These apple pie oatmeal cookies taste like apple pie in cookie form. The cookies need just 4 ingredients and don’t require any wheat flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. The cookies are easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time.

These cookies taste like a healthier version of apple pie in bite-sized form. The cookies have a soft apple filling and a firm oat crust.

Ingredients

  • Apples
  • Quick oats
  • Almond flour
  • Maple syrup

Apples: Fresh apples are used to make the apple filling. I recommend using a sweet, crisp variety like Fuji, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp. The apple filling is only lightly sweetened so it helps to use sweet apples or your filling won’t be sweet enough.

Quick oats: Quick oats are used in the cookie base. Quick oats are rolled oats that have been cut into smaller and thinner pieces. Quick oats are best for this recipe because they cook with less moisture and will crisp up and bind better.

Almond flour: Make sure to use superfine almond flour which will give the cookies a smooth texture. The combination of almond flour and quick oats gives the cookies a firm, crispy and sturdy base to hold the filling.

Maple syrup: Maple syrup is used to sweeten the cookie base and filling and also help bind the cookie base together.

If desired, you can also add apple pie spice or cinnamon to the filling if you like Fall spices in your cookies.

How to Make Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies

  • The almond flour, quick oats and maple syrup are mixed together until a dough forms. Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop the dough and release onto your prepared baking sheet.
  • Use a 1/2 tablespoon to create an indent in the center of each cookie. Use your fingers or the back of a metal spoon to shape the rest of the cookie dough to resemble a classic thumbprint shape.
  • Bake the cookies for about 15-20 minutes or until they are lightly golden and set. Allow the cookies to fully cool on the baking sheet when they are done. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
  • While the cookies are baking, make the filling. Bring a small nonstick skillet to medium heat and add apples and syrup. Cook for a few minutes until the apples have released liquid and the liquid is mostly evaporated. Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool and thicken.
  • Once cooled, scoop the filling into the cookies. The cookies are then ready to serve.

Expert Tips

  • If you don’t plan on serving the cookies right away, I recommend holding off on adding the filling to them. The wetness from the filling does soften the cookie base so it is best to consume the cookies soon after the filling is added.
  • If you like the taste of cinnamon or other Fall spices, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon or apple pie spice to the apple mixture.

More Apple Oatmeal Recipes

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4 Ingredient Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies

These apple pie oatmeal cookies taste like apple pie in bite-sized cookie form. The cookies need just 4 ingredients and don't require any wheat flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil.
Servings: 9 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (75g) superfine almond flour, see note
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (54g) quick oats
  • 5 Tbsp (75ml) + 2 Tbsp (30ml) maple syrup, divided
  • 1 cup - 2 Tbsp (84g) finely chopped peeled apples, cut into 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces, see note before starting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add almond flour, quick oats, and 5 tablespoons maple syrup to a large mixing bowl. Stir with a spatula until evenly mixed. The mixture should form a soft dough. If you pinch some of it, it should stick.
  • Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out the cookie dough. Release the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the dough balls about 1.5 inches apart. Lightly wet the back of a round 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon and press an indent into the center of each cookie dough ball. Use lightly wet fingers or the back of a metal spoon to shape and smooth the rest of the cookie to form a classic thumbprint shape. Make sure the indent in the middle is as deep as the full back of the 1/2 tablespoon measuring spoon The cookies do not spread much during baking, so you want to shape them how you want the final outcome to be.
  • Bake the cookies for about 15-20 minutes or until the edges and surface are lightly golden brown. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool so don't remove them from the cookie sheet until they are fully cooled and set (about 1 hour).
  • While the cookies are baking, make the filling. Add chopped apples and 2 tablespoons maple syrup to a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring often so that the maple syrup or apples do not burn or get stuck to the pan. You want to cook until the apples release their juices and most of the juices evaporate. At first the mixture will only be a little wet from the syrup, then it will get more watery when the apples release their juices and then the mixture will get more dry again as the liquid is cooked off. You want to cook until most of the liquid is cooked off, about 5 minutes cooking time. Remove from heat and allow the filling to cool and thicken.
  • When the cookies and filling are cooled and right before you want to enjoy the cookies, fill each cookie with a heaping 1/2 tablespoon of apple filling to the center of each cookie. Serve immediately. Store any uneaten cookies in an airtight container in the fridge. If you don't plan on serving the cookies right away, I recommend keeping the cookies stored in an airtight container in the fridge and the filling stored in an airtight container in the fridge and only adding the filling soon before serving. The wetness from the filling will soften the cookies so they may break if the filling is added too early.

Notes

  • Spices note: If desired, you can add 1/4 tsp of cinnamon or apple pie spice to the apple mixture.
  • Apple note: Try to use a sweet variety of apples like Fuji, Honeycrisp or Pink Lady. Cut the apple pieces into about 1/4 by 1/8 inch. You want the pieces small so that they will fit into the cookies. I peeled the apples but you can also leave skin on if you prefer.
  • Almond flour note: Make sure to use superfine almond flour, regular almond flour is not fine enough. It is best to measure the almond flour with a scale. If you are measuring the almond flour with measuring cups, make sure to fluff up the almond flour in the bag first with a spoon. Then spoon it into your measuring cup and level off the surface with a spoon. If you don't fluff up the flour first or you directly scoop the flour with your measuring cup, you will end up with too much almond flour for this recipe. I used Kirkland superfine almond flour.
  • This recipe works best with quick oats because they will bind better and need less liquid to cook. I used Amazon Grocery Quick Oats.* 
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 118kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 0.4g, Sodium: 0.1mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 11g, NET CARBS: 14
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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