Apple Oatmeal Cookies with Salted Caramel Glaze
Published on September 23, 2026
Quick Summary
These Apple Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of cozy fall flavor. They're made with grated apples, old-fashioned oats, brown butter, cinnamon, and warm spices, then finished with an easy salted caramel glaze. The cookies are simple to make and the combination of apple, oatmeal, brown butter, and salted caramel is hard to resist!
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Pin ItThe Perfect Fall Cookie: Apple Oatmeal Cookies with Salted Caramel Glaze
I love a good oatmeal cookie, and these Apple Oatmeal Cookies are one of my favorite fall cookies. The combination of tender apples, nutty brown butter, and a salted caramel glaze makes them especially delicious. They're soft and chewy in the middle with lightly crisp edges, plenty of cinnamon, and little bites of tender apple throughout.
There are a couple of extra steps that make these cookies worth it. I cook the grated apple first to remove excess moisture and concentrate the apple flavor, and I brown the butter before adding it to the dough. The brown butter gives the cookies a delicious nutty flavor that pairs so well with the apples and warm spices.
And then there's the salted caramel glaze. I use my homemade salted caramel sauce, which you can make ahead and keep in the fridge. It makes the perfect glaze for these cookies—sweet, buttery, and just a little salty. It takes just a few minutes to whisk together, and I highly recommend adding it. It's the finishing touch that makes these apple oatmeal cookies extra special.
These cookies are perfect for fall baking, whether you're making a batch for the weekend, sharing them with friends, or adding them to a Thanksgiving dessert table or cookie platter. Trust me, you need to try these cookies!
Table of Contents
Ingredients (with Helpful Notes)
- Apple: I like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples. You need 1 cup grated apple, I don't peel the apple.
- Butter: You'll brown the butter for the cookie dough, which adds a rich, nutty flavor.
- Old-fashioned oats: Use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best chewy texture. I don't recommend quick oats for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cookies enough structure while keeping them soft.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon, allspice, and a little nutmeg give the cookies classic apple-pie flavor without overpowering the apple.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and a deeper caramel-like flavor to the cookies.
- Egg + egg yolk: The extra yolk helps make the cookies rich and chewy.
- Vanilla: A little vanilla rounds out all of the flavors.
- Salted caramel sauce: Use my homemade salted caramel sauce for the glaze or use your favorite store-bought salted caramel sauce. Trader Joe's makes a good one!
- Confectioners' sugar: Creates a smooth, drizzle-able glaze.
Tips for Making Apple Oatmeal Cookies
Cook the apple first. Grated apple holds a lot of moisture, so don't skip this step. Cook the apple with butter and cinnamon until it's tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. You don't want watery apple going into the cookie dough. The apple will cook down to about ½ cup.
Let the apple cool completely. Adding hot apple to the dough can affect the texture, so give it time to cool before mixing it in.
Brown the butter carefully. Keep cooking the butter until you see golden-brown bits at the bottom of the pan and it smells nutty and fragrant. Those little brown bits are where so much of the flavor comes from. Let the butter cool before making the dough.
Don't overmix the dough. Once the dry ingredients are added, stir just until everything comes together. Overmixing can make the cookies tougher.
Chill the dough. The dough needs at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. This helps the cookies hold their shape and keeps them from spreading too much. You can also make the dough a day ahead and chill it for up to 24 hours.
Don't flatten the dough balls. Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet and leave it rounded. The cookies will spread as they bake.
Don't overbake. The edges should be lightly golden while the centers still look soft. They will continue to set as they cool, which helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.
Let the cookies cool before glazing. If the cookies are warm, the salted caramel glaze will melt right off. Let them cool completely before drizzling.
Adjust the glaze as needed. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add a little more milk. If it's too thin, whisk in a little more confectioners' sugar.
How to Store
- Store the glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you stack the cookies, place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper in between the layers so they don't stick together.
- For longer storage, freeze the cookies for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature, then add the salted caramel glaze before serving.
- You can also chill the cookie dough for up to 24 hours before baking, which makes these a nice make-ahead fall dessert.
Apple Oatmeal Cookies with Salted Caramel Glaze
Ingredients
For the Apple:
- 1 medium Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple, grated (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Cookies:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
- 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Salted Caramel Glaze:
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons salted caramel sauce
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cook the Apple: Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the grated apple and cinnamon. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apple is tender and most of the moisture has cooked off. You don't want liquid pooling in the pan. Transfer the apple to a bowl and let cool completely. You should have about ½ cup cooked apple.
- Brown the Butter. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter foams and develops golden-brown bits and a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl. Let cool to room temperature. You can put it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to speed up the process.
- Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Combine Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Stir in the cooled apple.
- Make the Dough. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Chill. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. You can chill the dough for up to 24 hours.
- Form Dough Balls. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Scoop the dough into 1 ½ tablespoons portions and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Do not flatten the dough.
- Bake. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are still soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Salted Caramel Glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, salted caramel sauce, milk, and vanilla until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk. If it is too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar.
- Add the Glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and let the glaze set before serving.
Notes
- Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples work best.
- Be sure to cook the grated apple until most of the moisture has evaporated. You should have about ½ cup of cooked apple.
- The brown butter needs to cool to room temperature before making the dough.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- Don't flatten the dough balls before baking.
- The centers should still look soft when the cookies come out of the oven.
- Cool the cookies completely before adding the glaze.
- Store glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze the cookies for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Variations
- Add chopped pecans. Stir finely chopped toasted pecans into the dough for extra crunch and even more fall flavor. Candied pecans would even be fun!
- Use walnuts. Chopped walnuts are another great option with the apple and brown butter.
- Skip the glaze. The cookies are delicious on their own if you want a simpler apple oatmeal cookie.
- Add raisins. If you're a raisin-in-your-oatmeal-cookie person, a handful of raisins would be delicious here. Dried cranberries would be good too!
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are perfect with a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon, but they also make a great fall dessert after dinner. Serve them at a fall party, bake a batch for a school or neighbor treat, or add them to a Thanksgiving cookie platter.
For an extra-special dessert, serve a cookie slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of salted caramel.
More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes
- Oatmeal Cookies
- Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Apple Breakfast Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Check out all of my delicious COOKIE RECIPES!