Name: Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled); 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 3/4 cups (175 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats; 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter (softened); 1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar (packed); 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar; 1 large egg (at room temperature); 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 cup (120 grams) chopped apple

If you’re on the hunt for a cozy, delicious treat that combines the warmth of fall spices with the hearty chewiness of oats and fresh apples, then this Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe is exactly what you need. I absolutely love how these cookies turn out—soft, thick, and bursting with tender apple bits in every bite. Whether you’re baking for yourself, your family, or friends, you’ll find that this recipe is super easy to follow and yields a crowd-pleaser every time. Stick around, because I’m going to share all my tips and tricks to make sure your cookies come out perfect!

❤️

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect texture: These cookies strike an incredible balance between soft and chewy with just the right amount of thickness.
Simple ingredients: Made with pantry staples and fresh apples, no fancy or hard-to-find ingredients needed.
Burst of fresh apple: Each bite has little pockets of juicy, tender apple that make these cookies truly unique.
Family favorite: This recipe always gets rave reviews at home, perfect for school snacks or after-dinner treats.

The image shows a close-up of a group of oatmeal cookies with small pieces of apple mixed in. Each cookie is round and thick, with a rough texture from the oats and visible chunks of pale yellow apple spread throughout. The cookies are piled together in a round baking dish lined with brown parchment paper. The background is a white marbled texture with a striped cloth lightly showing. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Apple Oatmeal Cookies, apple oatmeal cookies, fall spice cookies, hearty apple cookies, soft chewy oatmeal cookies

Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of this Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe is in how these simple ingredients work together. The oats provide chewiness, apples add moisture and sweetness, and the warm spices bring everything together beautifully. When shopping, I find it helps to pick firm, crisp apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji—they hold up well and won’t turn mushy during baking.

Flat lay of chopped fresh apples with their red and green skin, a neat pile of old-fashioned rolled oats, a small mound of light brown sugar, a stick of unsalted butter softened with a smooth texture, a scattering of ground cinnamon and nutmeg powders creating warm earthy tones, a single fresh egg with a clean shell, and a small glass bottle of vanilla extract, all beautifully arranged on a white marble surface, photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Apple Oatmeal Cookies, apple oatmeal cookies, fall spice cookies, hearty apple cookies, soft chewy oatmeal cookies

All-purpose flour: Use spooned and leveled flour for accurate measurement to keep cookies from turning too dense.
Ground cinnamon: This is the key warming spice that gives the cookies that cozy fall flavor.
Ground nutmeg: Adds subtle depth, but use sparingly—a little goes a long way.
Baking soda: Helps cookies rise just right and stay soft.
Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
Old-fashioned rolled oats: These offer a hearty chew that instant oats just can’t match.
Unsalted butter: Make sure it’s softened for creaminess—from experience, room temperature butter blends better and helps avoid dense cookies.
Light brown sugar: Packed for accuracy—brown sugar adds moisture and richness.
Granulated sugar: Balances out the brown sugar’s deep notes with a touch of crisp sweetness.
Large egg: At room temp so it mixes evenly and keeps dough tender.
Pure vanilla extract: Boosts the overall flavor complexity—fresh vanilla makes a difference!
Chopped apple: Fresh is best here—chop into small, even pieces so they bake evenly and blend into the dough.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I love that this Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe is so flexible—you can easily tweak it based on what you have or your personal preferences. Over the years, I’ve tried a few variations that turned out fantastic and I encourage you to make it your own!

Add nuts or seeds: My family goes crazy for a handful of toasted walnuts or pecans folded right into the dough for extra crunch and flavor.
Swap apples for pears: If you want a twist, diced pears work wonderfully to keep that fruitiness but add a subtle difference.
Make it gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats; I’ve done this with great success for guests with sensitivities.
Boost the spice: Add a pinch of ground cloves or ginger for more complexity in fall-inspired versions.

How to Make Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients

Start by whisking together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until they’re well combined. Then, stir in the oats. This helps evenly distribute the spices and leavening among the oats so every cookie bakes with consistent flavor and texture. Don’t skip the whisking—it makes a noticeable difference in the final cookie.

Step 2: Cream butter and sugars

Use a handheld mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment to beat softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes. What you’re aiming for is a smooth, fluffy mixture where the sugars start to dissolve into the butter—this sets you up for tender, moist cookies. A quick tip from experience: stopping a couple of times to scrape down the bowl sides ensures even mixing.

Step 3: Add egg and vanilla

Next, mix in your room-temperature egg and pure vanilla extract. These add moisture and depth of flavor. Something I learned the hard way is that cold eggs can cause the butter to seize and the dough to look curdled—so let that egg sit out for a bit before mixing.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry ingredients, fold in apples

Gently add your dry mix to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, or the cookies can become tough. Finally, fold in the chopped apples with a spatula, making sure the pieces are distributed evenly. I find gently folding helps keep the apples from getting mushy before baking.

Step 5: Scoop and bake

Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, place rounded balls of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart—they spread just enough to stay thick but not merge. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 12 to 15 minutes until the tops are set but not browned. Watch closely near the end—the cookies continue cooking on the sheet as they cool, so pulling them out at the right time is key to that perfect soft texture.

Step 6: Cool before enjoying

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes after baking, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. I know it’s tempting, but letting them cool helps the structure set so they don’t crumble when you pick them up. Trust me—it’s worth the wait!

👨‍🍳

Pro Tips for Making Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Use fresh, crisp apples: Softer apples can turn soggy, so I stick to firm apples like Honeycrisp for texture and flavor.
Don’t overmix the dough: Gentle folding keeps the cookies tender, preventing tough or dry results.
Chill the dough optionally: If you have time, chilling for 30 minutes gives the cookies a thicker shape and deeper flavor.
Watch your bake time: They look soft when underbaked but will set as they cool, so err on the side of slightly underbaked to keep them soft.

How to Serve Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

A stack of six brown oatmeal cookies with visible small chunks of yellow apple pieces sits in the center of a metal pan lined with parchment paper. The cookies have a rough texture with oats and apple chunks spread throughout. One cookie lies broken on a white marbled surface in the front left of the image. In the blurred background, there is a green apple and a peach on the right side, and an out-of-focus glass bottle of milk on the left side. The background wall has white subway tiles. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Apple Oatmeal Cookies, apple oatmeal cookies, fall spice cookies, hearty apple cookies, soft chewy oatmeal cookies

Garnishes

I like to sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top right out of the oven sometimes—it adds a lovely contrast and really highlights the sweetness of the apples and brown sugar. Plainly, these cookies are fantastic on their own, but a dusting of powdered sugar can make them extra pretty for a special occasion.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair beautifully with a cup of hot chai tea or a latte for a cozy afternoon snack. If serving for breakfast, I love pairing them with Greek yogurt or a small bowl of fresh fruit for a wholesome start.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday gatherings, arranging these cookies on a rustic wooden board with apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and nuts creates an inviting presentation. You can also stack them with a smear of cream cheese frosting or apple butter between for a fun cookie sandwich twist—my guests always ask for that at family parties!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover Apple Oatmeal Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, separated by parchment paper so they don’t stick. They stay soft and delicious for up to 4 days—if they start to dry out, a quick zap in the microwave for 10 seconds revives that fresh-baked feeling.

Freezing

I’ve frozen these cookies both before and after baking. For dough, scoop onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag—bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two. For baked cookies, freeze in a sealed container with parchment paper between layers; they thaw perfectly in just 30 minutes.

Reheating

To reheat, pop a cookie in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds or warm them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes for a fresh-out-of-the-oven feel. This little step makes a huge difference when you have leftovers!

FAQs

Can I use other types of apples for this recipe?

Absolutely! While I recommend firm apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji to keep a good texture, you can substitute with any apple you like. Just keep in mind that softer apples may break down more during baking, resulting in a different texture and moisture level in your cookies.
How do I make these cookies gluten-free?

Simply swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour blend and make sure to use certified gluten-free oats. This substitution works well and yields equally delicious results.
Can I substitute butter with a dairy-free alternative?

Yes! Use a dairy-free vegan butter or margarine with a similar fat content for the best outcome. The cookies may have a slightly different flavor profile but will still be tasty and have a lovely texture.
Why are my cookies sometimes too flat?

If your cookies fade out too flat, it could be from melted butter that was too warm or overmixing the dough. Make sure your butter is softened but not oily, and mix just until combined. Also, chilling the dough before baking helps keep them thick and puffy.

Final Thoughts

This Apple Oatmeal Cookies Recipe means a lot to me because it captures the simple comfort of home baking—the smell of cinnamon and apples fills the kitchen and immediately feels like a warm hug. Every time I bake these, my family’s excitement reminds me how food can bring people together. I hope you enjoy baking (and of course, eating!) these cookies as much as I do. Give this recipe a try—you’ll love how easy it is and how delicious they turn out. Happy baking, my friend!