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These apple oatmeal cookies are chewy, naturally sweet, and have no added sugar. They are also gluten-free, dairy-free (with dairy-free chips), and super easy to make.
Apple oatmeal cookies are the perfect balance of wholesome and indulgent. They are my favorite go-to treat whenever I am craving something sweet but not too sweet.
They have no added sugar!
With their delicious blend of fresh apple flavor, hearty oats, and a touch of cinnamon spice, each bite of these cookies is definitely going to lift your spirits! I know it lifts mine.
One of the best things about this apple oatmeal cookie recipe is its versatility. You can tweak it based on your dietary preferences and cravings.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItFeel free to experiment! While I love the original recipe, I’ve found that different combinations can make life a little more interesting.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Rolled oats (2 1/2 cups) – If you want to make gluten-free cookies, make sure you are getting gluten-free certified oats.
Baking powder (1 tsp)
Cinnamon (1/2 tsp) – You can adjust the quantity based on your preferences. You can add more or less.
Nutmeg (1/4 tsp)
Salt (a pinch)
Apples, deseeded and roughly chopped (4 small or 2 medium) – If you are running low on apples, you can use unsweetened applesauce. Using applesauce can also add a bit more sweetness to the cookies.
Eggs, egg yolks separated from egg whites (3 medium)
Vanilla extract (1 tsp)
Dark chocolate chips (1/4 cup) – You can also use cacao nibs or milk chocolate chips if you want the cookies a bit sweeter.
Walnuts, chopped (1/4 cup) – Swap for pecans, almonds, or sunflower seeds to change things up.
How to Make Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 360F. Grab a large baking sheet and place parchment paper on it,
Step 2. Place the rolled oats in a food processor.
Step 3. Pulse the rolled oats, but don’t over-pulse. You don’t need fine oatmeal flour.
So, it should still have larger pieces of oats even after processing. Refer to the pictures for the approximate texture of the oats once they’re processed.
Step 4. Grab a large bowl and combine the rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Step 5. Put the chopped apples in the food processor.
Step 6. Pulse until it becomes a paste or is just grated up enough. Make sure it doesn’t become too liquid; otherwise, it’ll affect the texture of the cookies.
Step 7. Transfer processed apples into a bowl with oats.
Step 8. Grab a small bowl and separate the egg yolks from the white. Place the egg yolks into the bowl with the oats.
Step 9. Add the vanilla extract into the bowl and combine everything thoroughly.
Step 10. Place the egg white into a separate bowl and mix with a mixer until it forms a thick white foam. If you don’t have a mixer, just whisk until thick white foam forms.
Step 11. Transfer the egg white foam to the oats mixture.
Step 12. Mix in the egg whites well, combining all of the ingredients. This should form a thick dough.
Step 13. Now it’s time to add the dark chocolate chips and the walnuts. Fold in the dark chocolate chips and walnuts.
Step 14. Use a cookie scoop (3 tbsp large) for cookies and place on the baking sheet. Flatten them out with a fork or a spoon.
Form them as you wish because they won’t change in form too much.
Step 15. Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool down on a wire rack before eating.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItHow to Modify These Cookies
- Vegan option: Replace the eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds mixed with 2.5 tablespoons of water per egg). Also, make sure that the chocolate chips you use are dairy-free.
- Adding more sweetness: I love that this recipe highlights the natural sweetness of apples, but if you want sweeter cookies, you can drizzle some honey or maple syrup.
- Experiment with flavors: Add other delicious ingredients like cranberries, raisins, or unsweetened coconut flakes. I’ve also tried adding some ginger or cloves for a festive vibe.
What to Serve with Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Here are some of my favorite things to have along with these cookies.
- Ice Cream
- Warm Beverage (Coffee, spiced tea, Chai tea, or hot cocoa).
- Greek yogurt
- Nut butter
Storage Tips
Place your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three to four days. You can also keep them in the fridge if you want to store them for up to a week.
Do you want to store them longer? You can freeze these cookies!
Place them in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag, and you can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once you are ready to have them, thaw at room temperature or place them in the oven for a couple of minutes.
Other Oatmeal Cookies
Apple Oatmeal Cookies
1 Cals: 114 Protein: 3.6 Carbs: 16 Fat: 4.2
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- a pinch of salt
- 4 small apples or 2 medium deseeded and roughly chopped
- 3 medium eggs egg yolks separated from egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 360F and place parchment paper on a large baking sheet.
- In a food processor, pulse rolled oats. Don’t over-pulse it. It doesn’t need to become as fine as oat flour. It should still have larger pieces of oats in it. Refer to the picture above for the texture you want to reach.
- In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Place roughly chopped apples into the food processor and pulse until it forms a paste. Add into the bowl with oats.
- In a smaller bowl, you want to separate the egg yolks from the whites and add the egg yolks into the bowl with the oats.
- Add in vanilla extract and combine all of the ingredients.
- Now, mix egg whites inside the bowl with a mixer until it forms thick white foam. Once that’s done, add the foamed egg whites to the mixture.
- Combine well to form a thick dough. Gently fold in the dark chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Using a scoop (3 tbsp large), form bowls on the baking sheet. Flatten them out with a spoon to form cookies. They will not change in shape.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the cookies on a wire rack to cool down before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
