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    Home » Oatmeal Apple Cookies

    Oatmeal Apple Cookies

    Published: Sep 7, 2022 · Modified: Feb 14, 2023 by Laura · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    These oatmeal apple cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy in the center. They're richly flavored with vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg and bursting with fresh apples. This apple cookies recipe is easy to make - no chilling required.

    5 Oatmeal Apple Cookies with glaze, one has a bite taken out of it

    I'm always trying to find new ways to enjoy the abundance of fresh apples in the fall - and these Apple Cookies are one of our favorites (along with this apple pie, apple crisp, apple galette and cinnamon apples).

    These oatmeal apple cookies are crispy on the outside with soft and chewy centers. They're richly flavored with vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg and are packed with fresh apples and cinnamon chips!

    If that's not enough to entice you to make them, this apple cookies recipe is easy to make - no chilling required!

    4 Oatmeal Apple Cookies with glaze

    Apple Cookies: Ingredients and Substitutions

    overhead photo of the ingredients in this Oatmeal Apple Cookies recipe
    • All-purpose flour. Use gluten-free all-purpose baking flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
    • Salted butter. Unsalted butter is a good substitute.
    • Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, just be aware it will change the texture of the cookies.
    • Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder, molasses taste use dark brown sugar. 
    • Granulated Sugar. white sugar, organic cane sugar, and coconut sugar are all good choices.
    • Sea salt. I bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 
    • Cinnamon chips. Adding cinnamon chips is optional, but recommended. You can use ½ cup of total of different mix-ins such as white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, dried fruit, nuts, etc.
    • Apples. Use your favorite variety, be sure to finely dice them for the best texture.
    a stack of 4 Oatmeal Apple Cookies

    How to make Apple cookies

    Let's walk through this apple cookies recipe step-by-step, and don't forget to watch the video.

    Finely dice apples

    Begin by finely dicing the apple of your choice. You can peel them if you'd prefer, but we leave the skin on. You want to ensure there are little pieces of apple in every bite.

    photo showing how to dice apples for apple cookies

    Make the dough

    Once the apples are finely diced, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Then set it aside.

    two photos showing How to Make Apple Cookies - combining dry ingredients

    Then, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, until light and fluffy (about 60 seconds)  

    Next, add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light (about 30-60 seconds). 

    two photos showing How to Make Apple Cookies - beating together butter, sugar, egg and vanilla

    Then, add the dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

    two photos showing How to Make Apple Cookies - adding dry ingredients

    Slowly beat in the oatmeal on low speed until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

    two photos showing How to Make Apple Cookies - adding oatmeal

    Lastly, add the diced apples and cinnamon chips and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.

    two photos showing How to Make Apple Cookies - adding apples

    Portion/roll dough & bake

    Once the dough is ready, use a 1 ½ to 2 TBS cookie scoop to measure out the dough for the apple cookies.

    Then, roll the dough into balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 ½ inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is used.

    Bake the apple cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the top is just set.

    Then, let them sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

    apple cookie dough on a baking sheet before and after baking

    Make the glaze

    If desired, make the glaze by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl.

    two photos showing how to make a cinnamon glaze for apple cookies

    Then, you can drizzle the glaze over the top of the completely cooled cookies, or you can dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze.

    Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the glaze is hardened.

    8 Oatmeal Apple Cookies on a wire rack being drizzled with glaze

    To freeze the cookie dough:

    Instead of baking, you can also freeze the apple cookie dough balls to bake them later.

    1. Place the measured and rolled cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until firm. 
    2. Once firm, transfer the dough balls to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag). 
    3. Freeze for up to 2 months. 
    4. To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. Then bake according the the recipe instructions. 
    4 Oatmeal Apple Cookies on a wire cooling rack

    To store/freeze cookies

    Store these oatmeal apple cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

    up close photo of an apple cookie with glaze

    Recipe FAQs

    Here are some frequently asked questions about these apple cookies! If you have additional questions I did not address in this post, please leave a comment and I will answer them!

    Are old fashioned oats and quick oats the same?

    No! Old fashioned (or rolled) oats are whole-grain oat kernels that have been rolled flat. Quick-cooking oats are also rolled, but the oat kernel is cut into smaller pieces so it can cook faster. 

    Can you use quick oats instead of old fashioned in oatmeal cookies?

    Yes, you can, just be aware that it will change the texture of the cookies and they will be less chewy and more "fluffy" or cakey. 

    What can I do with one old apple?

    Use it to make these apple cookies!

    What are the best apples to bake with?

    Pink Ladies (aka: Crisps Pink)
    Granny Smith
    Fuji
    Honeycrisp
    Jonagold 
    Jazz 
    Braeburn
    Gala
    Golden Delicious

    6 Oatmeal Apple Cookies

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    Oatmeal Apple Cookies

    Oatmeal Apple Cookies Recipe

    Laura
    These oatmeal apple cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy in the center. They're richly flavored with vanilla and cinnamon and bursting with fresh apples. This apple cookies recipe is easy to make - no chilling required.
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 14 cookies
    Calories 180 kcal

    Equipment

    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cups
    • spatula
    • glass batter bowl
    • baking sheet
    • KitchenAid Mixer
    • Parchment Paper
    • silicone baking mat

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • ¼ tsp baking powder
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp nutmeg
    • ½ cup butter softened
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • ¾ cup brown sugar packed
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cup old-fashioned oatmeal
    • 1 medium apple finely diced. (1 cup)
    • ½ cup cinnamon chips optional

    Glaze (optional)

    • 1 cup Powdered sugar
    • 1-2 TBS Milk
    • ½ tsp pure vanilla
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    Instructions
     

    Make the apple cookies

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
    • Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
    • Place softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat until light and fluffy (about 60 seconds)
    • Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light (about 30-60 seconds).
    • Add dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
    • Add oatmeal and beat on low speed until combined.
    • Add diced apples and cinnamon chips and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.
    • Use a 1 ½ to 2 TBS cookie scoop to measure out the dough.
    • Roll the dough into balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 ½ inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is used.
    • Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the top is set.
    • Let sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

    Make the glaze

    • If desired, whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.
    • Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled cookies, or dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze.
    • Let set at room temperature until the glaze is hardened.

    Video

    Notes

    Ingredient substitutions
    • All-purpose flour. Use gluten-free all-purpose baking flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
    • Salted butter. Unsalted butter is a good substitute.
    • Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, just be aware it will change the texture of the cookies.
    • Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder, molasses taste use dark brown sugar. 
    • Granulated Sugar. white sugar, organic cane sugar, and coconut sugar are all good choices.
    • Sea salt. I bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half. 
    • Cinnamon chips. Adding cinnamon chips is optional, but recommended. You can use ½ cup of total of different mix-ins such as white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, dried fruit, nuts, etc.
    • Apples. Use your favorite variety, be sure to finely dice them for the best texture.
    To freeze the cookie dough:
    Instead of baking, you can also freeze the apple cookie dough balls to bake them later.
    1. Place the measured and rolled cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until firm. 
    2. Once firm, transfer the dough balls to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag). 
    3. Freeze for up to 2 months. 
    4. To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. Then bake according the the recipe instructions. 
    To store/freeze cookies
    Store these oatmeal apple cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookieCalories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 183mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 227IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

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    About Laura

    I’m Laura, a former chemistry teacher turned homeschooling mom of six beautiful babies! I create simple and delicious recipes that are tested and perfected to make cooking and baking joyful and fun!

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