Soft Apple Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
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Soft Apple Caramel Oatmeal Cookies are making my cookie dreams come true! Indulge in the ultimate comfort food! This oatmeal cookie recipe is packed with delicious flavors of caramel and apple, and a dash of cinnamon to bring it all together.
More delightful apple recipes? You’ll adore these Caramel Apple Cupcakes, these 25 Tempting Apple Desserts, and this Apple Crumb Cake Recipe for starters!
Why We’re Loving Baking These Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies
As the leaves change color and the air turns crisp, there’s nothing quite like the sweet and cozy scents of fall baking. Today, we’re sharing an easy recipe that perfectly captures the essence of autumn: soft caramel apple oatmeal cookies, with a touch of cinnamon for a warm and cozy taste!
There’s no chilling your dough or anything too hard-pressed about this recipe! Plus, you can customize them so many ways, and you can certainly have them in your paws in no time! Perfect for Halloween parties, fall baking, after school snacks, or anytime you have an abundance of apples or caramel!
Whether you’re looking for a new fall treat to add to your baking rotation or simply craving something sweet and comforting, these caramel apple oat cookies are sure to impress. Who’s ready for a batch of warm and delicious caramel apple oaties? Bring it on!
Fun fact: Did you know apples are part of the rose family? Apples, along with pears, peaches, and cherries, belong to the Rosaceae family, making them relatives of roses! Learn more about this fascinating botanical connection here.
Gather Your Ingredients
Soft Apple Caramel Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Servings: 14 – 1/4 cup cookies
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (for gluten-free option – use gluten-free rolled oats)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature or straight from fridge
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup apple, chopped small
- Several caramel options: Use Werther’s soft caramels or any kind of soft caramels you like to stuff inside the cookies, or you can add those Kraft caramel bits and add them in your batter or place them on top of your cookies after they come out of the oven. Another option is to add caramel chips in your cookie dough!
Instructions How to Make Soft Apple Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg baking soda, salt and oats until well combined, set aside.
- Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until fully combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix together well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped apple until fully incorporated into the cookie dough. If you want to add in any other add-ins, now would be the time, like walnuts, caramel bits, chocolate chips.
- Using a ¼ cup cookie scoop, scoop a ball of the cookie dough (roll each of the caramels into a ball) and push 1 or 2 caramels into the center of the scoop of dough, making sure to have dough covering the caramel. Place cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, and make sure to a little space for each of the cookies, so they don’t bake into each other. You can flatten the tops of the cookies if you want or leave them in a scoop. Add some extra caramel bits on top now or when they are done baking if you want extra caramel.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Be gentle moving them to the wire rack as they are still fragile and the caramel might ooze if the caramels weren’t completely covered in the cookie dough.
- So good! You can also keep the caramels out of the cookies if you wish! Also, you can glaze the tops with a brown butter glaze or simple powdered sugar glaze if you want more sweetness.
Storing Your Apple Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
These apple caramel oatmeal cookies are perfect for making ahead or gifting! Here’s how to store them:
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy.
Fun Variations for Your Apple Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
Want to switch things up? Here are a few creative twists for your apple caramel oat cookies
- Add Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans add a lovely crunch.
- Extra Caramel: Add caramel bits on top or drizzle some caramel sauce over the cookies for a caramel-extravaganza. Even some salted caramel frosting would be out of this world yummy!
- Skip the Caramel: Prefer a simpler cookie? You can leave out the caramel and enjoy delicious apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies instead.
- Glaze Option: Drizzle a brown butter glaze or powdered sugar glaze for an extra touch of sweetness!
- Sweet & Salty Vibes: Sprinkle some sea salt on top for that sweet and salty flava flave or top with some caramel drizzle with some sea salt!
- Oat Variations: We used rolled oats, but you could sub with some quick oats, but remember, you won’t get the oat texture like you get in these cookies.
The Perfect Fall Cookie
Soft, chewy, and packed with apple and caramel, these apple caramel oat cookies are the ultimate fall treat. Bake them for a cozy night in or a special occasion, and this Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies with gooey caramel recipe is sure to become a favorite.
Give them a try and let us know how they turn out in the comments below! Share on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
More Comforting Treats!
- Grandma’s Classic Biscuit Apple Cobbler
- German Spiced Apple Cake
- Easy Cinnamon Roll Apple Dumplings
- Chunky Apple Walnut Cake
- Easy Homemade Apple Crisp Recipe
- Pumpkin White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Soft Apple Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature or cold
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup apple chopped small
- Soft caramels Werther's or Kraft caramel bits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and oats. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until combined. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped apples.
- Scoop ¼ cup portions of dough, then press 1-2 soft caramels into the center of each. Ensure the caramel is fully enclosed by the dough.
- Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the tops are set.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Caramel Options: You can use soft caramels like Werther's or Kraft caramel bits. Be sure the caramels are fully covered by dough to prevent oozing during baking.
- Apple Choice: Granny Smith apples work well due to their tartness, which balances the sweetness of the caramel. However, any apple variety will work!
- Add-ins: Feel free to add extras like chopped nuts or chocolate chips to customize your cookies.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Glaze Option: Drizzle a powdered sugar or brown butter glaze over the cooled cookies for added sweetness.
Nutrition
We both love apple and caramel flavours so this seems to be our weekend project!
That’s what I was going for! Thank you so much Heidi!
These cookies really capture the flavors of Fall so perfectly. Apple, cinnamon and caramel are such a dreamy trio. Then… those gorgeous little chunks of apple add the perfect, stunning finish!