and take the cookies out when they are light golden.
Why do my cookies go flat after baking?
If the butter gets too soft before baking, it melts fast in the oven and the cookies spread. Use chilled butter, as this recipe says.
Can I use quick oats or instant oats instead of rolled oats?
Yes, you can. Add the milk in small parts, so the dough does not get watery.
Can I make these cookies healthier with jaggery powder?
Yes. You can use jaggery powder in place of sugar, in the same amount. The cookies will be a little more moist and the taste will change.
Can I use ghee or oil instead of butter?
You can, but the cookies will be softer and taste different. Butter gives the best result for this recipe.
How can I make soft and chewy cookies for a toddler?
Mix oil into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs, and add a little more milk so the dough is soft and sticky. You can also add mashed banana or apple sauce, and then use less sugar and less milk.
My cookies were crisp on the day I baked them, but soft the next day. What went wrong?
Nothing went wrong. Store cookies only after they have cooled completely, because warm cookies make steam in the box.
Which mode should I use in a convection OTG?
Use the bake mode. If your OTG lets you pick the rods, switch on both the top and bottom rods.
My Recommended Product
If you are baking these cookies in an OTG, even heat helps a lot. The Morphy Richards Digital OTG has convection, which uses a fan to move hot air around, so the cookies on the tray bake more evenly.
It is a 40 litre digital oven with 13 preset menus and a rotisserie. It also has built-in air fryer and dehydrator functions, so you can use it for more than baking.
It comes with a 2 year warranty. Preheat it first, and check your cookies a few minutes early the first time, because every oven bakes a little differently.
Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. I am an independent blogger and the reviews are done based on my own opinions. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
- Capacity: 42 litres , Suitable for 5-8 people
- Cooking capability: Baking, Grilling, toasting
- Warranty: 2 years
- Includes Oven toaster grill, Skewers , Rotisserie, Baking Tray, Wire Rack, Crumb Tray, Rotisserie Tongs, Grill & Bake Tray Tong
- Wattage: 2000W
- Convection function ensures faster and uniform heating
- Motorized rotisserie for uniform grilling
- Double Glass Door
- 12 Stage heating options. Voltage: 230 V AC/50 Hz
- Adjustable Temperature Control 90° - 250°C
- Power Indicator automatically turns on when the timer knob is set
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