Apple Oatmeal Cookies That Taste Like Fall in Every Bite

Catching Up (and Why I’ve Made These So Many Times)

Oh hey! Glad you’re here for this—Apple Oatmeal Cookies are a staple in my kitchen, especially when the weather starts acting like a yo-yo (which, let’s be honest, is most of the time in Yorkshire). I first made these on a lazy Sunday when I was supposed to do laundry but got sucked into the siren song of the oven. Frankly, it’s much more fun than pairing socks. The smell reminds me of autumn walks, leaves crunching underfoot, sort of like how my family seems to appear out of nowhere the minute the timer goes off. Funny how that works, right?

Why You’ll Love These (Even If It’s Not Apple Season)

I make this recipe when my grin needs a bit of a pick-me-up or if I’ve got an apple or two that’s looking more sad than crisp. My family goes bananas (well, apples) for these—except for my daughter, who claims she doesn’t like raisins, yet I always catch her swiping extra from the cooling rack. You can’t win. And truly, these cookies are forgiving; I forgot the cinnamon once (don’t recommend) but everyone still ate them, so there’s that.

What You’ll Need (And What I Sometimes Fudge)

• 1 1/4 cups (about 150g) plain flour; I’ve used wholewheat in a pinch, changes the texture a smidge but not the soul
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (Grandma swore by baking powder, but honestly, both work)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt—or just a generous pinch, that’s what I do
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (sometimes I go wild and sprinkle nutmeg as well)
• 110g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temp; I’ve used margarine once or twice, when I fancy a lighter taste
• 3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar, packed—the darker kind gives these a deeper molasses kick, but any will do
• 1 large egg (or 2 small if that’s all you’ve got—been there)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (honestly, any vanilla, even the fake stuff, works)
• 1 1/2 cups (130g) rolled oats, old-fashioned is best but quick oats just make them softer, which is kind of lovely
• 1 cup apple, peeled, cored, diced fairly small (Granny Smith makes them zingy; I use whatever’s in the fruit bowl though)
• 1/2 cup raisins (or sultanas—sometimes I skip these because my husband claims he’s allergic, but I know better)
• Optional: handful chopped walnuts or pecans

How I Do It (And Where I Usually Sneak a Bite)

1. First things first—preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two trays with baking paper (or just grease them; I’ve run out of parchment more than once, it’s fine).
2. In a bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. I use a fork. Works just as well as a fancy whisk.
3. In a bigger mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar till it’s kind of fluffy. Electric mixer saves time, but a wooden spoon and some elbow grease are oddly satisfying. Add egg and vanilla; beat again. If it curdles goopy, don’t stress—it sorts itself out.
4. Toss in your flour mixture. Stir until just combined (actually, I find it works better if you barely mix—overmixing leads to funky cookies, and not in a good way).
5. Dump in oats, apple, raisins, and nuts if you’re using them. This is where I usually sneak a taste and question if there’s enough cinnamon. If it looks a bit weird or stiff, that’s normal.
6. Scoop out heaping spoonfuls (or use a cookie scoop, which I only bought last year and don’t know how I lived without, but hey, spoons work).
7. Bake for 11-13 minutes, till edges are golden and centers look set-ish. Mine often come out slightly underbaked and then set up beautifully as they cool.
8. Let them rest on the tray for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack. Or just onto a plate if you don’t own a wire rack, which I didn’t for about a decade.

Notes From the Frontline (a.k.a. My Kitchen Table)

• If you want crispier edges, flatten the dough heaps a bit—discovered this by poking at them during baking once.
• Don’t use super soft apples (like Red Delicious)—they kinda dissolve and make the dough mushy. Learned the hard way!
• If you like dryer cookies, cut back on apples. But why would you?

Cookie Experiments (Mostly Hits, One Miss)

• Tried swapping raisins for cranberries once—really good, a bit tart. Choc chips? Kids cheered. Coconut flakes? Yes, but go easy.
• I once grated the apple instead of dicing—ended up more like muffiny bites (which isn’t bad, just… unexpected).
• Adding caramel chunks seemed genius till half of them well, vanished into the baking sheet. Sticky disaster, but at least the dog was happy.

Tools? Just Use What You Have

If you don’t have an electric mixer, use a wooden spoon and some muscle. I baked these at a friend’s flat once and used a wine bottle as a rolling pin substitute (not that you’re rolling dough, but you get the idea—improv is part of the fun). Cookie scoops are handy but don’t feel obliged!

Storing (But They’ll Probably Disappear First)

In an airtight tin, these are good for up to 3 days—though honestly, in my house, cookies staring openly from a container are gone faster than you can say ‘brew up’. I think they taste even better the next day (if you manage to find one).

How to Serve Them Up

These are perfect with a steaming cup of tea, or dunked in cold milk (my son swears by this combo). Sometimes I warm a couple in the microwave and scoop some vanilla ice-cream right on top. Probably not traditional but it’s our little thing. Honestly, they’re great by the handful straight form the rack, too.

Learn From My Cookie Fumbles (So You Don’t Have To)

• Don’t skip the parchment if you hate scrubbing trays. I once tried greasing with a bit too much butter and, well, had a smoky kitchen plus sticky bottoms (not in the fun way).
• Weigh your apples once diced—my first go was way too wet ‘cause I chucked in oversized pieces.
• Let them cool completely before stacking. As tempting as it is, impatience = squished cookies.

Questions I Actually Get (And Some Nobody Asked but Should Have)

Can I use instant oats?

Yeah, you can! They’ll be softer and probably a bit cake-like. Still delish, though.

Is peeling the apple essential?

I used to skip it out of pure laziness, but the peels get chewy and a bit weird. Definitely worth the extra minute.

How do you stop them sticking?

Parchment or a silicone mat—no contest. Did you know there are proper alternatives? Good to know for emergencies.

Can I freeze the dough?

For sure—scoop it, freeze flat on a tray, then bag ’em for later. Bake straight from frozen, maybe add a minute or two. Life saver for late-night cravings.

One Last Ramble

So, funny story: the first time I made these, I tried reading a blog post (this one’s pretty spot on) for tips, then went off-script and realized halfway through I’d added double oats. The result? Chewier, oatier, and everyone assumed it was intentional. That’s cookie magic for you. Try it, tweak it, and let me know how they turn out if you’re so inclined. Life’s too short to stress about perfect cookies.

★★★★★ 4.80 from 120 ratings

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

yield: 18 cookies

prep: 15 mins

cook: 12 mins

total: 27 mins

Soft and chewy apple oatmeal cookies packed with warm spices, fresh apples, and hearty oats. Perfect for a wholesome snack or dessert.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup peeled and finely diced apple

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. 2
   In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3. 3
   In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
4. 4
   Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Fold in the diced apple.
5. 5
   Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
6. 6
   Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 120cal

Protein: 2 gg

Fat: 4 gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 20 gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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