What's better than a soft, chewy oatmeal cookie? These delicious fall-inspired Apple Oatmeal Cookies! Ready in just 30 minutes, these cookies are easy to make and on the healthy side with whole grain oats, apples, applesauce, and nuts! They're sweetened with maple syrup and have warm notes of salty bacon mixed in.
These Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies are sweet enough for snack time and healthy enough for breakfast! Better yet, they're delightfully dairy-free and gluten-free with no refined sugar.
Table of Contents
- Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
- Why You'll Love These Healthy Apple Oatmeal Cookies
- Ingredients
- Best Oats for Cookies
- Best Apples for Cookies
- How to Make Apple Oatmeal Cookies
- Recipe Tips
- Recipe Variations
- How to Store These Oatmeal Cookies
- How to Freeze Apple Oatmeal Cookie Dough
- How to Freeze Baked Oatmeal Apple Cookies
- Frequently Asked Questions About Oatmeal Cookies
- More Delicious 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.
- In a medium bowl, place almond butter, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
- Stir until well combined.
- Peel and seed an apple and dice into small pieces. Sprinkle with cinnamon and stir to coat.
- In a large bowl, place oats, chopped bacon, pecans, and cinnamon apples.
- Mix well.
- Add the wet and dry ingredients together.
- It will be a stiff mixture but stir until the ingredients are all moist and evenly distributed.
- You should be able to form a ball with the dough and have it stick together.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, drop balls of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. (This makes cleanup a breeze!)
- Flatten with the bottom of a glass, a measuring cup, or even easier, your fingers.
- Once flattened they are ready to bake.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Let them cool completely on the cookie sheet.
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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
Oatmeal cookies have more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than cookies without oats. Applesauce is also good for you because it contains vitamin C and antioxidants. They have healthy properties, but they should still be treated like the dessert that they are.
While oatmeal cookies have some healthy aspects, they contain sugar (or sweeteners) and carbohydrates which should be consumed in moderation.
It depends on the ingredients in the cookies. This particular recipe is when using gluten-free oats. However, some cookies will not be gluten-free if they contain regular flour like all-purpose or whole wheat.
It depends on the ingredients in the cookies. Oatmeal cookies with eggs, dairy products, or honey are not vegan.
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!
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Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond butter
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup apples peeled and diced small
- 1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup pecans, chopped (almonds can also be used)
- 4 slices bacon cooked & crumbled (about ½ cup)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients, stirring well.
- In a medium bowl, toss apples with cinnamon.
- Add remaining ingredients with cinnamon apples and mix well.
- Combine with liquid ingredients until mixture sticks together when squeezed into a ball.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough and place on prepared cookie sheets. Press down to flatten slightly. You want about a 2" round cookie.
- Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheets.
- Store in an airtight container on the counter for 3 days (if your house is cool) or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- 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.
Want to save this recipe?
I'll email this recipe to you & you can come back to it when you're ready. Plus you'll get delicious seasonal recipes from me a couple times a month!
Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos and step-by-step directions. It was first published on February 11, 2018.
Allison Swain says
I like to ground them up into a flour, and then use that to make pancakes.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Linda Warren says
Oh, I love that idea! I bet those are some delicious pancakes!
carol clark says
i like them with sugar and butter with strawberry jam mixed in and some toast with oj
Linda Warren says
I've never tried strawberry jam mixed in that sounds fantastic!
julie l. says
i love it with some brown sugar and cream. yummm!
Linda Warren says
Double yum!
Kay Z says
I love to make my own granola with Quaker oats. I add almonds, wheat germ, honey and after baking mix in chopped dried apricots, raisins & cranberries! Pperfect for snacking or tossing on greek yogurt!
Linda Warren says
I love the addition of dried apricots and cranberries after baking! Yum!
Anne says
I like it hot in the morning with honey and blueberries.
Linda Warren says
That sounds like a great way to start the day!
Kayte CookWatts says
My boyfriend's grandma used to make chocolate chip oatmeal cookies so that's the "proper" way to make cookies around here! I also love hot oatmeal with pumpkin pie filling and coconut milk.
Linda Warren says
Well I think Grandma knew what she was doing. Sounds like my kind of cookie! Now I've got to try the pumpkin pie filling with oatmeal 'cause i can't stop thinking about it. 🙂
Susan Christy says
My favorite way to eat Quaker Oats is in no bake cookies.
Linda Warren says
Best kind of cookie to make around here in the summer!
Jennifer Wright says
I love making my grandmother's oatmeal cookie recipe with them.
Linda Warren says
Go Grandma! Hers are always the best!
laura bernard says
With strawberries and sharing with my toddler!
Linda Warren says
You're such a good mom - sharing all that yumminess with your little one.
Kristen says
I like making oatmeal cookies with white chips and dried cranberries.
Linda Warren says
Oh, I'm going to have to try white chocolate in them, that sounds awesome!
Kristen Brooks says
I love quick oats with maple sugar and dried cranberries!
Linda Warren says
I love the idea of adding cranberries to quick oats. I think they'd be great in these cookies too!
Natalie J Vandenberghe says
One of my favorite desserts is a cranberry cheesecake square/bar; the crust is made with oatmeal (I always have plenty of oatmeal in the pantry, because we use it often)
Linda Warren says
What a fantastic idea! I bet that oatmeal crust is perfectly crunchy to go with creamy cheesecake.
Tina says
It's been awhile since I made oatmeal cookies. I do love them though, they are perfect with my afternoon tea. Yours looks amazing. Thanks for this!
Linda Warren says
Thanks Tina! They would be great with a cup of tea.
Lynne says
I love to eat them topped with banana's and maple syrup.
Linda Warren says
Yum! That would make them decadently delicious!
Mel says
I absolutely love oatmeal cookies, and I love the fact yours are allergy-friendly! When my little one was diagnosed with allergies to eggs, wheat and nuts, I had no idea where to start when it came to baking, and recipes like yours would have helped so much!
Linda Warren says
I know all about all those allergies and finding good recipes. I hope you get to try these and that your little one enjoys them.
Chris says
There cookies look SO delish!! I can see me making a huge batch of these and eating the entire lot!
Linda Warren says
Believe me, it would be easy to do! I had 3 for breakfast just this morning. lol
Aaron says
My favorite way to eat Quaker Oats is as cookies!
Linda Warren says
YES! I have to agree, it's one of my favorite ways to eat them too.
Jessica says
No-bake oatmeal cookies are my favorite!
Linda Warren says
I love no-bake cookies too especially here in Florida in the summer.
Tim says
Oatmeal scotchies are my favorite way to use them, but on a cold morning, a warm bowl of oatmeal is great too.
Linda Warren says
Oh butterscotch and oatmeal sounds like a match made in heaven!
HS says
I love Quaker Oats with fresh berries.
Linda Warren says
Yum, I bet berries would work in these cookies too!
Annemarie says
Homemade oatmeal cookies are the best! I love the apple in these.
Linda Warren says
I agree, homemade is always the best! And it's hard to beat cinnamon apples!
Dandi D says
I like to make chocolate oatmeal with peanut butter in it!
Linda Warren says
Nothing better than chocolate and peanut butter together!
Michelle C says
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are my favorite!
Linda Warren says
Oh, I love those too!
manda says
With cooked apples, cinnamon and honey.
Linda Warren says
Anything with apples and cinnamon has got to be good. Yum!
Christina says
I love to make protein oat balls!
Linda Warren says
Me too! Such handy little treats to give us that boost we need.