Oatmeal Apple Cookies
Posted Sep 07, 2022, Updated Mar 26, 2025
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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.
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! Also try these delicious fall cookies: oatmeal butterscotch cookies, chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, maple cookies and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
Apple Cookies: Ingredients and 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.
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.
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.
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).
Then, add the dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
Slowly beat in the oatmeal on low speed until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Lastly, add the diced apples and cinnamon chips and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.
Portion/Roll Dough & Bake
Once the dough is ready, use a 1 ½ to 2 Tablespoon 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.
Make the Glaze
If desired, make the glaze by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl.
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.
Freeze the Dough
Instead of baking, you can also freeze the apple cookie dough balls to bake them later.
- 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.
- 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).
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- 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.
Oatmeal Apple Cookies 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!
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.
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.
Use it to make these apple cookies!
Pink Ladies (aka: Crisps Pink)
Granny Smith
Fuji
Honeycrisp
Jonagold
Jazz
Braeburn
Gala
Golden Delicious
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Oatmeal Apple Cookies Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon 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 Tablespoons Milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla ectract
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 Tablespoon 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- Freeze for up to 2 months.
- To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. Then bake according the the recipe instructions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever had!!! Seriously try these! I added raisins to the cookies and man this is my new recipes and considering doing a Julie and Julia on this woman’s page. So far 5 stars on the recipes I’ve tried
I’m all about doing something fun like that! 🙂 I’m so happy you love the cookies!
Delicious! My husband and I agreed these are like the storebought iced oatmeal cookies we loved as a kid, only better because they are so soft and chewy 🤩 I think the nutmeg is the secret ingredient!
Nutmeg is definitely a great addition! I’m so happy you both love them, Mary!
You forgot to put the nutmeg in the directions So I just added it in with the cinnamon
Delicious! People loved them. Would this recipe work in a pan for bar cookies?