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Soft, chewy, healthy Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies made with honey, whole wheat flour, and chocolate chips. A wholesome applesauce cookie recipe the whole family will love!
Quick Recipe Overview
WHAT: Soft, chewy applesauce oatmeal cookies made with whole wheat flour, honey, and coconut oil for a healthier treat.
WHY: Naturally sweetened, easy to make, and packed with wholesome ingredients that taste amazing without the guilt.
HOW: Mix wet ingredients, add dry ingredients and chocolate chips, chill briefly, then bake until golden brown.
Table of Contents
- Quick Recipe Overview
- Why I Love Making Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
- Ingredient Notes
- Feautured Review
- Healthy Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
- How to Make Applesauce Cookies
- Substitutions & Variations For Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies
- FAQs for Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies Recipe
- My Best Tips for Making Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies Recipe
- What to Serve With Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
- Storage& Reheating
- Similar Cookie Recipes to Try
- More Delicious Cookie Recipes to Try
Why I Love Making Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
These applesauce cookies have become my favorite guilt-free treat. They’re naturally sweetened with honey instead of refined sugar, and the applesauce keeps them incredibly soft and moist without needing tons of butter.
What makes these oatmeal cookies special is how simple they are to throw together. With just one bowl and everyday ingredients, you can have fresh-baked cookies in under 30 minutes.
This recipe is versatile. You can easily swap the chocolate chips for raisins, add nuts for extra protein, or use different spices. They’re perfect for meal prep too – I often make a double batch and freeze them for quick snacks throughout the week.
🩷 Melissa
These simple and wholesome cookies are made with whole grains and natural sweetener.
Not only are they nutritious, but they are also perfect for enjoying as part of an easy breakfast on a busy morning or as a healthy treat in a lunch box.
While you’re in prep mode, make a batch of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Energy Balls, a few Fruit-on-the-Bottom Yogurt Cups, and these Snacks in a Jar so you have easy and healthy breakfasts and snacks all week.
Ingredient Notes
Honey: Use pure honey for the best flavor and natural sweetness. Maple syrup works as a substitute with similar results.
Baking soda: Essential for proper rise and texture. Don’t substitute with baking powder as the ratios are different.
Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is standard, but if you can find cinnamon chips, they add pockets of warm spice throughout the cookies.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Feautured Review
Peggy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 10, 2024
I eliminated the oil and added about 10 prunes diced up really small, walnuts, and chocolate chips. The prunes really added to the sweetness and gave the cookies a nice consistency. They were absolutely marvelous tasting!!! Even my husband loved them, and he usually passes on healthy cookies.
Healthy Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 cup uncooked oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1-2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. In a large bowl, add the applesauce, coconut oil, egg, and honey, and mix to combine well.1 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, 1 large egg, 1/3 cup honey
- Add the oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine well. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.1 cup uncooked oats, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1-2 cups chocolate chips
- Refrigerate the dough for 10 minutes (this give the oats a little time to absorb some of the liquid).
- Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to place a rounded tablespoon of dough on a parchment or baking mat lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned and the center is set.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Applesauce Cookies
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325℉. In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, melted coconut oil, egg, and honey. Whisk until smooth and well blended.
Step 2: Stir in the oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, distributing them evenly throughout the cookie dough.
Step 3: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This allows the oats to absorb moisture and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
Step 4: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Step 5: Bake for 11-13 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and the center is set. The cookies will look slightly underdone in the middle.
Step 6: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This cooling time helps them firm up without breaking.
Substitutions & Variations For Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies
Flour Options
All-purpose flour works if you don’t have whole wheat. For gluten-free applesauce cookies, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur.
Sweetener Swaps
Maple syrup can replace honey in equal amounts. For a lower-sugar version, try using 1/4 cup honey and add 2 tablespoons more applesauce.
Oil Alternatives
Melted butter or vegetable oil can substitute for coconut oil. Each will slightly change the flavor but works well.
Mix-In Ideas
Instead of chocolate chips, try raisins, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, pecans, or a combination. Cinnamon chips are particularly delicious if you can find them.
Spice Variations
Add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for extra warmth and depth.
FAQs for Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies Recipe
I use old-fashioned oats in these cookies but you could use quick-cooking oats as well (also called one-minute oats). They are rolled oats that have been cut up more. Avoid instant oats if you want to maintain the whole grains in this recipe.
Yes, replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes) or use 1/4 cup additional applesauce. The texture will be slightly more cake-like but still delicious.
Make sure you don’t skip the refrigeration step – this allows the oats to absorb moisture and helps the dough hold its shape. Also ensure your coconut oil isn’t too warm when mixing.
The edges should be lightly browned and the center should look set but still slightly soft. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
My Best Tips for Making Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies Recipe
☞Chill the dough for optimal texture: Those 10 minutes in the refrigerator aren’t optional – whole grains need time to absorb the liquid ingredients. This prevents spreading and creates a better cookie texture.
☞Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat: These healthier cookies have less fat than traditional recipes, so they’re more likely to stick. Proper pan preparation ensures easy removal.
☞Don’t overbake these cookies: Pull them from the oven when the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet and will be perfectly soft and chewy.
☞Toast your oats for extra flavor: If you have a few extra minutes, toast the rolled oats in a dry skillet for 3-4 minutes before adding them to the dough. This adds a wonderful nutty depth.
What to Serve With Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies pair beautifully with a cold glass of milk or your favorite hot beverage. They make an excellent addition to a breakfast spread alongside yogurt and fresh fruit. Serve them with a cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon snack, or pack them in lunchboxes for a wholesome dessert. They’re also perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a simple dessert, or crumbled over Greek yogurt for breakfast parfaits.
Storage& Reheating
Room Temperature
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
Refrigerator
These cookies will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days in an airtight container, though the texture becomes slightly firmer when chilled.
Freezer
Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking together.
Make Ahead
You can prepare the cookie dough and refrigerate it covered for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also freeze scooped dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 extra minutes to the baking time.
Reheating
Warm individual cookies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to recreate that fresh-from-the-oven texture.
Similar Cookie Recipes to Try
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies (no flour needed): Made with just bananas, oats, and salt.
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies: Ready in 30 minutes with classic peanut butter flavor.
- Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies: Light and fluffy with grated zucchini and oats.
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: Plump raisins, two types of oats, and warm spices.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes to Try
Christmas Cookies
Easy Peppermint Snowball Cookies Recipe
Christmas Cookies
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies with Pistachios
Christmas Cookies
White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Christmas Cookies
75+ Easy Christmas Cookies
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I made this with oat flour instead of wheat flour 1:1 and monkfruit sweetener 1:1 and they turned out awesome! My recipe made 30 cookies using a cookie scoop. Same baking time and I’m at 5,000 ft. I did chill for 10 minutes and chilled dough between baking sheets. Delicious!!!
Made this recipe with baby food (apple, pumpkin, and carrot) and withheld the chocolate chips. It came out so good and perfect for my little toddler!!
Such a great idea! Thank you for sharing what worked!
Made this recipe with baby food (apple, pumpkin, and carrot) and withheld the chocolate chips. It came out so good and perfect for my little toddler!!
Followed the recipe except replaced chocolate chips with walnuts, cranberries, and candied ginger. The taste was good but found the texture a little odd. Seemed wetter than usual even though I baked them for almost 30 minutes.
Boo, I’m so sorry. Did you use whole wheat flour? The dough is still about the consistency of normal cookie dough…
Easy to make and really tasty!
Is your calorie amount calculated with 1 or 2 cups of chocolate chips?
With 1.5 (not sure why I picked that…) lol
Just made these but used spelt and a bit of buckwheat flour instead of wheat flour, a mix of whole grains instead of oats and sunflower oil instead of coconut oil which I didn’t have. Thankfully there are kids in the house that will eat these fast or it would be a problem x)
That sounds SO good! Thank you for coming back to let us know what worked for you, that’s so helpful.
I made these today and I have to hold myself back from eating the whole batch lol. I did make several changes; I used an extra egg (long story), omitted the coconut oil (too much sat. fat), and since I didn’t have premade applesauce I made my own with some plain simmered apples. My applesauce was mashed instead of pureed so it left some apple chunks, they tasted great in the finished cookie! I added pumpkin pie spice, chocolate and butterscotch chips, and flax seeds. Overall they were very soft and chewy but held together well, had a great light apple sweetness, and were super easy to make! Currently very happy and full : -)
Those changes sound AMAZING! I’m totally going to try it with chunky homemade applesauce, that’s such a great idea. Thank you for sharing the tips and tricks with us.
I love all the healthy ingredients that this recipe called for. I made these cookies with granola though. They were delicious, but I would have liked them crunchy. Is there anyway I could have done that? I will definitely use this recipe again ….hopefully crunchy though!!
Without much oil or butter in this, the crunch is going to be hard to get. You might want to lower the cooking temperature by 25 degrees and then bake them for a longer time to see if they’ll crisp up for you.
Will almond meal or flour work ok instead of wheat flour? Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I’m not positive but I think that it would. I’d definitely say it was worth trying!
Do you think you could freeze batches of these?
I only do if they are on a single layer, if you put them in the freezer with layers of parchment in between, or if you freeze them individually and then place them frozen into a zipper topped baggie for storage. You just don’t want them to stick together when freezing, they’d be so annoying to get apart!