Apple and oats simply belong together, and these delicious, healthy vegan apple oatmeal cookies will prove it to you! This chewy sweet treat is a true crowd-pleaser, combining the fruity sweetness of apples with the mild, nutty flavour of oats.
This easy recipe is made with only a handful of wholesome ingredients, is naturally refined sugar free and gives you some gluten-free options. A healthy snack for your sweet tooth!
What I love most about these delicious cookies is that they’re crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside! Divine! What more do you want from a biscuit, huh??
Have them for a snack, or a treat or they even make delicious, healthy breakfast cookies!
In this recipe post, I will guide you through the whole process of making these yummy vegan cookies, starting with diving into the simple ingredients list, followed by step-by-step instructions, what you can substitute and how to store these cookies!
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour
- rolled oats
- baking powder
- cinnamon
- unsweetened applesauce
- olive oil
- pure maple syrup
Optional Add-ins
- dried cranberries or raisins
- walnuts
- chocolate chips
(see recipe card for quantities)
Flour
I used all-purpose flour (plain flour) for this recipe. I prefer spelt flour over regular wheat flour. The applesauce oatmeal cookies you see in the pictures are made with activated buckwheat flour.
So, if you want to make them gluten-free, you can! Just make sure to use certified gluten-free oats, too.
Oats
I used traditional rolled oats because they’re less processed than quick oats and, thus, more healthy (read more about it here). They also don’t soak up the liquid as fast which is why these oatmeal biscuits are this crispy.
Baking Powder
These vegan apple oatmeal cookies need a little help to rise, for the little bit they do. Make sure your baking powder is still fresh for best results.
Cinnamon
I love adding cinnamon because it fits with the apple oat combo! Another great spice is ground ginger if you like it a bit spicier!
Unsweetened Applesauce
You should be able to get unsweetened applesauce in your supermarket. I prefer making my own from scratch, which is very easy to make (see ‘instructions’ for how).
The great thing about adding applesauce is that it carries a natural sweetness, hence, we won’t need as much sugar! It’s a great sugar substitute, for sure!
By the way, I’ve tried these cookies with grated apple once, and they came out nicely, too. They’re not as crispy, though, and definitely more on the chewy, soft-baked side (see ‘substitutions’ for more info).
Olive Oil
Olive oil has a bit of a strong taste, but trust me on this, you won’t taste it once the cookies are baked! Alternatively, use coconut oil or see ‘substitutions’ for more ideas!
Maple Syrup
Make sure to use pure maple syrup and not sugar syrup (or maple-flavoured syrup). See ‘substitutions’ for alternatives such as granulated sugar!
Optional Ingredients
I chose walnuts and cranberries for these applesauce oatmeal cookies because I find all these flavours simply match!
Chocolate chips seem to be quite popular to add but to be honest, they’re not my favourite. I just want to list them here because maybe you do like the chocolate and apple combination!
Equipment
There is nothing special you need, only your basic cooking equipment including a large mixing bowl, a spatula or a wooden spoon, measuring cups & spoons and/or a scale, a baking or cookie sheet and parchment paper (I like using a silicone baking mat).
If you prefer, of course, you can also use a food processor to combine all the ingredients. But know, it’s not necessary.
Instructions
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 175 °C / 350 °F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Step 2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking powder and cinnamon) first, then add the wet ingredients (applesauce, olive oil and maple syrup). Combine well until you achieve a slightly sticky cookie dough.
The dough should be “dry” enough though so you can roll it into balls. If too sticky, add more flour. And if too dry and crumbly, add more applesauce or olive oil.
If you want to add any cranberries or walnuts, now is the time to stir them through.
Step 3. Use a cookie scoop or a regular teaspoon to scoop spoonfuls of cookie dough out of the bowl and roll them into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and flatten with your palm.
These vegan apple oatmeal cookies won’t spread much so you don’t necessarily need to leave a lot of space between them.
Step 4. Bake for 10-12 minutes to get chewy, soft-baked cookies. Bake for up to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown, to achieve crispy cookies.
Let these healthy applesauce cookies sit on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack. Enjoy warm and freshly baked, or keep some for later!
How to make your own applesauce
It’s super simple! You only need to stew apple chunks and then puree them once soft and cooked! That’s really all you have to do. I shared a video on how to do that a while ago, if you need a more detailed instruction.
Substitutions
Gluten-free
To turn these delicious cookies into gluten-free oatmeal cookies, replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. When using a scale, remember that gluten-free flour weighs a lot less (more around 120 g).
I love making these biscuits with buckwheat flour (same weight as regular flour). The ones you see in the pictures are made with activated buckwheat flour (I milled activated buckwheat kernels into flour).
Additionally, ensure that the oats you’re using are certified gluten-free!
Rolled Oats
As already mentioned, you can substitute rolled oats with quick oats, if you prefer. It may just make a difference in the crispiness of your cookies.
Applesauce
You can replace the applesauce with two grated, small apples. Make sure the juice gets into the dough, too, when grating the apples.
Oil-free
I haven’t tested it yet, but I can imagine, these vegan apple oatmeal cookies would work with vegan butter, peanut butter or almond butter as well. If using butter, you may need a tad more to achieve the right consistency.
Olive Oil
I don’t mind cooking and baking with olive oil, but if you’re concerned about the taste or the heat (smoke point), you can also substitute it with coconut oil. You’ll need to melt it first though if it’s still solid (one of the reasons why I prefer olive oil, it’s already liquid).
Any other vegetable oil will be fine, too, such as sunflower or canola oil, if you don’t mind these oils.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup can be replaced with any other liquid sweetener you like, such as brown rice syrup (will be a lot less sweet) or agave syrup.
This apple oatmeal cookie recipe is designed for a liquid sweetener, however, I believe you can substitute the syrup with granulated sugar such as brown sugar or coconut sugar as well. If you do choose this option, it’s very likely that you’ll need to add more olive oil or applesauce.
Storage
Store these vegan apple oatmeal cookies in an airtight container once cooled down. Ideally, in a dry place, such as your pantry, and at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for several days and should be eaten within 3-5 days.
Love oats? Love cookies? Here's some more inspiration!
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g/ 1 cup all-purpose flour gluten-free, if needed, see notes
- 80 g/ 1 cup rolled oats certified gluten-free, if needed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
- 60 ml/ ¼ cup olive oil
- 60 ml/ ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 handful dried cranberries or raisins
- 1 handful walnuts broken into pieces
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175 °C / 350 °F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking powder and cinnamon) first, then add the wet ingredients (applesauce, olive oil and maple syrup). Combine well until you achieve a slightly sticky cookie dough.The dough should be “dry” enough though so you can roll it into balls. If too sticky, add more flour. If too dry and crumbly, add more applesauce or olive oil.
- If you want to add any cranberries or walnuts, now is the time to stir them through.
- Scoop spoonfuls of cookie dough out of the bowl and roll them into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and flatten with your palm.These cookies won’t spread much so you don’t necessarily need to leave a lot of space between them.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes to get chewy, soft-baked cookies. Bake for up to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown, to achieve crispy cookies.
- Let the cookies sit on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack. Enjoy warm and freshly baked, or keep some for later!
