There is nothing like a warm freshly baked Soft and Chewy Apple Oatmeal Cookie. Bite into this fresh fruit cookie with sweet tart apples & toasty oats for a flavor combination you cannot resist. It is the best Fall cookie - but don't take my word for it, bake some for yourself today.
Why I love these cookies so much - just look at how pretty & cozy they look. Plus these are larger than other recipes make sure they are slightly crisp on the outside but moist on the inside. This is one of my favorite easy apple desserts to make every fall.
Like my recipe for Apple Crumb Coffee Cake, this one of my favorite ways to use up fresh apples that have softened/overripe & lost their crispness. Ok, now we bake!
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Ingredients for Apple & Oat Cookies
These are loaded with diced fresh apples - use a baking apple variety. I am using a combination of tart green Granny Smith and sweet red/green Fujis like I do in my Caramel Apple Pie Recipe. We are lucky enough to have a tree that grows both!
This version is made without nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, or cinnamon. (my son doesn't like cinnamon but you can easily add a teaspoon) See the Tips section below for more ingredient substitutions & changes.
Here are the ingredients needed to make old-fashioned apple oatmeal cookies:
- Diced Apples - peeled, cored, & small diced apples; Granny Smith, Fuji, Honeycrisp, & Golden Delicious are best.
- Rolled Oats - this variety is best for a chewy soft texture that cooks perfectly in baked goods.
- All-Purpose Flour - the basic pantry staple.
- Baking Soda - helps the cookies rise and puff up so the centers are moist and tender.
- Salt - balances the sweetness in the dessert.
- Salted Butter - softened & at room temperature
- Egg - room temperature
- Sugars - both brown sugar & granulated
- Vanilla - great compliment to apples & oats
- Nutmeg - a classic spice for any apple dessert.
See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make Apple Oatmeal Cookies
If you love big bakery-style cookies that are loaded with tons of yummy chunks - these are for you. This is a one-bowl cookie recipe that doesn't need chilling. These are fast to prep & ready in about 30 minutes.
Here are the easy steps for making Soft & Chewy Apple Oatmeal Cookies:
- Peel, Core, & Dice the Apples
- Make the Cookie Dough
- Bake & Cool
See the recipe card for full instructions.
Baking Tips for Large Cookies
This recipe makes 16 total. Each dough ball will be quite big as seen here. I only got 9 on a baking sheet at a time to bake.
The cookies will be done when the edges are just turning golden brown but the centers are still a bit gooey and underdone. Remove them from the oven & let the final cooking happen on the hot baking sheet.
Hint: Make sure let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes so they can set. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 10+ minutes before enjoying.
The cookies will look like what you see above - medium brown on the edges and bottoms. But the tops will be light and the apple chunks will be soft not dark & crunchy.
Enjoy while fresh with a cup of coffee, tea, or milk. They are great for snack, lunchbox treats, or dessert.
Storing Suggestions
Bake a double batch because they store well & last for days - if you don't gobble them up fast! Store cookies in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. Keep in a cool dry place like a pantry or cupboard.
These also freeze well for up to a month after baking. Or freeze the dough for 3 months, defrost, & bake as instructed.
Top Tips
All of these great tips are shared in the recipe card. But these are so good and important they are worth highlighting so you don't miss them.
- Dice the apples so they are uniform in size & small enough to bake evenly and cook to soften.
- NOTE: This recipe makes 16 large cookies, not dozens like most cookie recipes but it doubles & triples easily if you need big batches for a crowd.
- Try mix-ins or varieties; stir in ½ cup raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped nuts. Baking time is the same but you'll get about 18-20 cookies instead.
- Substituting apple sauce for the real apple chunks isn't recommended - use applesauce instead for baking a batch of my Easy Applesauce Muffins.
- I have not tried gluten-free flour - If you are looking for a gluten-free fruit dessert try my recipe for Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler.
- These cookies are great to serve for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Hanukkah, whenever you need a last minute autumn or winter holiday dessert.
FAQ
This recipe uses rolled oats for the classic chewy texture that quick oats cannot give. Steel cut is whole grain unprocessed which will be chewy but not soften or cook down in the cookies. Try them in my recipe for Berry Crisp with Steel Cut Oats.
Yes, you can make them 1 tablespoon each. Still bake at 350°F but for only 9-10 minutes. Do not over bake, let them rest 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to the cooling rack.
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Soft & Chewy Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature/soft (1 stick)
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup diced apples peeled & cored
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prep the apples by peeling, coring, & dicing into small chunks. Make them similar in size each about the size of your pinky fingernail.
- In a large mixing bowl add the softened butter and both sugars. Cream together using a hand mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes - needs to be light and fluffy.½ cup salted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla - mix on medium speed for 1 minute to incorporate.1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, & salt to the wet ingredients. Mix on low until combined - scraping down the sides as needed with a rubber spatula.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Add the oats and apples - use the spatula to fold into the dough.1 cup rolled oats, 1 cup diced apples
- Roll 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or sprayed with nonstick spray. Repeat and place dough balls 2 inches apart - I got 9 cookies on a standard baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Do not over bake - they will be still slightly soft in the center but the bottoms and some edges will be golden brown.NOTE: all ovens vary so adjust the time accordingly as needed or try a single test cookie first.
- Remove from oven and let the cookies rest for 2 minutes on the baking sheet. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely - 10+ minutes more.
- Cookies will be soft on the inside even when cool. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure the apple chunks are the same size so they bake evenly.
- The best tart & sweet combo varieties for baking include Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, & Honeycrisp apples.
- Do NOT cook them any longer or they will be hard, dry, & crunchy - not soft & chewy. NOTE: all ovens will cook differently so remove them while the very center is still soft but not raw/jiggly.
- Stir in ½ cup nuts, raisins, craisins, etc for a different variety.
- Place cookies in a container with an air-tight lid. Store in a cool dry place for up to 5 days.
- Freeze dough for up to 3 months or baked cookies for up to a month.
Nutrition
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Beverly says
These cookies look so yummy. Congratulations, you are being featured on WWBH. I hope you stop by. https://eclecticredbarn.blogspot.com/2025/12/all-about-cookies-on-wwbh.html
Hugs,
Bev
Angela says
Great, thank you!