• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Comfort Food Faves
    • Cooking Tips
    • Easy Weeknight
    • Gatherings
    • Kid-Friendly
    • Meal Prep
    • Pantry Staples
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Cookbooks

The Healthy Epicurean logo

Home » Recipes » Dessert

Modified: Sep 23, 2022 | Categories: Baked Goods

Oatmeal Apple Butter Cookies

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

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.
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

How to make oatmeal apple butter cookies

Featured Ingredients

  • 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.
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

Cookie recipes to feed your soul:

  • Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Breakfast Oatmeal Yogurt Cookies
  • Healthy Monster Cookies
  • Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches
Print

Oatmeal Apple Butter Cookies

Print Recipe

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

Keywords: baked goods, easy, quick, fall, crowd pleasing, party, healthy

Did you make this recipe?

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


« Pumpkin Pasta with Bacon
Broccoli Cheddar Bites »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brynn at The Domestic Dietitian says

    September 25, 2018 at 5:07 am

    Love your tips for a balanced lifestyle! and these cookies sound fantastic, one of my favorite kinds of cookie.

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      September 26, 2018 at 3:35 pm

      Thanks, Brynn! I am an absolute fan of these cookies 😉

      Reply
  2. Kathryn Pfeffer says

    September 25, 2018 at 8:34 am

    Such a perfect cookie for the fall! Maybe I could use leftover apples from apple picking to make the apple butter for this cookie? 🙂

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      September 26, 2018 at 3:36 pm

      Such a great idea! YUM!

      Reply
  3. Kelly Jones says

    September 25, 2018 at 9:52 am

    These sound great! I looove apple butter this time of year and have a great local orchard I get it from. May have to make these!

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      September 26, 2018 at 3:37 pm

      I absolutely love homemade or small batch apple butter! It's a fall fave for sure 🙂

      Reply
  4. Chelsey Amer says

    September 27, 2018 at 6:29 am

    Such a great, balanced perspective (and one that I share!). These cookies look DELICIOUS! I don't think I've ever had apple cookies before!

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      September 27, 2018 at 6:36 pm

      We have to enjoy what we eat otherwise what's the point?! Anything else is not sustainable. 🙂 Plus, cookies are totally delicious (and with apples)!

      Reply
  5. Becca Menke says

    October 01, 2018 at 10:18 am

    I appreciate your view of a balanced diet. I get the same thing when I post cookie or cake recipes, but it's all about balance!

    Reply
    • Julie Andrews says

      October 01, 2018 at 4:10 pm

      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. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

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

Primary Sidebar

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

recipe categories

hi, i’m julie!

chef, registered dietitian & mom
passionate about simple, healthy cooking

*formerly the gourmet RD*

More About Me

Subscribe to my newsletter

FREE Kitchen Essentials Guide

This free guide is your ticket to a well-stocked kitchen and more enjoyable cooking! From pantry and freezer staples to fresh ingredients, these are the ingredients you’ll find most often in my recipes. With a bit of prep, you can skip that extra trip to the store and instead pour yourself some wine.
Pantry Guide Preview

Shop my kitchen favorites

Footer

↑ back to top

More

Privacy Policy

Terms & Conditions

Media Kit

Newsletter

Thank you for subscribing!

As seen in...

Prevention Magazine

NBC News

Well + Good

The Healthy

Verywellfit

Real Appeal

Aaptiv

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Copyright 2021 © The Healthy Epicurean All rights Reserved.
  • 55