Oatmeal Caramel Apple Cookies

I’m on a cookie kick lately and have been waiting to make these Oatmeal Caramel Apple Cookies for awhile. It’s a really good, chewy oatmeal cookie base that I dressed up with chopped apple and caramel.

Cookies are so easy to grab and snack on and these are full of good stuff. There’s no granulated white sugar and it’s sweetened from brown sugar and honey. You can really taste the wonderful flavor of that deep, sweet honey, so use the best honey you can for the best flavor.

These cookies are very soft, so be sure and let them sit on the cookie sheet after baked. If not, they’re so soft that the spatula will destroy them. You don’t want that after all the time you put in cutting those dang little caramels.

I made them rather large, but recommend making them medium-sized. They’re quite sweet and probably a 2-inch cookie is a perfect sized. Have a couple of these Oatmeal Caramel Apple Cookies with a cup of hot coffee. What a great combination!

The whole-wheat flour gives the cookie a nice texture and is a touch healthier than using entirely all-purpose flour. With the whole-wheat flour, raisins, cinnamon, and honey, they’re not too bad of a snack for the kids. The caramels – not so much, but they’re a great addition!

These Oatmeal Caramel Apple Cookies are soft, chewy from the caramels and raisins and then crunchy from the apple.

I use Honey Crisp Apples because they stay crunchy, they’re tart/sweet and they’re perfect for this cookie. Use a Granny Smith or Fuji if you can’t get Honey Crisp at your store.

We’re enjoying these cookies. They’re a nice change from the chips and candy we’ve been grabbing as a snack. We’re trying not to let this stay-at-home create stay-on-hips. Hopefully these cookies will help!

Want another great apple recipe? Take a look at this Cider Glazed Apple Bundt Cake. It’s amazing.

Oatmeal Caramel Apple cookies

Yield: 2 dozen

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Chewy, sweet oatmeal cookies packed with apple and caramel.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C quick-cook oatmeal
• 1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C whole-wheat flour
• 7 tbsp brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 C raisins (optional, but recommended)
• 1 C chopped peeled apple (1 large apple)
• 16 soft caramels, small chopped
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 C honey
• 1/2 C canola oil
• 1/3 C milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
2. In a large stand mixer bowl, add the oats, flours, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. On very low, mix until combined. Add the raisins, apples and caramels, and mix on low again for about 15 seconds.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, honey, oil, and milk. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and mix on low until completely combined (about 30 seconds).
4. Drop by tablespoons onto the cookie sheet, leaving plenty of space between each cookie because they will spread while baking.
5. Bake 12-14 minutes until cookies have turned a darker shade and look just browned around the edges. They should be fairly soft.
6. Remove the pan of baked cookies from the oven and let them stay on the cookie sheet while you prepare the next batch and they cook. Move the cooled cookies to a cookie rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature on a loosely covered plate for 3-4 days.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

I used a big Honey Crisp apple - they're crunchy, tart and sweet and will hold their shape when baked.

Prepare the chopped apple and chopped caramels before you begin.

Raisins are optional, but recommended.

I used Kraft soft caramels, cut them in half, then each half into thirds (i.e., six pieces per caramel).  

I refrigerated the dough between the batches - that made the dough a little firmer.

Be sure and let them cool on the pan for awhile or they'll fall apart when you use the spatula to lift them.  They're very soft cookies.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 cookies
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 160Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 105mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g

Nutrition Values are Approximate