Description
Delicious and wholesome Apple Oatmeal Cookies made with rolled oats, fresh apples, warm spices, and a touch of dark chocolate and walnuts. These cookies are naturally sweetened with apples and have a soft, chewy texture perfect for a healthy snack or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- a pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- 4 small apples or 2 medium apples, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 3 medium eggs, yolks separated from egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 360°F (182°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking during baking.
- Pulse Oats: In a food processor, pulse the rolled oats briefly, ensuring not to over-process. The oats should remain somewhat coarse with some larger pieces for texture.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the pulsed rolled oats with baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Stir well to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agent.
- Prepare Apple Paste: Roughly chopped apples are pulsed in the food processor until they form a paste. Add this apple paste to the dry oat mixture bowl.
- Add Egg Yolks and Flavoring: Separate the eggs, adding the yolks to the oat and apple mixture. Pour in the vanilla extract and combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a mixer until stiff white foam forms. This will add lightness to the cookie dough.
- Fold in Egg Whites: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the oat and apple dough to create a thick, uniform mixture without deflating the foam.
- Add Chocolate Chips and Walnuts: Carefully fold in the dark chocolate chips and chopped walnuts for bursts of flavor and crunch in each cookie.
- Shape Cookies: Using a 3-tablespoon scoop, form cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each slightly with a spoon as they will not spread much during baking.
- Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until they are set and lightly golden. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Do not over-pulse the oats to maintain a pleasant texture in the cookies.
- Separating and whipping the egg whites adds lightness and helps the cookies hold together.
- These cookies do not spread much during baking, so flattening before baking is important for shape.
- Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- For a nut-free version, omit walnuts or substitute with seeds.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
