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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.