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Packed with pieces of fresh apples, chewy oats, and loaded with cinnamon, these Apple Oatmeal Cookies are a fun fall twist on classic oatmeal cookies. Don’t forget a drizzle of sweet vanilla icing!

Thick, soft, and chewy Apple Oatmeal Cookies with vanilla icing drizzled on top

This healthy recipe for apple oatmeal cookies is coming to you from the Big Apple as I eat my way through New York City.

Right before we left, I baked a final batch of apple oatmeal cookies, responsibly sent it to work with Ben…then called his desk two hours later to ask him to steal back a few for the plane.

I called too late. By 9:15 a.m. the entire container of fluffy, cinnamon-spiced, and chewy apple oatmeal cookies had vanished. (Fun fact: his office also devoured this Apple Coffee Cake.)

Lesson learned. When traveling, secure your apple oatmeal cookies supply before that of your neighbor. Or is that the oxygen mask?

overhead photo of Thick and chewy Healthy Apple Oatmeal Cookies with vanilla glaze sitting beside cinnamon sticks and fresh apples

5 Star Review

“Just made these for my toddler! She gobbled them up (and so did my husband!). Doubling the batch next time.”

— Elizabeth —

How to Make Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Whether you are looking for a healthy lunchbox treat for your kids, a sensible snack to pack yourself for work, or a way to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping your diet in check, these wholesome apple oatmeal cookies are here for you (as are my Healthy Oatmeal Cookie). If you’re looking for a classic, turn to my Oatmeal Cookies.

They’re sweet enough for dessert but healthy enough to double as a snack or even breakfast on the go. (These Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats are a great grab-and-go breakfast too!)


The Ingredients

  • Quick Oats. I recommend quick oats over rolled oats, as the rolled oats will have a much firmer texture that is harder to chew.
  • Whole Wheat Flour. Makes these cookies 100% whole grain and adds additional fiber, iron, and other vitamins to these cookies. (This Apple Bread is another whole grain apple favorite.)
  • Honey. You won’t find any refined sugar in these “healthy” cookies. Instead, I use honey as a natural sweetener in these apple oatmeal cookies.
  • Apples. Any firm, sweet apple will work great in these cookies. Honeycrisp, Gala, and Fuji are all excellent options. (Try making Apple Chips for more pure apple goodness.)
  • Cinnamon + Nutmeg. The perfect combo of seasonal spices that pairs beautifully with apples and oats.
  • Butter. Flavors the cookies, adds moisture, and makes them tender and chewy at the same time.
  • Eggs. Provides structure and binds the cookies together.
  • Vanilla. Enhances the cinnamon and nutty oatmeal flavors.
  • Powdered Sugar. Mixed simply with a little milk and vanilla to make the easiest vanilla glaze to drizzle over the cookies. Optional but highly recommended. (I use a similar glaze on these Pumpkin Scones).
The BEST Healthy Apple Oatmeal Cookies drizzled with sweet icing beside a pair of cinnamon sticks

The Directions

  1. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
  2. In a separate bowl, melt the butter. Cool, and add the egg and vanilla.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Then, fold in the diced apples.
  4. Chill the dough in the refrigerator.
  5. Bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven until the edges of the cookies appear dry and barely begin to brown. Remove.
  6. While the cookies cool, prepare the glaze.
  7. Drizzle the icing over the cookies. ENJOY!

Storage Tips

  • To Store. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  • To Freeze. Bake cookies may be wrapped tightly in plastic and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months.
naturally-sweetened Apple Oatmeal Cookies made with fresh apple and quick oats beside cinnamon sticks and apples on parchment paper

Recommended Tools

Words of wisdom: if you decide to bake these apple oatmeal cookies, don’t send a batch to work with your husband and expect to have any leftovers!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Nuts be Added to Apple Oatmeal Cookies?

Yes! For a little crunch, add up to 1/2 cup of walnuts or pecans to these oatmeal cookies with fresh apple.

Can I Use Rolled Oats Instead of Quick Oats?

Yes. However, the texture of these cookies will be chewier. I like to use quick oats because they yield a slightly softer cookie.

Can These Apple Oatmeal Cookies be Made Gluten Free?

I have not tried making these cookies gluten free, so it would be an experiment. If you choose to try it, I recommend swapping the whole wheat flour of a 1-to-1 gluten free baking blend and purchasing certified gluten free oats (check your labels). (Or try this Gluten Free Apple Crisp!)

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

4.74 from 23 votes
Healthy apple oatmeal cookies naturally sweetened with honey and made with whole wheat flour. Perfect fall cookie recipe with fresh apples.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 55 minutes

Servings: 12 -14 cookies

Ingredients
  

FOR THE APPLE OATMEAL COOKIES:

  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats I recommend quick oats over rolled oats, as the rolled oats will have a much firmer texture that is harder to chew
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or substitute white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder I recommend aluminum-free
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup honey or substitute pure maple syrup
  • 1 medium firm sweet apple (such as a Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji), peeled, cored, and diced into small pieces (about 1 cup)

FOR THE GLAZE:


Instructions
 

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
  • In a small, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter. Let cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the vanilla extract and egg. Once smooth, whisk in the honey until well combined.
  • Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet ingredients. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir just until the ingredients are combined and the flour disappears (do not over mix). Fold in the diced apples.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the dough to firm slightly.
  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat. With a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the dough by generous tablespoons, then shape into slightly flattened balls. Arrange the cookies 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the edges of the cookies appear dry and barely begin to brown. Let rest on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • While the cookies cool, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of milk. Continue adding milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over the cookies, let set for a few minutes, then enjoy!

Notes

  • TO STORE: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  • TO FREEZE: Bake cookies may be wrapped tightly in plastic and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 12) without glazeCalories: 126kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 56mgPotassium: 133mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 90IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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30 Comments

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  1. I’ve made these twice now and they are fantastic! I made them without the icing and they really didn’t need them. They smelled divine baking in the oven. I brought them to work and they were gone in minutes, everyone couldn’t believe they were made with oats, whole wheat flour, honey and only a little bit of butter. Apple baked goods are way better than pumpkin in my book!

    I recently bought way too many apples at an apple orchard in Wisconsin and was looking for healthy and tasty recipes and your site has the best! 5 stars

    1. Erin, I am SOOOO happy to hear this! Isn’t it the best when desserts that are actually healthy don’t taste healthy at all? Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing this lovely review.

  2. I’m wondering if mine only turned out ok. because I cooked for too long.  My bottoms were very light brown, baked about 18 mins because at 15 they didn’t look done. Will have to try again! 

    1. Hi Stef, they might be overbaked a little, but it could also be the cookie sheet. Dark-colored ones tend to overbrown cookies on the bottom. I really like lighter colored ones like this!

  3. Just made these for my toddler! Shee gobbled them up (and so did my husband!). Doubling the batch next time. I have ALL your apple recipes pinned as I have loads of apples from when I went apple picking!5 stars

    1. WHOOO HOOO! So happy to hear the whole fam approved. Thanks for trying the recipe and taking time to leave this lovely review and rating. It means more than I can say!

  4. This was a great recipe and a good starting point for my own experimentation.  I used coconut instead of apples and coconut flour instead of white flour.  Of course the texture was a bit different, but they received rave reviews from family and friends.  I even overlooked a batch and they were still good :)5 stars

    1. Thanks for giving them a try and taking the time to share this review, Megan! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the cookies.

    1. Megan, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I really appreciate your taking the time to leave a review too!

  5. If I’m being totally honest, these were much better than I expected. Mostly because I used half cheap maple syrup because I doubled it and didnt want to use all of my honey. I used all purpose flour too but only because I didnt have whole grain. I think my apples should’ve been smaller and i think it’s a little heavy on cinnamon. Since I doubled the recipe next time I’ll use 2 tsp. cinnamon instead of 3 (1.5×2). I did get more cookies than expected but that’s never a bad thing. My kids are liking these which is what I was shooting for. I also added walnuts which we like in it. So if you like them too, add ’em. Thanks for the recipe!5 stars

  6. Hello, I was wondering whether I can substitute the apple for 1 cup apple sauce (unsweetened or sweetened), seeing as I have a lot of it I want to use up?
    Thank you :)

    1. Hi Maria! I would not recommend this swap, as it will alter the consistency of the cookies. If you want to use the applesauce in a cookies recipe, you could try my Healthy Oatmeal Cookies instead. I hope this helps!

  7. Couple questions:
    Would coconut oil work in place of butter?
    What is the texture of these cookies? Cake like, chewy or firm?
    How small did u cut the apples? 1/2 cm chunks, grated?

    1. Hi Jody, I’ve only tested the recipe as written so I can’t be sure on how it works with the coconut oil. These cookies are chewy. No need to grate the apple, just cut them in small pieces. Hope you enjoy it!

  8. Just made these cookies today. This recipe is a keeper. I was looking for a healthier oatmeal cookie and I like that this recipe only requires 2 tablespoons of butter, and no sugar. I used bread flour as that’s what I had on hand; otherwise, I followed the recipe as written. Such an easy recipe and soooo good. I know my husband will be having these for breakfast with his coffee. Next time, I think I might add some chopped walnuts or pecans. 😋5 stars

  9. Easy to assemble-did make some subs bc of different health concerns. Flax egg, used oat flour & made icing with Truiva icing sugar & oat milk. Will definitely make in the future.5 stars

  10. Disaster recipe, the use of honey instead of sugar made these come out like a ball of rubbery oatmeal.
    325 is too low of an oven temp for these they’re not chewy they don’t even get a cooked texture. Even after increasing the temp to 350 and baking longer they still came out like rubber. I use a thermometer to gauge proper internal temperature and took them out at the best time. I knew this recipe was going to be off when I saw how much honey it uses plus the quick cooking oats combined, is like cooking a bowl of your cold oatmeal. Don’t waste your ingredients like I did. Inedible and had to go straight into the trash.1 star

    1. I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe. I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you. It has worked well for myself (and others) and I wished it would have been a hit for you too.