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These soft apple spice cookies are fruity, nutty, and perfectly spiced. They’re like little bites of apple crisp in cookie form. Thanks to an oat base, they are also naturally gluten free!
Apple crisp is one of the best fall desserts. I don’t make the rules, I just state the facts! Tart apples, oats, brown sugar, warm spices…it’s the perfect combination of fall flavors.
This means that any dessert that reminds me of apple crisp is also at the top of my fall dessert list. I’m talking apple crisp bars, apple pear crisp, and these apple spice cookies.
This recipe for apple spice cookies comes from my friend Erin over at Texanerin Baking. She shared the recipe with us several years ago and I thought it was time to remind you about these delicious little cookies.
They’re soft, a little bit chewy, and totally remind me of little bites of apple crisp in cookie form.
Oat-filled apple spice cookies
Every once in a while, it’s nice to change up the normal cookie routine with something a little different.
There’s nothing wrong with our favorite chocolate chip cookies or classic snickerdoodles, ok? But sometimes it’s fun to make something like potato chip cookies or salted caramel pretzel cookies to change things up.
This time of year, these apple spice cookies are the perfect option.
This recipe uses a combination of rolled oats and oat flour, so these apple cookies are 100% whole grain in addition to being gluten free. While oats are naturally gluten free, they’re often contaminated in the field or during production, so it’s necessary to buy certified gluten-free oats if you are feeding these to someone with a gluten allergy or sensitivity.
The batter also includes nut butter for a bit of a nutty flavor. I love using almond butter, but peanut butter is also delicious, especially if you already love apple peanut butter cookies.
While these apple spice cookies aren’t quite as chewy as oatmeal raisin cookies, they’re wonderfully soft and just a little chewy. I found also that rolling the cookie dough in sugar adds a thin, crisp sugary crust that makes these cookies all the more irresistible.
How to make my apple spice cookies
Ingredients you’ll need
To make these apple spice cookies, you will need:
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon apple pie spice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup melted coconut oil
- ½ cup almond butter or creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/4 cups lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large room-temperature eggs
- 2 3/4 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups diced granny smith apple (about 1/4″ in size)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Oat flour is simply ground up oats, but it can sometimes be a bit expensive or hard to find depending on where you live. Luckily, you can make your own by finely grinding quick or rolled oats in a food processor or coffee grinder.
Coconut oil helps give these cookies a chewier texture. I like to use refined coconut oil, which does not have any coconut flavor, but unrefined works great if you don’t mind a slight coconut flavor to the cookies.
If you are allergic to coconut, you can easily use melted butter instead. Just keep in mind that the cookies will have a slightly cakier texture.
The nut butter in this recipe serves as a binder, since we don’t have any gluten. Feel free to use creamy almond butter or peanut butter, depending on what you like best.
I suggest using room-temperature eggs for the best result. If you forget to set yours out ahead of time, check out my tips on how to bring eggs to room temperature.
Tart granny smith apples are my favorite in this recipe. Other tart, crisp baking apples such as honeycrisp, golden delicious, and pink lady apples will also work.
Making these cookies
Start by whisking the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl: oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt.
In a separate large bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, almond butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. You can do this by hand with a whisk or spatula or use an electric mixer.
Beat in the eggs until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.
Add the oats. Stir until they are almost completely combined, then stir in the apples. The dough will be sticky—that’s ok!
Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours, or until the dough is firm enough to roll into balls.
Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl for rolling the dough balls.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and roll each one in the sugar. Place 3 inches apart on lined baking sheets, then use the bottom of a glass to gently press the balls down, flattening them slightly.
Bake at 350°F for 13-15 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies no longer appear wet on the surface.
Let the apple spice cookies cool on the baking sheets before removing them to a cooling rack.
Storage
Store apple spice cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. By day 4 they may start to fall apart a bit, especially if the tops of the cookies weren’t fully dry when you pulled them out of the oven, but they still taste great.
Frequently asked questions
Quick oats will work great in this recipe. Use the same amount of quick oats as rolled oats. Do not use instant oats.
Depending on your grocery store, oat flour will either be in the baking aisle or with the specialty/gluten-free baking ingredients.
If you can’t find any or it is a bit pricey, you can make your own by finely grinding rolled or quick oats in a food processor or coffee grinder.
Apple spice is a blend of warm spices that perfectly complements the fresh, tart apple in these cookies. If you are out, you can use ground cinnamon with a pinch of nutmeg and ground ginger. Pumpkin pie spice will also work.
Unfortunately this recipe won’t work without the nut butter, since it helps to hold together the batter. For gluten-free and nut-free cookies full of fall flavors, check out pumpkin pie cookies.
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In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
1 ½ cups oat flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 tablespoon apple pie spice
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In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, almond butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs.
¾ cup coconut oil, ½ cup almond butter or creamy peanut butter, 1 ¼ cups lightly packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
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Stir in the oats until almost combined and then stir in the apples. The dough will be quite sticky.
2 ¾ cups rolled oats, 1 ½ cup diced granny smith apple
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Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or until the dough is firm enough to be rolled into balls.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl.
¼ cup granulated sugar
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Roll the dough into 1″ balls and roll in the sugar. Place the dough balls 3″ apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use the bottom of a glass to gently press the dough balls down, slightly flattening them. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the tops of the cookies no longer appear wet on the surface. They will be quite soft but will set as they cool.
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Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Melted unsalted butter will also work in this recipe, but the cookies are chewier with coconut oil. If using coconut oil, I prefer refined coconut oil, which has no coconut taste. If you don’t mind a slight to mild coconut taste, unrefined coconut oil also works.
- My favorite version of these cookies uses almond butter. If you love the combination of apples and peanut butter, however, feel free to use creamy peanut butter in place of the almond butter.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 131kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.001g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 74mg, Potassium: 79mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 15IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
