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Apple Oatmeal Cookies
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These delicious chewy Apple Oatmeal Cookies are topped with creamy brown butter frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon. It’s like apple pie meets chewy oatmeal cookies, perfect as a yummy fall season treat! It’s that time of year!
You’ll Love This Recipe!
These healthy Apple Oatmeal Cookies are totally old-school cookies. Like the kind your Grandma would make. Except I frosted them with Brown Butter Frosting. When making these cookies, I ate more frosting than cookie dough. That’s saying a LOT. And just like any other cookie, these are pretty simple to make. And even if you screw them up, the frosting will fix everything. Also, I now believe that Brown Butter Frosting is the key to world peace.
Apple Oatmeal Cookie Recipe Variations
One thing that I love about my readers is that they take my recipes and customize them to suit their wants! Here are a couple of common variations for these apple oatmeal cookies:
- Plain: If you don’t have a huge sweet tooth, skip the frosting and enjoy these cookies plain.
- Shredded Apple: I diced my apples but if you want to you could shred them. This distributes the flavor and moisture a little better.
- Add Nuts: Walnuts to be specific, this sounds so good.
- Make Sandwich Cookies: Instead of frosting one cookie, make these into sandwich cookies instead. Kinda like my Oatmeal Cream Pies!
How to Make Apple Oatmeal Cookies
For full recipe details, including an ingredients list and measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here is step by step what you can expect when making this easy recipe:
Preheat Oven + Prep
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
Make the Dough
In a large bowl, cream the unsalted butter and sugars (granulated sugar and brown sugar) together until light and fluffy. Stir in the large egg and vanilla extract.
Slowly incorporate all of the dry ingredients (all purpose flour, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon) into the wet ingredients. Stir in the quick oats and apples.
Bake + Cool
Scoop onto the prepared cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or until warm, your choice!
Make the Brown Butter Frosting
While cookies are baking, place 1/4 cup butter into a small saucepan. With the heat on medium, melt and brown the butter. (If you are unfamiliar with browning butter, I go into more detail about how to and what to watch out for, on my post for Brown Butter Frosting.)
Once the butter is a medium brown/amber color remove from heat and pour into a small bowl. Stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to get a spreadable consistency (add more powdered sugar and milk as needed to get the consistency you like).
Frost the Cookies
Frost warm or room temperature cookies and sprinkle with more cinnamon, if desired. Serve.
Storing Directions
Because these cookies contain fresh apples I’d enjoy and eat them ASAP. However that doesn’t mean you can’t store them for a few days either (up to three days). Be sure to store in an airtight container. You can either leave the cookies unfrosted then frost as you go or separate them with a layer of parchment paper.
To Freeze: Freeze unbaked (dough) or baked (without frosting). Then either pop those suckers into the oven from frozen to bake or thaw and warm up, as desired. I suggest making the frosting fresh for maximum flavor and ease. Freeze for up to three months.
Apple Oatmeal Cookies FAQs
This delicious recipe has been around for a while which means I have some Frequently Asked Questions and answers for you! Read this before making these cookies, m’kay?
I’m nervous about the cookies spreading too much. How can I prevent that?
Cookies usually flatten out because there isn’t enough flour mixed in. It’s a pretty common thing to happen and has to do with how you measure the flour. I suggest doing a tester (bake 1 cookie) to see how they do. If they’re really flat, then add a little more flour, like 1-2 tablespoons. Then test another cookie to see how they bake.
Too much baking soda can flatten cookies too, so make sure you follow the recipe card to a T.
What is the purpose of a silicone baking mat/parchment paper?
I like using parchment paper because it means less dishes! And the Silpat silicone mats are great for cookies. NOTHING sticks to them!
How do I prevent flaky frosting?
As the frosting cools it might develop a hardened, flaky top. This is totally normal for frostings made in a saucepan. However, if you’re looking for a smoother texture, simply allow the browned butter to cool then with a hand or stand mixer, mix it with the other ingredients.
What type of apples should I use?
I used Fuji apples but Honeycrisp apples, Gala apples or any apple variety works here, really. I know some of you are die hard fans of Granny Smith apples when it comes to baking, so use what you like.
Can I use old-fashioned oats?
I used quick cooking rolled oats but you could also use old fashioned oats as well.
More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes to Try!
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Coconut Peanut Butter Oatmeal Scotchies
- Absolutely Loaded Oatmeal Cookies
- Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Stuffed Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Soft Oatmeal Cookies
We LOVED these Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies. The combination of sweet apples with the chewy oatmeal texture – and of course the quintessential apple spice – cinnamon, is such a classic! But, anything could taste good with that frosting slathered all over it. 🙂 These chewy apple oatmeal cookies are perfect for an evening treat, an after-school snack or to pack in a lunch. The printable recipe card is below, enjoy!
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave a review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
Apple Oatmeal Cookies
These delicious Apple Oatmeal Cookies are topped with creamy brown butter frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Perfect as a yummy Fall treat!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 6 tbsp brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour + 1 tablespoon
- 1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
- 1/2 cup apple peeled + diced, I used a fuji
for the frosting:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tbsp milk approximately
- cinnamon for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Stir in egg and vanilla. Slowly incorporate all dry ingredients.
- Stir in oats and apples.
- Scoop onto prepared sheet.
- Bake 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden.
- While cookies are baking, place 1/4 cup butter into small saucepan. With heat on medium, melt and brown the butter. Once the butter is a medium brown/amber color remove from heat and pour into a small bowl.
- Stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to get a spreadable consistency.
- Frost warm cookies and sprinkle with more cinnamon, if desired. Serve.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 116kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 85mgPotassium: 27mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 189IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.3mg
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I only have old fashioned oatmeal will that work.
They came out so good! I think I may have messed up somewhere though in following the directions. My cookies definitely did not come out fluffy and the frosting cake out flaky ☹️ What’d I do wrong?
Hi Lauren 🙂
Your daughter is sooo adorable :)!!!
It’s four years later and I come across this recipe!! Thanks for the recipe! They look delicious, I’m going to make these for my Labor Day wknd cookout. Nothing wrong with cheap labor LOL. I had all of 6 of my grands helping me during this past 4th of July weekend!!!. LOL
Thanks again!
So they did come out runny and not very cookie-ish but after I added more flour and put them into a cupcake pan instead, they came out like super yummy cupcakes.
Mine spread flat as well. I’m pretty sure I could call them Florentines. I’ll try more flour next time and maybe chill the batter.
I made these last night to take to a pot luck at work today. Sadly, something went wrong and I have to consider these a fail. I gotta start by saying that the flavor is amazing and if they had worked for me as they should have, they would probably be like my favorite cookies. As for the problem, that is 2-fold. First, I don’t know what went wrong, but my cookies flattend waaaaaaaay out and turned into like cookie wafers. I am ok with that, they still seemed crispy so I hoped they would hold up. Something else happened over the night though, they became super soft and cakey and crumbly. Sadly, I couldn’t serve them for the pot luck. But as a bit of a silver lining, I am going to take this all back home and try to turn them into the best cake balls ever.
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I want to thank you for this recipe. I take food to my grandmother every weekend. She usually resists and says I shouldn’t bring her anything. Since I made these cookies for her – she requests them frequently – which she has NEVER done. (She is rather hard to please.) So, even though as a rule I am vaguely resentful and envious of you women that do it all so effortlessly… Thank you!
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do you think this would do well as a muffin/ cupcake? maybe adding baking powder? im trying to get a healthy bottom to go with the ghost frosting dollops on top…. 🙂
They wouldn’t puff like a cupcake or muffin, but if you wanted to get them to be in perfect circle shapes, that would do the trick!
I am so sad! I just made these, and they did NOT turn out 🙁 🙁
I just recently discovered how awesome baking is, so I probably just made novice mistakes. First, they were totally flat and melted-like when I pulled them out of the oven. I am guessing that may have been an issue with the butter being the wrong temp? Also, I think I was too chicken with the frosting, and didn’t let it get brown enough. It is still really good, but it is more like regular-ol butter frosting.
Also, what is the purpose of a silicone baking mat/parchment paper? Maybe an obvious question for seasoned bakers, but I am still learning…I just lightly greased my sheets…maybe thats why they didn’t turn out??
I think they flattened out because there wasn’t enough flour mixed in. It’s a pretty common thing to happen and has to do with how you measure the flour. Next time you make them, do a tester {bake 1 cookie} to see how they do. If they’re really flat, then add a little more flour, like 1-2 tablespoons. Then test another cookie to see how they bake. Did you use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda? Too much baking soda can flatten cookies too.
I measure my flour by fluffing the flour first with a measuring cup, then scooping the measuring cup in and leveling off the top with my fingers or a butter knife.
I like using parchment paper because it means less dishes! And the silpat silicone mats are great for cookies. NOTHING sticks to them! I doubt your lightly greased baking sheets had anything to do with them not turning out.
This is embarrassing, but I realized I was doubling the recipe, and doubled everything but the flour :S. I did have some dough left and added more flour and they turned out perfect. Thanks for the advice 🙂 🙂