Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: Your Irresistible Fall Favorite

Prepare yourself for an unparalleled autumnal delight because this Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe isn’t just good; it’s genuinely addictive. Each bite of these perfectly spiced, chewy treats delivers a comforting blend of apple, cinnamon, and plump raisins, making it nearly impossible to stop at just one. Seriously, consider this your official warning: these homemade apple oatmeal raisin cookies are about to become your new obsession, especially as the crisp air of fall sets in.

There’s something inherently magical about the aroma of freshly baked cookies wafting through your home. When that scent includes the warm embrace of cinnamon, nutmeg, and sweet apples mingling with hearty oats, you know you’re in for a special experience. Our Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies capture the very essence of comfort and joy, offering a taste that’s both familiar and wonderfully fresh. They strike a sublime balance, being delightfully flavorful without being overly sweet, making them an ideal treat for any time of day, whether with your morning coffee or as an evening indulgence.

Why These Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Are a Must-Try

These cookies aren’t just another item in your fall baking repertoire; they’re destined to become a staple. Here’s why they stand out:

• Perfectly Balanced Sweetness: Unlike many overly sugary cookies, these offer a more subtle, wholesome sweetness that highlights the natural flavors of apple and raisin. The brown sugar adds a lovely molasses note, complementing the fruit and spices beautifully.
• Irresistible Texture: The combination of quick oats and flour creates a delightfully chewy interior with slightly crisp edges, offering a satisfying mouthfeel in every bite. The plump raisins add bursts of soft chewiness.
• Warm Fall Flavors: Cinnamon and nutmeg are the quintessential spices of autumn, infusing these cookies with a comforting warmth that perfectly evokes the season. The applesauce provides a gentle, natural apple essence without overwhelming the other flavors.
• Effortlessly Easy to Make: Despite their gourmet taste, this recipe is incredibly straightforward. With simple steps and common pantry ingredients, even novice bakers can achieve spectacular results.
• Versatile Treat: Ideal for breakfast on the go, a midday snack, dessert, or even packed in lunchboxes. They hold up well, making them perfect for sharing (or secretly hoarding!).

The Hearty Ingredients: A Blend of Flavor and Comfort

The magic of these cookies lies in their carefully selected ingredients, each playing a crucial role in creating their unique taste and texture. We focus on a balance of hearty and sweet components to ensure a satisfying bite every time.

Key Ingredients for Flavorful Perfection:

• Quick Oats: These provide the signature chewy texture of oatmeal cookies without being too dense. They also contribute to the cookie’s wholesome feel.
• All-Purpose Flour: The structural backbone of our cookies, ensuring they hold their shape while baking and maintain a tender crumb.
• Baking Powder: Our leavening agent, which helps the cookies rise slightly, giving them a soft and airy interior.
• Salt: A crucial flavor enhancer that balances the sweetness and brings out the depth of the spices and fruit.
• Ground Cinnamon & Nutmeg: These aromatic spices are the soul of our fall-inspired cookies, providing warmth, depth, and that irresistible autumnal fragrance.
• Brown Sugar (Packed): Contributes moisture, a richer sweetness, and a lovely caramel-like flavor that pairs wonderfully with apples and oats.
• White Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create those slightly crisp edges that are so delightful.
• Softened Butter: Provides richness, tenderness, and helps bind the ingredients together. Using softened butter is key for a creamy mixture.
• Egg: Acts as a binder, adding structure and moisture to the dough.
• Applesauce: A brilliant addition that infuses natural apple flavor and adds moisture, allowing us to reduce the amount of fat without sacrificing texture. It keeps the cookies wonderfully soft.
• Raisins: Plump, sweet raisins add bursts of fruity flavor and a delightful chewiness that complements the oats and spices.

Essential Baking Tools for Success

Having the right tools can make all the difference in your baking experience. For these Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, a few basic kitchen essentials will ensure smooth sailing from start to finish.

• Large Mixing Bowl: We highly recommend a sturdy glass batter bowl, especially one with a handle. It makes mixing ingredients much easier and helps keep the bowl steady on your countertop, preventing accidental spills and providing a comfortable grip as you combine your dough.
• Parchment Paper: A true game-changer for bakers! Using parchment paper eliminates the need for greasing, ensures your cookies won’t stick, and makes cleanup incredibly simple. Plus, it helps regulate baking temperature for a more even cook.
• Baking Sheet: Opt for baking sheets with raised sides. This small detail offers peace of mind, preventing any unfortunate cookie casualties from sliding off the tray and onto the oven floor (a lesson some of us have learned the hard way!).
• Hand Mixer: Essential for creaming together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, ensuring your cookie dough has the right consistency.

Recipe: Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Making these delicious Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies is a simple and rewarding process. Follow these straightforward steps to create a batch of irresistible treats.

Summary

How to make delicious Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

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Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cup Quick oats
• 1 ½ cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1 cup Brown Sugar (Packed)
• ½ cup White Sugar
• ½ cup Butter (softened)
• 1 Egg
• 1 cup Applesauce

Instructions

1. Combine oats, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl and set aside. Ensure all dry ingredients are well mixed for even flavor distribution.
2. In a separate, larger mixing bowl, combine the brown and white sugars. Add the softened butter and beat with a hand mixer until the mixture is light, creamy, and fluffy. This step is crucial for the cookie’s texture.
3. Add the egg and applesauce to the creamy sugar and butter mixture. Blend until everything is smooth and well incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure all ingredients are mixed.
4. Gradually add the dry flour-oat mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
5. Gently fold in the raisins using a spatula. Distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
6. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet or, preferably, a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave about 2 inches between cookies to allow for spreading.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are set. The cookies will yield approximately 3 dozen.

Kitchen Tools

• Cookie Sheets
• Parchment Paper
• Hand Mixer
• Large Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Spatula

Nutrition

Expert Tips for the Best Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Achieving bakery-quality cookies at home is simpler than you think with a few pro tips:

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and egg are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together properly with the sugars, creating a smooth emulsion that traps air, resulting in lighter, fluffier cookies.
• Measure Flour Correctly: Don’t scoop flour directly from the bag. Instead, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. This prevents over-packing, which can lead to dense, dry cookies.
• Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, making your cookies tough.
• Chill the Dough (Optional but Recommended): If time allows, chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes (or even overnight) can deepen the flavors and prevent the cookies from spreading too much, resulting in a chewier texture.
• Don’t Overcrowd the Baking Sheet: Give your cookies space to spread. Baking too many at once can lead to uneven baking and cookies sticking together.
• Watch for Doneness: Cookies are often done when the edges are set and lightly golden, even if the centers still look a little soft. They will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.
• Cooling is Key: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them firm up and prevents breakage.

Customize Your Cookies: Delicious Variations

While this classic Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe is perfect as is, it also serves as an excellent base for experimentation. Feel free to personalize your batch with these delightful additions:

• Add Nuts: Toasted walnuts or pecans can add a wonderful crunch and earthy flavor that complements the oats and apples.
• Chocolate Chips: For a twist, mix in white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chunks, or dark chocolate chips. Chocolate pairs surprisingly well with apple and cinnamon!
• Different Dried Fruits: Substitute some or all of the raisins with dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or even dried cherries for different flavor profiles.
• Extra Spices: If you love a bolder spice blend, add a pinch of ground ginger or a tiny dash of cloves to enhance the autumnal warmth.
• Citrus Zest: A teaspoon of orange or lemon zest can brighten the overall flavor, adding a subtle tangy note.
• Icing or Glaze: Drizzle cooled cookies with a simple powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar mixed with a tiny bit of milk or lemon juice) for an extra touch of sweetness and elegance.

Storing and Enjoying Your Homemade Treats

Once baked, you’ll want to keep your Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies fresh to enjoy every last one:

• Airtight Container: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. For best results, place a slice of bread in the container to help keep them soft.
• Freezing Baked Cookies: These cookies freeze beautifully! Once completely cooled, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in the microwave.
• Freezing Dough: You can also prepare the dough, roll it into balls, and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a lined baking sheet and bake for a few extra minutes (13-15 minutes) without thawing.

Serving Suggestions:

These cookies are wonderful on their own, but here are a few ideas to elevate your experience:

• Enjoy them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Serve with a glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee or tea.
• Pack them as a comforting treat in lunchboxes or for picnics.
• Gift them to friends and family in a pretty tin—they make a thoughtful homemade present!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Got questions about baking these delightful cookies? We’ve got answers!

• Can I use old-fashioned rolled oats instead of quick oats?
  Yes, you can, but it will change the texture slightly. Rolled oats will give the cookies a chewier, more rustic texture. If using rolled oats, you might want to pulse them briefly in a food processor to break them down a bit, or simply enjoy the heartier texture they provide.
• Do I have to use raisins?
  No, if you’re not a fan of raisins, you can omit them entirely or substitute them with other dried fruits like cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or even chocolate chips, as suggested in our variations section.
• Can I use fresh apples instead of applesauce?
  While fresh apples would add a great crunch, applesauce serves a different purpose here: it provides moisture and a pure apple essence without adding bulk or significantly altering the dough’s consistency. If you want to add fresh apple pieces, finely dice them and consider reducing the applesauce slightly to maintain the right moisture balance, though this is not typically necessary.
• My cookies spread too much. What went wrong?
  Several factors can cause cookies to spread: your butter might have been too warm, your oven temperature might be too low, or you might have overmeasured liquid ingredients. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can often help prevent excessive spreading.
• How do I know when the cookies are done?
  The cookies are usually done when their edges are lightly golden brown and the centers appear set. They will firm up further as they cool. Avoid overbaking, as this can make them dry and hard.

More Irresistible Cookie Recipes to Explore

If you’ve fallen in love with these Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, you’re in for a treat! We have a whole collection of amazing cookie recipes waiting for you. Broaden your baking horizons with these fantastic options:

• White Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies
• Flip Flop Nutter Butters
• Coffee Meringue Cookies
• Red Heart Linzer Cookies
• Caramel Macchiato Cookies
• Sand Dollar Cookies

Do you love exploring new recipes? Check out our easy cookie recipes, copycat recipes, dessert recipes, and our CrockPot Recipes for even more culinary inspiration.

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Recipe originally shared on August 30, 2015. Updated December 2020.