These apple cinnamon quinoa oatmeal cookies are soft, cakey, and packed with real food: cooked quinoa, old-fashioned oats, and diced fresh apple, all warmed up with plenty of cinnamon. A drizzle of honey right before serving takes them from "healthy snack" to "why didn't I make a double batch." (Looking for an actual quinoa muffin instead? Try our quinoa carrot cake muffins.)
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cooked quinoa. Adds protein and a little chew. Cook it plain in water ahead of time and let it cool completely before folding it in, so it doesn't melt the butter in the dough.
- Old-fashioned oats. Gives the cookies their heartiness. Quick oats will work in a pinch, but the texture will be a bit less substantial.
- Whole wheat pastry flour. A finer-milled whole wheat flour that keeps these cookies tender instead of dense. Regular whole wheat flour works too, though the texture will be slightly heartier; all-purpose flour also works if that's what you have.
- Apple. Diced small so it distributes evenly through the dough. Any baking apple works well here - Honeycrisp, Gala, and Fuji are all good choices.
- Honey. Used both in the dough and drizzled on top before serving. Maple syrup is a fine substitute in the dough if that's what you have on hand.
Helpful Tips
Cool the quinoa first. Warm quinoa will start melting the butter as soon as it's folded in, which can make the dough greasy and spread too much in the oven. Cook it ahead and let it come to room temperature, or spread it on a plate to cool quickly.
Don't overmix once the flour goes in. Beat the flour mixture in just until combined, then fold in the quinoa, oats, and apple by hand. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and makes for a tougher, less tender cookie.
Expect a cakey texture. Between the whole wheat pastry flour and the quinoa, these bake up soft and cakey rather than crisp or chewy - they'll puff up a bit like a muffin top instead of spreading thin. That's exactly what you want here.
Measure the apple after dicing. A cup of diced apple is roughly one medium apple, but apples vary in size. Dice first, then measure, so the moisture ratio in the dough stays consistent.
Don't skip the parchment paper. These cookies are soft and a little delicate right out of the oven. Parchment paper keeps them from sticking and makes it easy to slide the whole batch off the pan to cool.
Variations
- Add nuts. A handful of chopped walnuts or pecans folded in with the oats adds crunch and richness.
- Swap the spice. A pinch of nutmeg or ground ginger alongside the cinnamon gives these a warmer, more spiced-cider flavor.
- Make them raisin-studded. Fold in a handful of raisins or dried cranberries along with the apple.
- Try a different fruit. Diced pear works just as well as apple, especially in the fall and winter.
- Add a glaze. Skip the honey drizzle and whisk together powdered sugar with a little milk and cinnamon for a light glaze instead.
- Make them gluten free. Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in place of the whole wheat pastry flour; the texture will be slightly different but still good.
Serving Ideas
These are soft and substantial enough to work as a grab-and-go breakfast alongside a piece of fruit or a cup of coffee, but they're just as good as an afternoon snack or a lunchbox treat. Warm one slightly and the honey drizzle soaks in even more.
For something a little more indulgent, serve them the way you would soft and chewy spiced apple rings - as part of a fall snack board with a few other apple-cinnamon treats. They also hold their own on a plate next to a mug of tea for an easy afternoon break.
Storing & Freezing
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Because they're soft and cakey rather than crisp, they're best kept in a single layer or with parchment between layers so they don't stick together.
These freeze well: let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour, or warm briefly in a 300°F oven, and add the honey drizzle just before serving.
More Quinoa & Apple Recipes
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Quinoa Carrot Cake Muffins
- Soft and Chewy Spiced Apple Rings
- Caramel Apple Empanadas
- 16 Healthy Homemade Vegetarian Snack Recipes
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup white sugar, (organic for vegan-friendly)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup apple, diced (about 1 medium apple)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars, and honey with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla and continue beating for 2 minutes. Add the flour mixture and beat just until combined.
- Fold in the cooled quinoa, oats, and diced apple by hand, mixing just until evenly distributed.
- Drop heaping tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on the pan for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Drizzle with a little honey just before serving, if desired.
The Mrs @ Success Along the Weigh says
Um, yes please. I seem to have all of the ingredients on hand. How 'bout that! 🙂
The Type A Housewife says
Oh yes, that's the other thing I love about this recipe! I didn't have to buy anything for it. 🙂
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
Those look really good, and I like how they're kinda puffy - my favorite!
The Type A Housewife says
Yes, I like soft puffy cookies much more than crispy ones!
Candace says
Oh, these look soooo good! I love that you have quinoa in these and that they are so low in points. What a great addition to my life these will be!
The Type A Housewife says
I was sure these would be 3 or 4 points--I was thrilled when I plugged everything into the recipe builder and they turned out to be 2 points! 🙂
Genevieve says
I love finding other uses for quinoa, like in baked goods. And the combination of apples and cinnamon in a soft and puffy cookie sounds like the perfect on-the-go breakfast to me!
The Type A Housewife says
This is my first time baking with quinoa and now I want to put it in everything! 🙂 I've been having these with fruit for breakfast for the past few days--so good!
Candy says
You had me at Apple! I have got to give these a try. I've never used quinoa, going to have to pick some up.
The Type A Housewife says
The important thing about quinoa is to rinse it before you use it, otherwise it's bitter! I like it because it's a good source of protein and since it's a grain, you can use it in place of rice, couscous, etc.
Val says
Oh, happy "mistakes"! These look so tasty and not terribly unhealthy! I love quinoa, so these are going to be added to my "make this "list. Hey, it's a long list, but I'll get to everything on there! 🙂
I miss chatting with you more! Hope all is well.
The Type A Housewife says
They're definitely healthier than typical cookies or muffins--that's good enough for me!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
Don't you hate when you google something and you realize you're not as original as you thought you were? Grrr.
The Type A Housewife says
YES! Although on the other hand, since muffin top cookies are already a thing, at least that means people will probably be searching for them. Sometimes when an idea is too original, you get no traffic on it!
Cassie says
These are beautiful and I can't wait to try them. They just sound so healthy and I love the flavors! So glad I found your blog!
The Type A Housewife says
Thanks for stopping by! 🙂 And yes, these are definitely healthier than most cookies!
Jennifer says
I have all of this in my pantry. Maybe I need to make these tomorrow!
The Type A Housewife says
Don't you love it when that happens? 🙂 I hope you like them if you make them!
CulinarilyCourtney says
Cookies for breakfast? OK! These certainly are a lot healthier than the Cookie Crunch cereal I used to guilt my mom into buying for me when I was a kid haha.
The Type A Housewife says
Oh, Cookie Crunch was my favorite! My husband still buys all those kids cereals, but he hasn't gotten that one in a while. 🙂
Katie says
what a great mistake recipe!
The Type A Housewife says
Sometimes mistake recipes are the best ones!
Audrey says
I own pastry flour, but I seldom use it. Mostly I just use my whole wheat flour. These look delicious.
The Type A Housewife says
Do you combine your whole wheat flour with white flour? That's what I usually do because I've read that works best, but I'd really like to sub out the whole amount of white flour with whole wheat.
Karen says
Is that one cup of quinoa that is then cooked or one cup after cooking?
The recipe looks so yummy that I'm dying to try it!
The Type A Housewife says
It's one cup after cooking--I cooked 1/2 cup of dried quinoa and it ended up being a little bit more than 1 cup. I hope you like the recipe if you make it! 🙂
Karen says
Thanks!
Ashley says
THESE. ARE. AMAZING!
I substituted the eggs with unsweetened applesauce and they taste so yummy!
Thanks!
Kiersten says
I'm so glad to hear it--thank you for letting me know! I'm definitely going to try use applesauce in these next time too. 😀
GinaMarie says
What other type of flour could you sub for whole wheat (wheat allergy) oatflour? I would also love to attempt substituting sugar with truvia. Thoughts?
Kiersten says
I'm not sure; I don't bake gluten- or sugar-free, so I'm not familiar with the different substitutes that are used. I'm sorry I can't help--I don't want to guess and tell you the wrong thing and have it turn out terrible!
Kimberly says
I know this recipe was posted a few years ago, but I happened upon it when I wanted to use up an apple I had and make healthier treat for my coworkers. I must say, this was a hit! I hadn't anticipated how much they would expand in the oven, so they were a bit overwhelming in size, but I heard no complaints : ) Thank you for posting this!
Kiersten Frase says
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe--thanks for your comment!