| |

Oatmeal Apple Butter Cookies

Gosh I love these oatmeal apple butter cookies.

They’re chewy oatmeal thumbprint cookies with a sweet apple butter filling and you can add raisins and/or nuts if you’d like.

They’re so scrumptious, I know you’ll want to make a second batch!

A tin filled with oatmeal raisin apple butter cookies.

How to make oatmeal apple butter cookies

  • Oats: The key ingredient for the cookie base – old-fashioned rolled oats.
  • Flour: Any all-purpose flour will work to make these cookies.
    • My favorite is whole wheat pastry flour because it’s light and finely ground, making for tender, soft cookies, but it offers the same nutritional benefits as regular whole wheat flour.
  • Baking powder and eggs: To make the cookies rise and become fluffy.
  • Butter: Butter is the best fat to use for cookies.
    • Leave a stick out to soften for a few hours, or microwave it for 10-15 seconds, until it’s just soft (not melted).
  • Brown sugar: My favorite sugar to use for oatmeal cookies!
  • Vanilla: To flavor the cookie dough. I don’t make cookies without it!
  • Cinnamon: For that warm spice flavor.
  • Apple butter: A store-bought jar or homemade.
  • Raisins and nuts: These are optional, but add texture and flavor to the cookies (and nutrition!).
A bowl with oatmeal raisin cookie ingredients.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until combined.
  3. In a separate medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
  4. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
  5. Slowly add dry ingredients, beating until just combined.
  6. Fold in raisins and nuts (if using).
  7. Use a cookie scoop to drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a spoon to press a well into the center of each cookie.
  8. Use a spoon to drop dollops of apple butter into the well of each cookie.
  9. Bake 8-12 minutes or until cookies are just set and lightly browned on the edges.
A tin full of oatmeal raisin apple butter cookies.

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

  • For the oats: You can use old-fashioned rolled oats or even quick oats for this recipe.
  • For the flour: You can also use all-purpose, whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, whole wheat white or oat flour for this recipe.
  • For the butter: Substitute with coconut oil.
  • For the brown sugar: Use dark or light brown sugar, or substitute granulated sugar. You could try maple syrup or honey (although I haven’t tested this).
  • For the apple butter: You can use any fruit butter or jam/jelly/preserve.

Nutrition Considerations

  • To make them gluten free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour and be sure the oats are certified gluten free. Be sure all other packaged ingredients are gluten free.
  • To make them dairy free: This recipe does not contain dairy.
  • To make them vegan: Use coconut oil instead of butter and try an egg substitute like Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer or make flax ‘eggs’ (although I haven’t tested this).
  • To make them nut free: Skip the nuts. Be sure all other ingredients are nut free.
  • To make them egg free: Try an egg substitute like Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer or make flax ‘eggs’ (although I haven’t tested this).
A tin full of oatmeal raisin apple butter cookies with plates of cookies on the side.
Print

Oatmeal Apple Butter Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Chewy oatmeal thumbprint cookies with a sweet apple butter filling.

  • Author: Julie Andrews
  • Prep Time: 10-15 mins
  • Cook Time: 8-10 mins
  • Total Time: 18-25 mins
  • Yield: Makes 18 cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Dessert

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 ¼ cups flour*
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup raisins (optional)
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • ⅔ cup apple butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until combined.
  3. In a separate medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.  Slowly add dry ingredients, beating until just combined.  Fold in raisins and nuts (if using).
  4. Use a cookie scoop to drop cookies onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a spoon to press a well into the center of each cookie.  Use a spoon to drop dollops of apple butter into the well of each cookie.
  5. Bake 8-12 minutes or until cookies are just set and lightly browned on the edges.

Notes

Substitution Tip: You can also use all-purpose, whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, whole wheat white or oat flour for this recipe.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 161
  • Sugar: 11g
  • Sodium: 59mg
  • Fat: 6g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 3g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 23g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 2g
  • Cholesterol: 26mg

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram @the.healthyepicurean and Facebook @thehealthyepicurean. We can’t wait to see your creation!

 

10 Comments

    1. Yes! I hope that with our continued work regarding finding balance in diet and lifestyle, people will grasp that concept of enjoying what you eat, and that including cookies in your diet can be part of a healthy plan. 🙂

Leave a Reply

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

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

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