With whole grains and lower sugar, these Applesauce Cookies are bursting with fresh apple flavor. Plus, all you need to make them is a bowl and a spoon!
I love being able to mix up a batch of yummy cookies using pantry staples and this recipe—which uses unsweetened applesauce for natural sweetness and flavor—is a favorite.
There are oats and cinnamon in the mix for nutrition and flavor. And the interior texture is moist and tender, with a slight crispness around the edges.
They are great to share with little kids since they have very little added sugar, and they pair so well with a glass of milk…or your own coffee.
Why This Recipe Works
With an easy one-bowl method and basic ingredients, you can make naturally sweet apple cookies that are delicious and low in added sugar.
(You may also like my Applesauce Bread, Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and my Applesauce Muffins.)
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at what you need to make these Applesauce Cookies so you know what to have on hand.
- Rolled oats: Look for “old-fashioned” rolled oats in the cereal aisle of your store. They add texture and fiber to this recipe, and soften as the cookies bake.
- All purpose flour: I prefer to use all-purpose flour here to keep the cookies light and tender. You can also use whole wheat pastry flour if you prefer.
- Brown sugar: I like to add a little brown sugar to this recipe to even out the sweetness and ensure they taste like cookies.
- Cinnamon and vanilla extract: We add ground cinnamon and vanilla extract, either pure or artificial, to ensure that the cookies have plenty of flavor.
- Baking soda: A little baking soda helps the cookies to rise slightly and bake through properly.
- Smooth applesauce: Smooth, flavorful applesauce is key to this recipe. Taste it and be sure that you like the flavor. You can use store bought applesauce or Homemade Applesauce.
- Egg: I bake with large eggs, so be sure to use that size so the volume of wet ingredients to dry ingredients is correct.
- Melted butter: I bake with unsalted butter, so that’s what I recommend you use here. This way, we can control the added salt in the recipe.
Featured Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Great cookie to make with your little one. Tastes a bit like a snickerdoodle. Most importantly: 3 yo loves them and is eating something other a chicken nugget or a goldfish!” —C Murphy
Ingredient Substitutions
To make these gluten-free, use cup for cup gluten-free flour mix. To make them dairy-free, use the coconut oil instead of butter. See the Notes at the end of the recipe for the egg-free info.
If your store doesn’t carry applesauce, you can use my easy Apple Puree.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at how to make this Applesauce Cookies recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information, including the amounts and timing.
Step 1. Add the ingredients to a large bowl.
Step 2. Stir the ingredients together in a medium bowl to make a thick, sticky batter.
Step 3. Portion out batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Press down slightly so the batter is even.
Step 4. Bake until lightly golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool on the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use any kind of smooth applesauce that tastes flavorful when eaten off of a spoon. This will help ensure the cookies will be flavorful. You can use homemade applesauce or store bought.
I prefer to omit the egg, add ¼ cup milk and increase baking soda to ½ teaspoon to make an egg-free version of Applesauce Cookies.
For the best texture and flavor, I do recommend using both in the mix of this recipe.
How to Store
Store leftovers, once cooled, for 3-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Or freeze in a zip top bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature. They are a little crispy around the edges right out of the oven, but soften as they are stored.
Best Tips for Success
- Use smooth, unsweetened applesauce.
- Use an applesauce that has good flavor when you taste it as that will impact the flavor of the cookies.
- Store-bought applesauce works great or you can use homemade applesauce.
- Use whole wheat flour or all purpose–they work the same though whole wheat flour cookies will be slightly darker (that’s what I used in the photos here).
- Gluten-free: Use cup for cup gluten-free flour mix.
- Dairy-free: Use the coconut oil instead of butter.
- Egg-free: Omit the egg, add ¼ cup milk and increase baking soda to ½ teaspoon.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so please comment below to share!
Favorite Applesauce Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup smooth applesauce
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup melted butter (or coconut oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir the ingredients together in a medium bowl. The batter will be fairly thick and sticky.
- Use a 1 tablespoon spoon to portion out batter onto the prepared baking sheet, placing batter about 1 inch apart. Press down slightly so the cookies are about ½ inch thick.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until firm to the touch and lightly golden brown around the edges.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers, once cooled, for 3-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Or freeze in a zip top bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature.
- Use smooth, unsweetened applesauce.
- These cookies are a little crispy around the edges right out of the oven, but soften as they are stored.
- Store-bought applesauce works great or you can use homemade applesauce.
- Use whole wheat flour or all purpose–they work the same though whole wheat flour cookies will be slightly darker (that’s what I used in the photos here).
- Gluten-free: Use cup for cup gluten-free flour mix.
- Dairy-free: Use the coconut oil instead of butter.
- Egg-free: Omit the egg, add ¼ cup milk and increase baking soda to ½ teaspoon.
Nutrition
This recipe was first published October 2020.
Love these cookies! Super easy and quick, and they taste delicious. I made half as is, and added raisins to the other half. Both are a huge hit. I will definitely make these again (and will make a double batch next time because these are disappearing quickly)!! Thank you for sharing!
Good flavor but they seemed a little dry. I would make again.❤️
I made with homemade applesauce which we love but I really didn’t like the whole wheat taste. Maybe would be better with all purpose flour. Do like other recipes on this site tho!
I used Swerve brown sugar replacement then added in caramel chips. Loved them! Next time I think I will add in chopped up chewy dried apples. Good base recipe!
I had some homemade applesauce left over and decided to use this recipe as a cookie base; I added some things on hand, i.e., 2/3 cup of white chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, and dried cranberries. This was great! Thank you for posting.
Can I change up the apples for this and use pumpkin puree?
I know, totally different cookie 🙂
If you don’t like very sugary cookies than these are for you. If you have an expectation for a sweeter cookie like a classic chocolate chip cookie add some agave or honey! I personally, don’t like sugar. So these cookies are the right amount of a sweet treat. Don’t let the consistency of the raw batter scare you. They do firm up. It’s messy so use a ice cream scooper. I added an additional 2 tablespoons of flour.
These are so good; wonderful for toddlers and adults! I’d been looking for a healthier alternative to packaged granola bars and here it is. I upped the cinnamon (for our older palates) and added plumped raisins. Thank you for a great recipe!
I threw these together in just a few minutes for my toddlers’ afternoon snack, and they were a hit! I made half the batch as written, and then I added sliced almonds to the second half. I like the hint of sweetness and the soft texture. They remind me of a “muffie.” We will definitely made this again!
Very easy, quick and healthier! Added mini choc chips to half, both versions good. Might add a bit more applesauce and spices like nutmeg and cloves next time, plus try a sugar substitute (syrup or honey) for my diabetic friend. Plan on making often. Thanks!
What if I only have quick oats? Does that change anything?
I haven’t made them that way, but I think it would work similarly, though the cookies may be softer in the end.
Hello, I made this recipe 2 days ago for my husband who is borderline diabetic and him and I both just love these cookies. It’s hard to find oatmeal cookies in the store without raisins. So thank you for sharing a recipe in which ill continually make.
I’m so glad to hear that!
These are just the friggin best. We make them all the time. Love them so much!
So many enthusiastic “likes” ! I must have done something wrong because I found these just “Blah”
My 18 month old grandson loves these, and my son and daughter-in-law love the very low sugar content. A win all around!