Apple Oatmeal Cookies

These Apple Oatmeal Cookies are a deliciously chewy, healthy cookie loaded with all the fall flavors of oats, fresh apples, and cinnamon!

Making homemade healthy versions of my favorite treats is a great way to control what goes into my recipes and what goes into my kids! These super simple cookies, as well as healthier chocolate chip cookies and healthy gluten free brownies, are some of the best healthy recipes to have on hand, especially during the holidays when we’re surrounded by all the decadence!

Favorite Fall Cookies

These soft Apple Oatmeal cookies are a perfect breakfast cookie, like these Pumpkin Oatmeal cookies, that you can feel good about indulging in when your sweet tooth is calling! They’re a super healthy treat to have whether first thing in the morning to keep you fueled for hours, an afternoon pick me up when the cravings hit. I think my favorite way is to have them as a dessert in the evening with a cozy cup of tea.

Having these tasty treats available as healthy snacks makes it so much easier not to grab the junk, which is great for the kids!

These healthy cookies are made with diced apples, cinnamon, oatmeal, all combined to make an easy, delicious and nutritious chewy cookie. It comes together so easily and is full of fiber and other nutrients. They can easily be made with no egg, vegan, and gluten free with simple swaps. The essence of fall can be found in each of these delicious treats, so be sure to keep this recipe on hand all season long!

Why We Love This Recipe

·      Wholesome and nutritious ingredients make this a healthy choice without sacrificing comfort and taste.

·      Quick and easy and come together in under 30 minutes (not including chill time!).

·      They’re a versatile cookie that can be eaten for breakfast, snack or dessert.

·      Freezer-friendly so you should make lots and keep some frozen for later.

·      Kids love the apple pie flavor and the soft, chewy texture.

·      The perfect addition to a holiday dessert tray because they’re always a hit with any crowd!

·      Similar to healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, another noteworthy family favorite!

Ingredients/Shopping List

Old-fashioned oats – Measured correctly. If using gluten-free make sure to check that they are certified

All Purpose Flour – Spooned and leveled. Baking is a science and too much or too little flour can change the texture. Use whole wheat flour if desired

Brown Sugar – Can use white sugar, agave, honey, or maple syrup as well.

Applesauce – unsweetened all natural is best.

Vanilla extract – A delicious flavor addition to all sorts of baking recipes.

Baking soda – Helps give the cookies a nice rise and a lighter texture.

Butter – You can use coconut oil instead, if you’d prefer. Melted slightly.

Ground cinnamon – A major player in any apple pie flavor, a warming spice very common in many fall recipes.

Salt – Rounds out the flavors and enhances the other ingredients.

Apples – Finely diced. Honeycrisp apples are my favorite but macintosh, Cortland or even granny smith work nicely in a baked cookie.

How to Make These Cookies

There is about 30 minute of chill time and only 15 minutes in the oven which helps give it the soft, chewy texture we want!

Step 1: In a medium skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter and add the diced apples. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes until apples get a little soft.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Step 4: In a separate large bowl, beat together the remaining butter, applesauce, brown sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed.

Step 4: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the diced, cooked apples. Chill for 10-15 minutes.

Step 5: Drop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet using a cookie scoop, lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat and gently press them with the bottom of a glass or back of a spoon then bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until golden brown.

Step 5: Allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy!

Variations & Substitutions

1.    For gluten-free cookies use a gluten-free all purpose flour and make sure oats are certified gluten-free.

2.    Substitute a pre-made apple pie spice blend for convenience and the added hint of ginger and nutmeg.

3.    Use one large egg in place of the applesauce or substitute with a “flax egg” which is a mixture of flax seed and water.

4.    Granny Smith apples will also work in place of the red apples to give it a bit more of a tart flavor.

5. Swap the real butter for vegan butter if preferred.

6. Substitute stevia or other sweetener of your choice in place of the sugar. Use this helpful Stevia conversion calculator if necessary.

Tips

·      Make sure you measure both the oatmeal and flour correctly according to the instructions. Anything outside of that could end in crummy results. Using a kitchen scale is your best bet!

·      Dice the apples to a fine size. If you leave them too large, they will overpower the cookie not leaving any room for anything else. It makes a nicer bite, as well as a better looking cookie to have flecks of apple pieces showing up rather than big apple chunks.

·      Don’t skip the chill time! When you place chilled dough in the oven it takes longer for it to melt, which means that it warms up slowly keeping everything nice and thick. If you don’t chill, it will warm up too quickly and spread too much leaving you with larger thinner cookies that are crispier in texture.

·      Serve with tea, hot cider, cold milk, yogurt, and yes, even ice cream!

FAQs

Try these other cookie recipes too:

Molasses Cookies

Peanut Butter Honey Cookies

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Raspberry Pecan Pinwheel Cookies