4 Ingredient Apple Oatmeal Cookies (No Flour, Eggs, Refined Sugar, Dairy or Butter)
These apple oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy and full of apple flavor. The cookies need just 4 ingredients and don’t require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy or butter. The cookies are easy to prepare and store well.
These oatmeal cookies are easy to make and customize. I like making a large batch for a quick snack or dessert.
Ingredients
- Unsweetened cinnamon applesauce
- Quick oats
- Maple syrup
- Coconut oil
Unsweetened cinnamon applesauce: Unsweetened cinnamon applesauce adds apple flavor and keeps the cookies very moist. I like using cinnamon applesauce because the cinnamon adds additional flavor. You can make the cookies with regular unsweetened applesauce as well. If you want cinnamon flavor, you can add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.
Quick oats: Quick oats are oats that are cut into smaller and thinner pieces than rolled oats. This recipe works best with quick oats because they bind better and cook faster.
Maple syrup: A little maple syrup is used to sweeten the cookies. You can also leave out the maple syrup if you are trying to reduce the sugar in the cookies.
Coconut oil: Coconut oil helps give the cookies a richer texture by adding a little fat. You can also use peanut butter or another nut butter, but it will make the cookies taste like the nut butter you used.
How to Make Apple Oatmeal Cookies
- The applesauce, maple syrup and coconut oil are whisked together until evenly combined.
- Stir in the oats until they are evenly coated.
- Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough. Release it onto your prepared baking sheet. Flatten the cookies into round disks. Bake the cookies for about 16-20 minutes or until the cookies look set and no longer wet.
- Allow the cookies to fully cool before removing them from the baking sheet.
Expert Tips
- You can add 1/4 cup of mix-ins like chopped dried fruit, chocolate chips or finely chopped nuts for more flavor and texture.
- Baking time will vary slightly depending on how thick your cookies are.
- I used store bought applesauce but you can also use homemade applesauce.
More Apple Recipes
4 Ingredient Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125g) unsweetened cinnamon applesauce, brought to room temperature
- 1-2 tbsp (15-30ml) maple syrup, brought to room temperature
- 2 tbsp (30ml) melted coconut oil
- 1 cup (87g) quick oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add applesauce, maple syrup and coconut oil to a large mixing bowl. Make sure your applesauce and maple syrup are brought to room temperature before using, otherwise it will cause the coconut oil to solidify. Whisk until the ingredients are fully combined. Add in oats and stir with a spatula until the oats are fully incorporated. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. I only used 1 tbsp maple syrup because I wanted the cookies to just be a little sweet, but you can add another 1 tbsp if you don't think they are sweet enough.
- Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop cookie dough and release onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies 1.5 inches apart.
- Use the back of a metal spoon or the palm of your hand to flatten dough until they are thick round disks, between 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Smooth and round the edges of the disks so they are perfectly round. The cookies will not spread during baking, so shape the cookies how you want the final outcome to be.
- Bake cookies for about 16-20 minutes or until the cookies look cooked and set and are no longer wet. Let cookies cool fully on the baking sheet before removing and eating. Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- Mix-ins: If you want to add mix-ins, I recommend 3-4 tbsp of mix-ins, such as chocolate chips, chopped dried fruit or chopped nuts.
- If you don't want to use coconut oil, you can use peanut butter or another nut butter to add some fat to the cookies. However, you will taste the peanut butter or other nut butter. I used Amazon Grocery Refined Coconut Oil.*
- I used Amazon Grocery Quick Oats.*
- I used Whole Foods unsweetened cinnamon applesauce.* If you have unsweetened applesauce without cinnamon, you can add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon to the cookie batter for cinnamon flavor.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Easy to make & healthy & delicious!
Thanks Jodi! We’re happy to hear you loved this recipe!
Simple and satisfying! Made with sunflower butter.
Will be making regularly. Thank you!
We’re so glad you loved these cookies!
I would love a simple cookie recipe that is easy to make but has NO nut ingredients. My grandson cannot have anything with nuts.
We do have a ton of other cookie recipes that might work well for you! You can find the recipes here: https://kirbiecravings.com/?s=cookies
May be delicious, I will try this recipe insha Allah. Thank you.
We hope you enjoy these cookies!
Can you make this recipe with sugar-free maple syrup and have positive results?
We haven’t tested this recipe with sugar-free maple syrup but we think it should work.
We are gluten free and dairy free and these are easy and wonderful!!
We’re so glad you loved these cookies!
The cookies had a great flavor…I made my own applesauce but it was made from Asian pears
The cookies did not hold together; I will tweak it next time
We haven’t tried this recipe with pears instead of applesauce. Hopefully they will work better next time!
My kids LOVed this recipe. Soft, chewy, sweet, but not too sweet and the maple syrup wasn’t overpowering. My picky eaters asked for more. Thank you for sharing this easy, healthy, but still tasty recipe
We’re so glad your kids loved this recipe!
My kids LOVed these cookies. Soft, chewy, sweet, but not too sweet… The maple syrup gives it a gentle sweetness, but doesn’t overpower the apple taste. Picky eaters gave it a 5 star review. Thank you for sharing.
We’re so glad you and your kids loved these cookies!
The cookies looks delicious
Thank you!
Can they be put in freezer?
They should be ok in the freezer. We have only tested these in an airtight container in the fridge.
Great taste easy make
Thank you! We’re glad you enjoyed these cookies!
hi jen can i use grind oats and if so how much do i need.
This recipe works best with quick oats because they bind better and cook faster. You can try to blend regular oats in a food processor until they are smaller. You need 1 cup (87g) of oats.
Love the recipes my Grand Children love the oat cookies& cakes me too
We’re so glad you love the recipes!
Concept was good and I tweeked it by adding crunchy peanut paste and added some choc chips . Delicious.
That sounds great! Thanks for sharing!
Wondering how to modify using regular not quick oats. Thoughts?
You could blend the oats until they are in smaller pieces. This recipe works best with quick oats because they bind better and cook faster.
Can you use an air fryer to bake these?
Sorry, we haven’t tested this recipe in an air fryer!
Can I use oat bran
Sorry, we haven’t tested this recipe with oat bran!
They are great look yummy going to make them soon as I can
Great! We hope you enjoy them!
They look yummy boyfriend will make them…
Thank you! We hope you enjoy them!
I like, because it is egg, dairy, refine sugar free, just 4 ingredients in it. Yumm
We’re so glad you like this recipe!
You don’t give an indication of how much to use.
All of the ingredients and amounts will be listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card. You can also click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top and it will take you right there.
Oven temp would be useful
These are baked at 350°F (177°C).
Question: Where can I buy applesauce? Cristy
Hi Cristy! You can find applesauce at most grocery stores.
My grandson has a nut allergy which includes coconut. What oils or nut butters can be substituted? He can tolerate cashew butter somewhat. He is not anaphlactic but does get excema from it.
You could try cashew or sunflower butter.