Apple Cookies

A Note from Kim

Your New Favorite Apple Treat

These apple cookies taste just like apple pie! They’re made with simple ingredients, oats, brown sugar, warm seasonal spices, and plenty of fresh apple chunks, that come together so effortlessly. The texture is the perfect mix of soft and chewy with little bursts of apple in every bite.

And honestly, one of the best parts? The way they make your kitchen smell while they’re baking! It’s like having a freshly baked apple pie in the oven, filling your whole house with that warm, spiced aroma that feels instantly comforting and inviting. If these don’t instantly put you in the mood for the autumn season, I don’t know what will!

With love (and lots of good eats),

Made these today and they are just excellent. Probably the best cookie I have ever made. A big hit with the family.

— Amanda

Craving more fall cookie recipes? Give my cranberry oatmeal cookies and chai snickerdoodle cookies a try!

Ingredients for Apple Cookies

The ingredients in this apple cookie recipe are pantry staples that you probably already have on hand. Here’s everything you’ll need to make them:

The full list of ingredients with measurements can be found in the printable recipe card below.

• Butter. If you only have salted butter, you can omit the 1/4 tsp salt. Be sure your butter is softened, but not melted. It should still be cool to the touch and only indent slightly when you press on it with your finger. 
• Sugar. You’ll need both granulated sugar and brown sugar in this recipe. More brown sugar than white sugar ensures a soft and chewy cookie. Dark brown sugar will work, however light brown sugar is recommend to not overwhelm the apple flavor.
• Large egg. Helps to bind the ingredients and give structure to the cookies.
• Vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla and not imitation extracts for a wonderful depth of flavor.
• Flour. We always recommend all-purpose flour for the best texture in baked goods. Although, whole wheat pastry flour is a good alternative.
• Spices. Add in 2 teaspoons of apple pie spice for a warm comforting taste. If you don’t have this, you can make your own with cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom or allspice. You could also just substitute with ground cinnamon.
• Baking soda. For proper baking and lift.
• Salt. A small amount of salt is important to balance the sweetness.
• Oats. Use old-fashioned rolled oats to give these a deliciously chewy texture just like your fav oatmeal cookie. We do not recommend using steel cut oats or quick oats in this recipe.
• Apple. Cut the apple into very tiny chunks, so you get the perfect amount of apple in every bite and these stay together nicely.
• Glaze. A combination of confectioners’ sugar, milk and a dash of cinnamon make an easy, light cinnamon glaze.

How to Make Apple Cookies

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Start this recipe by preheating the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Step 1: Beat together wet ingredients. In a large bowl, using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together at medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stir in the egg and vanilla; stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 2: Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, apple pie spice, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Stir in the oats and set aside.

Step 3: Combine wet & dry ingredients. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients (a little at a time) as the electric mixer is on low; mix until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped apple; stir by hand until fully incorporated into the dough. Place dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to avoid the cookies spreading too much.

Step 4: Scoop dough. Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop balls of the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, and place 3 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Step 5: Bake. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set. Remove from the oven when cookies still look a bit shiny on the top. They will continue to cook on the baking sheet and set nicely once they have cooled. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6: Make the icing. While the cookies are cooling, whisk all of the ingredients together until no lumps remain. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk, and if the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar until it has reached your desired consistency.