These cookies are soft, moist, crunchy, chewy, and delicious. They're made with simple, healthy ingredients and are proudly vegan. Vegan Apple Oatmeal Cookies are healthy enough for breakfast but tasty enough you can sneak them as a treat. These cookies have a warm cinnamon flavor and are totally cozy!
These cookies come together with simple, healthy ingredients. They're packed with nutrition but could also pass for dessert!
There is something so comforting about that apple-cinnamon combination. These apple oatmeal cookies have the perfect ratio of spice to sweet and can be depended on time after time to be delicious and appealing.
I just love that comforting, cozy, nostalgic cinnamon flavor. They're loaded with that satisfying cinnamon taste that we all know and love, and they'll make your kitchen smell fantastic!
This Vegan Apple Oatmeal Cookie recipe is...
- Tasty
- 100% vegan
- A cookie with a delightful texture
- The perfect combination of soft and crunchy
- Great for meal prep
- Can be frozen for later
- Very satisfying and cozy
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Coconut oil. Melted coconut oil gives these cookies their crisp edges and rich flavor. Refined coconut oil tastes neutral, while unrefined adds a faint coconut note. Melted vegan butter is an easy 1:1 swap, and a neutral oil like avocado oil works in a pinch, though the cookies will spread a little more.
- Brown sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture, chew and a caramel-like depth that's perfect with apple and cinnamon. Coconut sugar works the same way with a slightly deeper, less sweet flavor. Choose organic brown sugar if you want to be sure it wasn't processed with bone char.
- Flaxseed meal. Stirred into water, flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed) thickens into a gel that binds the dough in place of an egg. Ground chia seeds do the same job. Whole flaxseeds won't gel, so grind them first if that's what you have on hand.
- All-purpose flour. This gives the cookies their structure. White whole wheat flour makes a heartier cookie, or use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend (plus certified gluten-free oats) to make the whole batch gluten-free.
- Rolled oats and oat flour. Old-fashioned rolled oats give that hearty, chewy oatmeal-cookie texture, while oat flour keeps the crumb tender. You can buy oat flour or make your own in about two minutes (see the tips below).
- Apple. Pick a firm, crisp apple that holds its shape in the oven, like Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady or tart Granny Smith. Dice it small, about ¼ inch, so the pieces soften as the cookies bake and don't break them apart. Peeling is optional.
- Cinnamon and vanilla. Warm ground cinnamon is the star spice here, and vanilla rounds everything out. For even more fall flavor, add a pinch of nutmeg or ground ginger along with the cinnamon.
How to Make Vegan Apple Oatmeal Cookies
- Preheat oven and prepare baking tray.
- Prepare a flaxseed egg and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Combine melted coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla.
- Add flaxseed egg to mixing bowl.
- Mix dry ingredients in a different bowl.
- Add to first mixing bowl and combine well.
- Add oats and oat flour. Stir well.
- Add diced apple and mix evenly.
- Spoon dough onto the baking sheet.
- Bake until edges are golden.
- Let cookies cool and enjoy!
Full directions for how to make Vegan Apple Oatmeal Cookies are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Tips & Tricks for Vegan Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Dough Will Be Sticky
When you spoon the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, you will find that the dough is very sticky. This is because of the flaxseed egg. However, the dough is still fairly easy to work with and can easily be spooned onto the sheet. Don't be worried because the dough is sticky-it means you made it right!
Make Your Own Oat Flour
This recipe uses oat flour, but it's very easy to make yourself. Simply process rolled oats in a blender or food processor for approximately two minutes.
Perfect For Meal Prep
When the cookies are cooled, transfer them to an airtight container. They can be stored in the pantry for three days or in the freezer for two months. Perfect for vegan meal prep!
Variations to Vegan Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Softer Cookies
Swap the rolled oats for quick oats to enjoy a softer cookie. Use the exact same measurement—just swap out the oat varieties.
Serving Ideas
These cookies make an easy grab-and-go breakfast with a cup of coffee, a mug of chai or a glass of oat milk. Pair a couple with a piece of fresh fruit or a bowl of dairy-free yogurt for a more filling morning, or tuck one into a lunchbox for a sweet afternoon snack.
For dessert, warm them in the microwave for about 10 seconds and serve with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream, or spread a little homemade apple butter on top for a double dose of apple flavor. They're also a lovely addition to a fall dessert platter or a cozy movie night, and they travel well for bake sales, potlucks and holiday cookie swaps.
Vegan Apple Oatmeal Cookies FAQs
Why do my apple oatmeal cookies get hard?
Usually, hard oatmeal cookies are simply a matter of overmixing. Overmixing the flour develops its gluten, which makes the cookies tough. Only mix the cookie dough until it's just mixed. Additionally, you can swap the rolled oats in this recipe for quick oats if you want an even softer cookie.
Can I freeze my leftover apples?
We've all been there. Chopped too many apples but, of course, you don't want to throw the leftovers out. Don't worry-you can definitely toss them in the freezer. Simply store your extra apples in a Ziploc freezer bag, and they'll be ready for your next apple baking adventure!
If you're a fan of apple recipes like we are, consider trying these tasty Vegan Apple Fritters, a Vegan Apple Crisp, and these Apple-Cinnamon Quinoa Cookies.
More Vegan Recipes
If you love these vegan apple oatmeal cookies, be sure to check out these other delicious ideas:
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal, + 3 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup apple, diced small (about 1 medium apple)
- ½ cup oat flour, or rolled oats blended to flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the flax egg: in a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 10 minutes to thicken.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, brown sugar and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the thickened flax egg and stir again until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined; don't overmix.
- Add the rolled oats and oat flour and stir to combine. Quick tip: to make your own oat flour, blend rolled oats for about 2 minutes until finely ground.
- Add the diced apple.
- Gently stir until the apple is evenly distributed through the dough.
- Scoop the dough into 12 to 14 mounds (about 2 heaping tablespoons each) on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them. The dough will be sticky from the flaxseed, but it's easy to spoon.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days in your pantry or in the freezer for up to two months.
- For this recipe, I used rolled oats to get a crunchier bite. You could use quick oats, too; the result will be softer cookies.
- This is a great recipe for meal prep or as a handy school or work lunch.
- These cookies have that warm cinnamon flavor that, combined with sweet apples, makes you feel at home. They have crunchy edges with a soft center and are proudly vegan!
Jennifer says
Great! I used lemon on the diced apples to add tang and keep from browning. Also I used 1/3 of the four as oat flour. Note: the ingredients list doesn't state how much baking powder to use.
Nicole says
Thanks for catching that - I've added the baking powder quantity!
Joan says
These are delicious! Very easy to make as well.