• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • New Magazine!
  • Bread
  • Cookies
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans

Browned Butter Oatmeal Apple Cookies

September 14, 2021 by Joy the Baker 41 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Baked Oatmeal Apple Cookies on a wire rack.

Hi sweet friends.  The calendar flipped to September without me really being able to wrap my mind around it. Here we are;  Time waits for no one.  With the flip into September we spiritually have to set aside our watermelon wedges (noooo, not yet!) and reach for the apples and cinnamon (honestly, not a bad consolation).  I can handle it if this switch involves chewy oatmeal cookies with browned butter. I mean, with those words alone, summer is fading into the distance.

Today’s cookies are a hybrid of two of the most popular cookies here on JtB: Everybody’s After School Cookies and Dad’s Very Best Chocolate Chip Cookies. These are admittedly more of an after school cookie so the invitation (and it’s a good one) is to keep a batch of frozen cookie dough balls in the freezer to bake off every afternoon as your soul calls for.  You don’t have to be in school to need an after school cookie.  For these Oatmeal Apple Cookies we’re keeping the browned butter, of course.  We’re adding dried apples instead of raisins and swapping butterscotch chips for dark chocolate.  Not a bad idea in the bunch. These cookies will vary in textures – crisp and chewy perfection!

Welcome to the coziest season.

Ingredients for oatmeal cookies measure in small bowls.

Here’s what you’ll need for these special Oatmeal Cookies with apples:

•  Both browned butter and softened butter

•  Granulated sugar and brown sugar

•  All-purpose flour (though a gluten-free one-for-one blend also works well!), baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and cinnamon.  Cream of tartar will give the cookies an added chewiness and softness.

•  Old-fashioned oats though quick cooking oats are just a delicious in this recipe

•  Large eggs and vanilla extract

•  Dried apple pieces, coarsely chopped to bite size pieces.

•  Optionally you can add finely chopped pecans and butterscotch chips.  I can also imagine chopped walnuts and dark chocolate chips being delicious. There’s no wrong move here.

•  Another optional move is adding nuts OR coating the dough balls in cinnamon sugar – like a loaded snickerdoodle.

Sugars, softened butter, and browned butter in a bowl for mixing.
Creamed butter and sugar in a bowl with egg added for Browned Butter Oatmeal Apple Cookies


Start by browning butter and cooling it to room temperature.

The browned butter can be cooled but still liquid (that’s totally fine) or cooled to solid but pliable (also great).

Add softened butter along with granulated and brown sugar to the oatmeal cookie dough.  Whip together with a hand mixer until pale and fluffy – 3 to 5 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well before adding the second egg.  Eggs will help the cookies rise and help give them their structure so add with care.

After eggs, we’ll add our vanilla extract.

Browned Butter Oatmeal Apple Cookie dry ingredients in a clear bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour mixture, leavening, salt, cinnamon, and rolled oats.

Add the dry ingredients all at once to the wet ingredients and give the two a big ol’ stir together into a stiff batter.

I usually stir the cookie dough with a wooden spoon and spatula from here on out.  Dig deep and look for any hidden butter or flour patches in the dough.

Cookie dough with dried apples, pecans, and butterscotch chips in a bowl.

What makes these Oatmeal Apple Cookies the most delicious version of oatmeal cookies yet? Soft and sweet dried apples, duh.  Earthy pecans and sweet butterscotch chips, too.  We’re loading these cookies up.

Cookie dough balls dipped in cinnamon sugar before baking.

Shape the cookie dough into generous balls using a cookie scoop and roll in cinnamon sugar before placing on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

We’re adding a hint of extra spice, that sugary crunch and who doesn’t love a snickerdoodle.  These classic cookies can do it all.

Baked Oatmeal Apple Cookies

I like to bake my cookies in the upper third of the oven. Not the top rack, not the middle – in that sweet spot in the upper third.   We talk about which oven rack is best for baking in our Baking 101 series.

Bake until the oatmeal cookies are spread and golden.

They’ll be incredibly fragrant and golden around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until they’re just cool enough to pick up and taste test. Just the best oatmeal cookie recipe, EVER.

If you’re baking the cookies from frozen, give them a minute or two more in the oven.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Oatmeal Apple Cookies cooling on wire rack.

Browned Butter Oatmeal Apple Cookies

★★★★★ 4.9 from 14 reviews
  • Author: Joy the Baker
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
  • Yield: about 36 cookies 1x
  • Category: dessert
Pin Recipe
Print Recipe

Description

The perfect fall after school cookie with oats and dried apples, pecans and bonus butterscotch chips.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butters melted to browned and cooled to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups (250g) old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 cups (256g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups diced dried apples
  • 1 heaping cup butterscotch chips
  • 3/4 cup finely diced pecans

For Coating:

  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • a big pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl with electric hand beaters cream buttes with the sugars and beat on medium speed until aerated and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minutes between each addition. Add the vanilla extract. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl as necessary.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together the oats, flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. Add the dry ingredients all at once to the butter mixture and beat on low speed. Remove the bowl from the mixing stand and stir in the dried apples, butterscotch chips, and pecans. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the dough to plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
  4. Just before baking, place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl whisk together sugar, cinnamon and salt.
  5. Form the dough into 2 tablespoon balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place each ball about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake until golden and puffed for about 12 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
  7. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Uncooked dough can be portioned (not rolled in sugar) and frozen in balls first on a baking sheet, then in a freezer safe bag. Bake cookies from frozen for 14 or so minutes.

Keywords: cookies, oatmeal, apple, fall, browned butter, cinnamon, butterscotch, pecans, joy the baker

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Photos with my dear friend Jon Melendez.

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Cookies, Fruit, Recipes, Winter Baking

Previous Post: « New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp
Next Post: Louisiana Crawfish Pie »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Erin

    December 3, 2021 at 8:41 am

    Delicious! Really liked the flavor from combining browned and regular butter. Texture was the perfect chewiness. Make these!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Sara

    November 14, 2021 at 11:54 am

    One word: WOW! I took these cookies to a party and got asked about them by every single guest. They were gone in no time. I loved the combination of flavours at this time of the year. Thanks for another delicious recipe, Joy!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Lu

    October 13, 2021 at 5:58 am

    I brought these to my work at the ICU on a particularly stressful day and I think they helped keep everyone from having a meltdown! One of my coworkers said she would give up a child just to have another ; )

    Thanks for a great recipe! I used the TJ’s salted caramel chips and can agree that they’re v good.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nurse Deez

      December 2, 2021 at 2:51 pm

      Hi Lu! As a former ICU nurse, hang in there!! I recently moved to Epidemiology and my co-workers also loved these.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
  4. Nicolle

    October 10, 2021 at 3:10 pm

    I made the dough for these on Friday – scooped it up and put into the fridge. Looking at them now on Sunday I somehow convinced myself they were going to taste “healthy” (ie dry and very full of chewy apple pieces). I’m very glad I was very wrong. They’re simple the most decilous oatmeal cookies just kissed by fall flavour. (Yes I’m Canadian and that’s how we spell it – which also thanks to the other commenter who let me know the existance of Chipits Salted Caramel Chips!)

    Reply
  5. Nori bento

    October 6, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    This is great! I had this for snacks together with bubble tea. Next time I’ll add some chopped bananas to the recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. samantha campanini

    October 4, 2021 at 7:21 am

    In a rainy day like it is today (when did my laundry took so long to dry the last time?) these cookies are food for the soul!

    Reply
  7. Perfect for fall!

    October 3, 2021 at 3:52 pm

    LOVE. Skipped the butterscotch chips and used cinnamon chips instead. Thought it may be too much cinnamon with what was already called for in the recipe, but it worked! And I second the earlier suggestion to categorize this as a breakfast cookie. A+ idea.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Arden Hill

    October 3, 2021 at 8:56 am

    This was a great recipe and a real crowd pleaser! It makes a lot which is great for me, but if you don’t want so many you could easily cut this recipe in half. I did use the TJ’s sea salt caramel chips and they were a great addition. Endless possibilities. A perfect fall cookie!

    Reply
  9. Heather

    September 30, 2021 at 8:10 am

    These cookies are truly delicious. I made the recipe as is and the cookies were too sweet for me. I would half the butterscotch chips next time and reduce the sugar. Don’t get me wrong- if you like sweet, these are the right sweet. I just happen to like a little less sugar overall. The butterscotch chips overwhelmed the apples for me. I dehydrated the apples in my oven. First time and it worked really well. Thanks for the recipe!!

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren

      October 17, 2021 at 3:47 pm

      I just made these and I would have to agree. They are delicious but too sweet for me. I definitely plan on skipping the butterscotch chips next time and adding more dried apple. The butterscotch really does seem to overwhelm the other flavors going on.

      ★★★★

      Reply
  10. Mary Jean Lowe

    September 29, 2021 at 9:47 am

    Just made these cookies, and I couldn’t be more pleased. Writing from Paris, where I had trouble finding soft dried apples (made my own in the oven) as well as cream of tartar (substituted baking powder) and butterscotch chips (used good quality white chocolate). Thanks once again Joy. Can’t wait to share these with friends and family.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
« Older Comments
Comments Page 2 of 2
« Previous 1 2

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Cookies

Two huge small-batch chocolate chip cookies.
A Recipe For Just Two Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies

I accidentally went down a rabbit hole a few weeks back.  One afternoon, in a sweet tooth induced mania, I made a small batch of truly giant chocolate chip cookies. The cookie dough came together in a small saucepan, the chocolate almost too melty, and the cookies about the size of my literal face. They…

Read More

sliced chocolate and peanut butter brownies
How To Make Box Brownies Better

I hope we’ve built enough trust between us for you to believe what I’m about to tell you. It’s a secret that professional bakers have been keeping from you for too long.  The truth is BOX BROWNIES ARE BETTER THAN BROWNIES MADE FROM SCRATCH.  I know… criminal, really but facts are facts.  I think it’s…

Read More

Strawberry white chocolate chai sugar cookies on a cooling rack.
Taylor Swift’s Strawberry White Chocolate Chai Sugar Cookies

We’ve made MANY A COOKIE here on Joy the Baker over the years and the problem is, each cookie I make is my new pride and joy. But you’re the real decider around here.  Well… you and the search engine god Google.  While my latest Moon Pie Bars (and all their gooey marshmallow) might be…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Jump to Recipe

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Jump to Recipe

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

Jump to Recipe

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Jump to Recipe

Joy the baker with dyed bandana around neck

HOW TO MAKE DYED BANDANAS

as seen in JtB Magazine!

Jump to Recipe
joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

Jump to Recipe

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Jump to Recipe

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

FAVORITE FRUIT RECIPES

strawberry sheet cake on a plate with strawberries on top.

My Favorite Super Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake

Berry crostata topped with whipped cream with coffee.

A Single Serve Berry Crostata Recipe

fresh baked blueberry cobbler on a plate with vanilla ice cream on top.

The Secrets To My Favorite Blueberry Cobbler

POPULAR CAKES

strawberry sheet cake on a plate with strawberries on top.

My Favorite Super Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake

Slice of coconut cake on small white plate with coffee.

My favorite Coconut Cake is actually made with cake mix

A slice of lemon blueberry gooey butter cake held on a cake slicer.

Lemon Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
My EASIEST Strawberry Sheet Cake is also my absolu My EASIEST Strawberry Sheet Cake is also my absolute favorite. Get into a box of white cake mix and fresh 🍓🍓 purée! Topped with a thick layer of strawberry cream cheese frosting - this cake is a little pink dream! ⁣
⁣
The Easiest Strawberry Sheet Cake recipe linked in the bio for you! 💋
Our resident reader, @tobyfels shares my favorite Our resident reader, @tobyfels shares my favorite list of the summer on Joy the Baker this year: The Best Books for Summer 2022!  As a person who reads Beach Reads all year long, this is IT! With titles by @ashleymcoleman_ @anarasong @annleary @bonnie_garmus_author @heyashposton @annabelmonaghan @greerhendricks @sarahpekkanen @shelbyvanpeltwrites @marilynsimonrothstein @@misterosman and @kirstin.chen. The guide to your bookworm summer linked in the bio!
Over here testing the limits of “you are what yo Over here testing the limits of “you are what you eat” and will soon be taking my final form as a summer tomato. ⁣🫠🍅
⁣
This Mediterranean Feta and Fresh Tomato Tart is an absolute show stopper with a buttery crisp, press-in crust, whipped feta, and layers of fresh tomato, cucumber, onions, and olives. I’ll leave the recipe linked in the bio - it’s really very special. Join me. We are 🍅🍅.
Here are my two best kept secrets for getting thro Here are my two best kept secrets for getting through this summer.  I’ve never been much for secrets so I’m letting you right in! ⁣
1.	I’m committed to folding crumbled chewy brownies into the easiest homemade no-churn ice cream.⁣
2.	I’m shopping for all of my baking and summer entertaining essentials, wine and cheese at the new @aldiusa stores opening across the Gulf Coast! Wait… you’re as obsessed with ALDI as I am, right? The shopping is always easy and affordable and I always come home with a fun treat among my essentials. Hit up my stories to see my grocery haul (and the chips I ate in the car on the way home) and head to your nearest ALDI for your summer essentials!  #ad⁣
⁣
I’ll leave the recipe and your #ALDILove grocery list linked in the bio!
Let’s just make one! ⁣ ⁣ One Single Berry Cr Let’s just make one! ⁣
⁣
One Single Berry Crostata just you for. Double the recipe (🔗 in the bio) only if you want to share. ⁣
⁣
#joythebaker #berry #crostata #smallbatch #dessert #foodblogfeed
The freezer is packed with ice cream treats from h The freezer is packed with ice cream treats from here on out, and that’s a promise. ⁣
⁣
Find this Milk and Cereal Ice Cream Bar and loads of other semi-homemade ice cream treats linked in the bio! 💓🍦🫠
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up