Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies

These are the best chewy oatmeal cookies because they are made with only the freshest and tastiest ingredients. Just look at them and you can see all the different textures that work together to produce unforgettable apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies.

Apples are a quintessential fall dessert and these oatmeal apple cookies stand out among the legions of other fall apple desserts. If you have a bunch of apples to use up, these cookies are my go-to along with other favorites like French apple pie or cinnamon apple Hello Dolly bars.

Why You'll Love These Healthy Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Rolled oats - give these apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies a boost of fiber.

Dairy-free - no milk in sight!

No eggs - the almond butter holds them together

No refined sugar - they are sweetened with pure maple syrup and unsweetened applesauce

Absolutely no flour - so they are naturally gluten-free when using gluten-free rolled oats

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for these chewy and soft oatmeal apple cookies:

• Almond butter
• Pure maple syrup
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Pure vanilla extract
• Apples
• Ground cinnamon
• Oats
• Pecans or walnuts
• Bacon
• Salt

Best Oats for Cookies

Old-fashioned rolled oats are best for making oatmeal cookies.

Quick-cooking or instant oats will not give the same chewy, nutty texture because they are thinner and smaller in size.

Steel-cut oats have a crunchy texture of grain (like rice) and take much longer to soften so they are not good for cookies.

Best Apples for Cookies

Any baking apple is great for these cookies. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Jonagold, or Pink Lady are good choices.

How to Make Apple Oatmeal Cookies

So how easy are these maple apple oatmeal cookies? Super easy, taking only 10 minutes from prepping to oven and no mixer needed. And since you use parchment paper to line the cookie sheets, cleanup is a breeze. That's a win-win in my book.

1. In a medium bowl, place almond butter, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
2. Stir until well combined.
3. Peel and seed an apple and dice into small pieces. Sprinkle with cinnamon and stir to coat.
4. In a large bowl, place oats, chopped bacon, pecans, and cinnamon apples.
5. Mix well.
6. Add the wet and dry ingredients together.

7. It will be a stiff mixture but stir until the ingredients are all moist and evenly distributed.
8. You should be able to form a ball with the dough and have it stick together.
9. Using a medium cookie scoop, drop balls of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. (This makes cleanup a breeze!)
10. Flatten with the bottom of a glass, a measuring cup, or even easier, your fingers.
11. Once flattened they are ready to bake.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Let them cool completely on the cookie sheet.

Once cool, enjoy these little healthy bites of deliciousness with milk, a cup of coffee, or even orange juice for a quick pick-me-up at breakfast, after a workout, or at snack time.

Recipe Tips

• Chop the apples into tiny pieces to help evenly distribute them in the cookies.
• Be sure to cook the bacon until crispy and chop it into small bits.
• Use a cookie scoop to evenly portion out the cookie dough.

Recipe Variations

• Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - Substitute the pecans with raisins.
• Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies - Substitute half of the maple syrup with brown sugar.
• Apple Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies - Substitute the almond butter with peanut butter.
• Oatmeal Apple Chocolate Chip Cookies - Substitute the pecans with chocolate chips.
• Vegan Apple Oatmeal Cookies - Omit the bacon.

How to Store These Oatmeal Cookies

Store the cookies in an airtight container or plastic zip-top bag.

Because the cookies contain bacon they need to be stored in the refrigerator. Bacon can go rancid at room temperature. They will last up to 5 days in the fridge. However, I have kept them on the counter in my house, which I keep cool, for 3 days and they've been fine.

How to Freeze Apple Oatmeal Cookie Dough

Prepare the cookies as directed all the way up to pressing the dough portions on baking sheets. Instead of baking, put them in the freezer.

Once the cookie dough portions are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, you can bake them from frozen. You'll need to add 1 to 2 extra minutes of baking time.

How to Freeze Baked Oatmeal Apple Cookies

Once the cookies have cooled completely, place them in a plastic freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container with a piece of parchment paper between each layer of cookies.

To thaw, place them on the counter for a few hours or until they come to room temperature. You can also thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions About Oatmeal Cookies

More Delicious Cookies

• Apple Crisp Bars have an oatmeal crust, fresh apple filling, and caramel drizzle.
• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies are soft and chewy.
• Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies with chia seeds, chocolate chips, and pecans.
• Key Lime Cookies are made with key lime juice and coated with powdered sugar.
• Peanut Butter Banana Cookies topped with a chocolate drizzle.

Find lots more cookie recipes here on 2CM!