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.
Lynda Del says
I like my oatmeal with some condensed milk, cut up bananas, and a sprinkle of cocoa powder! Yumm!!
Linda Warren says
Chocolate oatmeal - yum! That would be so yummy, like having dessert for breakfast!
Sue D says
My favorite way is oatmeal for breakfast. Sometimes I make it the night before by soaking the oats in milk and I add walnuts and flaxseed.
CW says
in a bowl of stove top cooked oatmeal
michelle warner says
my favorite way to eat oats is when i make no bake chocolate peanut butter cookies, oh my they are amazing and melt in your mouth.
Linda Warren says
Oh, I've got to try those cookies. They sound mouth watering!
Fred says
I enjoy Quaker Oats in meatloaf and use it to replace breadcrumbs. Great way to get whole grains into my diet.
Linda Warren says
Great idea and a lot healthier and it makes the meatloaf gluten-free too. I use a recipe like that when my daughter comes to visit.
dana says
As breakfast - either warm or cooked in a muffin
Jamie says
These look amazing!! I love my Quaker Oats for breakfast with fruit on top. 🙂
Linda Warren says
Me too! Always!
Heather Ratliff says
My daughter and I like hot oatmeal with brown sugar & cinnamon mixed in.
Linda Warren says
You're a smart mom to get your daughter eating such a healthy breakfast.
Kitty says
I love Quaker oats with cinnamon and raisins!
Rosemary Oestreich says
I love cinnamon and sugar in my oatmeal.
Valri Western says
I love eating overnight oats every day as my mid-morning snack! My daughter gave me the recipe and I love being creative with it!
Linda Warren says
Your daughter is a smart woman! Overnight oats is a great mid-morning or afternoon snack.
Cynthia Seeberger says
I love making flourless cookie bites with oats and protein!
Linda Warren says
This sounds like my kind of recipe - yum!
Debi Jenkins says
Yummy
Vicki Hancock says
I love Quaker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies!
Linda Warren says
Those sound delicious! I think I've got 100 new ways to use my Quaker Oats and they all sound delicious!
Noemi Mondragon says
Oatmeal cookies are so good!
Shawnda says
Warm oatmeal with blueberries and honey in the morning.
Judith Juhl says
In an oatmeal cookie!
Bonnie Wemyss says
The recipe sounds delicious! I love my Quaker Oats!
Karla Aycock says
I love using Quaker Oats to make baked oatmeal! I batch make them in cupcake cups and have them on hand for a quick & easy grab and go breakfast each morning!
Linda Warren says
What a great idea! Always in need of that grab-n-go breakfast.
Lisa says
I love to make protein balls but I also love a bowl of hot oatmeal in the morning!
Linda Warren says
Ah, a woman after my own heart. Love oatmeal in protein balls. Such a great way to get that extra boost when you need it.
AC says
I'm pretty basic... so I like Quaker Oatmeal. But like the flavored ones... brown sugar, apple cinnamon. The little packets that you just add water to. Yup, those are my go to! lol
Linda Warren says
I know! Aren't those just the most delicious combos. It's almost like having dessert for breakfast! lol
DAVID says
Just eat alone
Karen Adams says
Homemade Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Linda Warren says
I'm coming to your house. 🙂
Jeane Campbell says
My "to go" breakfast is my Quaker Oatmeal w/ brown sugar. Just like I had it when I was a kid.. and that was a long time ago. And a book to read while enjoying the morning.
Linda Warren says
Sounds like a great way to start the morning!
Dina Lindquist says
I love my oats for breakfast with fresh fruit, crushed flax seeds and a few walnuts.
Linda Warren says
Just the way I like mine too!