Introduction

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies are a delightful treat combining tender apples, warm spices, and hearty oats for a comforting bite. These cookies offer a perfect balance of sweetness and spice, finished with a smooth maple glaze that adds a lovely touch of flavor.

A round metal cooling rack filled with soft, chunky oatmeal cookies topped with small pieces of apple and drizzled with white icing. The cookies have a beige and light brown rough texture with creamy white icing lines on top, and scattered thin slices of red and yellow apple around and on the cookies. In the background, there is a white marbled surface covered partly with light brown parchment paper, a white bowl with white glaze or icing to the right, a small white plate holding two cookies to the upper left, and a white plate with a red apple above the rack. A green and red apple sits near the bottom left corner of the image. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup peeled and finely chopped apple (1/4-inch cubes or smaller)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons maple syrup

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set them aside.
Step 2: Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix well to combine.
Step 3: Sprinkle the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt over the dough. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are mostly combined.
Step 4: Toss the chopped apples gently with the lemon juice. Add the apples to the dough and stir carefully to incorporate.
Step 5: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart. Gently press down each scoop to flatten slightly.
Step 6: Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the tops are set and the edges turn lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7: To prepare the maple glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and maple syrup in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more syrup or powdered sugar if needed.
Step 8: Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies. Let the glaze set completely before serving, avoiding stacking the cookies while drying.

Tips & Variations

Use tart apples like Granny Smith for a nice balance of sweetness and tang.
Add chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans for extra texture.
For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with coconut oil and use a plant-based milk for the glaze.
If you prefer a thicker glaze, reduce the milk quantity or add more powdered sugar.

Storage

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If glazed, allow the icing to set fully before storing to prevent sticking. For longer storage, freeze unglazed cookies in a sealed container for up to 2 months and thaw before glazing. Reheat glazed cookies briefly in the microwave for a warm treat, but avoid overheating to prevent melting the glaze.

How to Serve

The image shows a round silver wire cooling rack filled with about 24 small, rough-textured oatmeal cookies that have small chunks of light yellow apple pieces mixed in. Each cookie is drizzled with white icing on top, adding a shiny contrast. Above the cooling rack, there is a small white plate holding three more cookies with visible apple chunks, and to the side, a white speckled bowl with a smooth interior. The setup is on a piece of brown parchment paper placed over a white marbled surface. Two red-yellow apples rest at the bottom left on a small white plate, and a beige and white striped cloth is partially visible on the right side. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use fresh apples instead of peeled and chopped?

Yes, but peeling and finely chopping helps the apples blend into the dough better and prevents excess moisture that can affect the cookie texture.

Is it necessary to use lemon juice with the apples?

Lemon juice prevents the apples from browning and adds a slight brightness that complements the spices and sweetness in the cookies.

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies with Maple Glaze Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.4 from 79 reviews

These Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies are a delightful blend of soft, chewy oats and tender apple pieces, infused with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. Topped with a luscious maple glaze, they make a perfect treat for any occasion, combining wholesome ingredients with a sweet, flavorful twist.

Author: Sophie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 29 minutes
Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup peeled and finely chopped apple (1/4-inch cubes or smaller)
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Maple Glaze

2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking, then set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the room temperature butter and brown sugar together until the mixture turns light in color and fluffy in texture. This ensures a tender cookie base.
Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the large egg and vanilla extract thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually sprinkle the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt over the wet dough mixture. Blend on low speed until the ingredients are mostly combined, ensuring even distribution.
Prepare Apples and Mix into Dough: Toss the peeled and finely chopped apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. Gently stir these apple pieces into the cookie dough, taking care not to overmix.
Shape and Arrange Cookies: Scoop rounds of dough about 2 tablespoons each onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart. Lightly press each dough ball down to slightly flatten them for even baking.
Bake Cookies: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the cookie tops are set and the edges have turned light golden brown.
Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring they set properly.
Prepare Maple Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and maple syrup until the glaze is smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more syrup for thinness or powdered sugar to thicken, as desired.
Glaze the Cookies: Drizzle the maple glaze over the cooled cookies using a spoon. Let them sit uncovered until the glaze is set before serving or storing.

Notes

Use peeled apples to avoid extra moisture and ensure even baking.
Finely chopping apples into 1/4-inch cubes or smaller helps distribute them evenly in the dough.
Lemon juice prevents the apples from browning and adds subtle brightness.
The glaze can be customized in thickness depending on your preference; thinner glaze will soak more into the cookie.
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days to maintain freshness.

Keywords: apple cinnamon cookies, oatmeal cookies, maple glaze cookies, baked cookies, fall dessert