Apple Cookies

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!

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 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.

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.

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.

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