Vegan Apple Cookies with Oatmeal
Add Preferred SourceNothing beats warm Vegan Apple Cookies with Oatmeal and a quiet moment with a cup of coffee in the afternoon. The oats create a hearty base, the cinnamon adds warmth, and the diced apples keep them moist and flavorful. They’re simple to make and taste homemade and comforting.
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I make these for fall baking, lunch box treats, after-school snacks, and cozy weekend mornings because they’re wholesome enough for breakfast but sweet enough for dessert. Healthier than regular cookies and kid-friendly, they’re delicious any time of day. They keep at room temperature for 3 days or freeze beautifully for up to 2 months.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Vegan Apple Cookies with Oatmeal with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
You’ll have warm cookies in about 30 minutes with just one bowl and basic pantry ingredients.
Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. I like using this oven thermometer to ensure your temperature is accurate since many ovens run hot or cold. Parchment paper prevents sticking and makes cleanup effortless.
Prepare the Flax Egg
Mix the flaxseed meal with water in a small bowl and let it sit for five minutes until it thickens into a gel. The flax egg acts as a binder in place of chicken eggs. You’ll see it turn slightly viscous, which means it’s ready to use.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
Combine the melted coconut oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl, stirring until the sugar starts to dissolve. Add the prepared flax egg and stir again until everything’s evenly combined and slightly creamy.
Combine the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Mixing the dry ingredients first prevents clumps and distributes the cinnamon evenly throughout the dough.
Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until no flour streaks remain.
Add the Oats and Apple
Fold in the rolled oats and oat flour, stirring until they’re fully incorporated into the dough. The oat flour adds structure while the rolled oats create texture.
Add the diced apple last and fold it gently into the mixture so the pieces stay intact. The batter will feel sticky but manageable, and you’ll see apple chunks distributed throughout.
Shape and Bake the Cookies
Spoon the dough into 12-14 portions onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each cookie, so they have room to spread. A cookie scoop gives you uniform portions and keeps your hands clean.
The batter will be sticky but easy to work with. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges turn golden brown while the centers stay soft.
Cool and Serve
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet until they’re completely room temperature before transferring them. They’ll firm up as they cool, and moving them too early can cause them to break apart. I always use my cooling rack, which allows air to circulate underneath, so the bottoms don’t get soggy from trapped steam.
If you’re taking them to a gathering or packing them for gifts, a cookie tin keeps them protected during transport without crushing the soft centers.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Prepare the flaxseed egg by mixing one tbsp of flaxseed with 3 tbsp of water. Let it sit for five minutes.1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Stir well.⅓ cup coconut oil, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the flaxseed egg to the mixture and stir again.
- In another bowl, mix the all-purpose flour with cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir until combined.¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the rolled oats and oat flour, and stir again.1 cup rolled oats, ½ cup oat flour
- Finally, add the diced apple and fold it into the mix.1 cup diced apple
- Spoon the dough into 12-14 cookies, leaving two inches in between to let them expand. The batter will be sticky but easy to work with.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool down completely before transferring them to a plate.
Notes
- Use firm apples: Granny Smith or Honeycrisp hold their shape better than softer varieties that can turn mushy during baking.
- Check at 12 minutes: Oven temperatures vary, and you want golden edges with soft centers rather than overbaked, dry cookies.
- Don’t skip the flax egg rest time: Letting it sit for five minutes creates the gel texture you need for proper binding and structure.
- Melt the coconut oil completely: Solid coconut oil won’t mix evenly with the brown sugar, creating lumpy dough that bakes unevenly.
- Make your own oat flour: Process rolled oats in a blender for 30 seconds instead of buying separate oat flour to save money and reduce ingredients.
- Flash-freeze before storing: Freeze cookies on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer them to containers so they don’t stick together or lose their shape.
Nutrition
How to Store Leftovers
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, and they’ll stay soft with that fresh-baked texture. Stack them with parchment paper between layers if you’re storing multiple rows, so they don’t stick together. A glass storage container keeps them fresh without any plastic taste.
For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or warm them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes if you want that just-baked softness again. The apple pieces stay tender even after freezing, and you won’t notice any texture change.
What to Serve With Vegan Apple Cookies with Oatmeal
I love eating them with hot coffee in the morning or a cup of tea in the afternoon when you want something lightly sweet. They’re also perfect alongside yogurt parfaits or smoothie bowls if you’re putting together a full breakfast spread.
They’re great as dessert on their own, especially warmed up and served with vanilla ice cream or coconut whipped cream on top. They work really well on holiday dessert tables or cookie platters alongside other fall treats, giving people a softer, fruit-filled option when you’re serving different varieties.
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