apple oatmeal cookies

Apple Oatmeal Cookies combine delicious fall apples with chewy oatmeal cookies in an explosion of fall flavor! These oatmeal cookies are chewy and spiced, full of apple butter, tender apple pieces, and toasted pecans. Top them with an apple cider glaze for fall bliss!

this recipe

Why you’ll love these Apple Oatmeal Cookies:

• Chewy Cookies – These oatmeal cookies are chewy – not cakey – with crisp edges! Using only egg yolks (no egg whites) keeps them chewy, even though we are adding extra moisture from the apples and apple butter.
• Three Times the Apple Flavor – We’re adding apple flavor in the form of fresh, diced apples, apple butter, and apple cider in the glaze!
• No Chill Recipe – These quick cookies are no chill!

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).

• Butter – I always use salted butter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
• All-purpose Flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
• Oats – We’re starting with old-fashioned oats for, then pulsing 2/3 of them in the food processor to break them down. This prevents an unpleasantly chewy texture in your oatmeal cookies that can happen with three full cups of whole oat pieces. Breaking down some of the oats creates a beautiful texture while still being a true oatmeal raisin cookie. Do not use steel cut oats! They are very different and won’t work in this recipe.
• Dark Brown Sugar – Dark brown sugar adds extra depth of flavor – I highly recommend using it! It’s a wonderful addition to most cookie recipes in place of light brown sugar.
• Spices – Naturally we’re using cinnamon, but I find that a bit of nutmeg and a pinch of cloves add a beautiful depth of flavor to this recipe.
• Apple Butter – You can find this with the jams at some grocery stores, but you’re most likely to find it at your local orchard or at a specialty grocery store. No, it’s not the same as applesauce, and yes your cookies will have way too much liquid to bake properly if you substitute applesauce.
• Fresh Apples – Use a firm apple here – any apple that’s good for baking will work! I personally like honeycrisp the best. Don’t use McIntosh – they’re too soft and aren’t a good baking apple – save them for homemade applesauce!
• Boiled Apple Cider – You can purchase boiled cider online (or possibly at a local orchard – try calling ahead to see if they carry it). Just be sure the only ingredient is apple cider. If you can’t get your hands on this, you can make your own by reducing down apple cider (see my post on Caramel Apple Cider Cookies for how to do this), or you can simply use a few tablespoons of plain apple cider but the flavor will not be as strong. Do not use apple cider vinegar – this is, as the name implies, vinegar and not the same as the apple cider you’d drink. 
• Pecans – Toasted pecans add a delightful burst of flavor and crunchy texture! You can omit them, or use walnuts, if needed.

Recipe Substitutions & Variations:

• Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this recipe.
• Dairy-free – I think this recipe would work just fine with your favorite, trusted, brand of dairy-free butter.
• Apple Butter – If you can’t get your hands on any apple butter, you’ll have to omit it and revert back to using two full eggs in the recipe.

How to Make this Apple Oatmeal Cookie Recipe:

Step 1: Toast your Pecans (if using). Chop your pecans roughly and add to a nonstick pan over low heat. Stir frequently, keeping a close watch as they can burn quickly. Toast for 3-5 minutes, until nuts have darkened in color and have a strong, fragrant smell. Set aside to cool completely.

Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough. Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer. Beat in the sugars, then the eggs, apple butter, and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients last, then the toasted pecans and diced apples.

Step 3: Scoop & Bake the Cookies. Scoop cookie dough balls 65 grams in size. Place about 5 cookies on each cookie sheet, and bake one cookie sheet at a time for 10-13 minutes. Cookies will appear just set.

They may be very ugly shapes right out of the oven – never fear! Immediately place a round cutter around the outside of each cookie and swirl the cookie within it to “scoot” them into perfect circles.

Step 4: Make the Glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, boiled apple cider (see ingredient notes) and water, in a small bowl. Drizzle over cookies.

Serving + Storing:

Once your chewy apple oatmeal cookies are glazed, dig in! These keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours, but longer than that and I recommend refrigerating due to the moisture in the apples and the glaze.

Expert Baking Tips:

• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
• Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• Food Processor – You’ll need a food processor to pulse the oats. Or, you’ll need to buy quick oats and whole rolled oats.

More Apple Recipes to Love:

• Apple Pie Cupcakes
• Caramel Apple Cake
• Apple Pie Cheesecake
• Apple Fritters with Apple Cider Glaze
• Salted Caramel Apple Galette
• Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
• Caramel Apple Crumb Cake
• Caramelized Cinnamon Apple Waffles

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