These Apple cookies are loaded with fresh apple, apple butter, cinnamon, and oats. I love to make these any day of the year, but especially during apple season in the fall. They are soft and cake-like and so delicious. The fig preserves on top add just the right amount of sweetness that will leave you craving for more. These easy apple cookies will be your new go-to fall dessert.
What’s better than a cookie that tastes like fall?
Why you’ll love this apple cookie with fig preserves recipe
- They are made in one mixing bowl and all you need is a whisk!
- Soft, cake-like, and cozy.
- No stand mixer required.
- Full of apple flavor from apple chunks and apple butter in the dough.
- Yields 6 apple cookies.
- You can easily freeze the dough and have cookies on hand whenever you want!
Ingredients needed
Step by step instructions
Note: Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Microwave butter in heatproof bowl for 30 seconds on high until melted. Set aside to cool for a couple minutes. Add brown sugar and apple butter and mix until combined.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add salt, baking soda, cinnamon, flour, and oats and mix until just combined.
- Stir in diced apple until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. Gently spread 2 tablespoons of fig preserves on top of the dough. Use a knife to gently swirl the preserves into the dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 6 cookies.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Why didn’t my cookies spread?
If your cookies didn’t spread, you probably added too much flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can use the scoop and level method. Even an extra tablespoon of flour will make a huge difference!
Why do I need to chill the dough?
Chilling the dough for 30 minutes allows the fats to solidify and the dough to dry out resulting in a higher concentration of sugars. The cookie will not spread as much and will be chewy and delicious.
What cookie scoop do you use?
My favorite is a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop. I like this one here.
How do you get perfectly round cookies every time?
As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, use a cookie/biscuit cutter and gently scoot them into a circle. Be careful not to scoot too hard or they may smoosh together.
What if I don’t like or have fig preserves?
You can omit the preserves altogether and the cookie will still be delicious. Or try swapping out the fig preserves for your favorite preserves. Apricot would be yummy!
Try drizzling a small amount of caramel on top of the cookies once they’ve fully cooled for a caramel apple cookie!
Tips for the best apple cookies with fig preserves
- Allow the cookies to cool for at least 15 minutes. It’ll be hard to resist having one right away, but these cookies will be soft and will need time to firm up on the cooling rack. Trust me, it’ll be worth the short wait!
- I used old fashioned oats in this recipe. Old fashioned oats will lead to a more fluffy cookie whereas quick oats will cause the cookie to spread a bit more.
- For perfectly round cookies, scoot them as soon as they come out of the oven. Be careful not to scoot too hard or they may smoosh together.
- I used Fuji apples in this recipe, but you could easily use Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples instead!
Storing and freezing instructions
These cookies are best fresh, but can be kept in an air tight container up to 2 days.
To freeze the cookie dough, scoop the cookie dough onto a plate and set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Skip adding the fig preserves on top. The dough will be wet, but gently roll them into a ball and then transfer them to a freezer safe ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Remember to label the dough with what it is, the date you made the batch, and the baking time as well. Add the fig preserves on top prior to baking. Add an additional 1-2 minutes onto the baking time when baking frozen dough.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? ❤️
Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. This helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Be sure to tag me on Instagram using @schmidtybakes so I can see. I love to see what you’re baking!
Apple Cookies with Fig Preserves
- Total Time: 52 minutes
- Yield: 6 cookies 1x
Description
These Apple cookies are loaded with fresh apple, apple butter, cinnamon, and oats. I love to make these any day of the year, but especially during apple season in the fall. They are soft and cake-like and so delicious. The fig preserves on top add just the right amount of sweetness that will leave you craving for more.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (52g) dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (34g) apple butter
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (72g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (20g) old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup Fuji apple (finely chopped)
- 3 tablespoons (60g) fig preserves (divided; see recipe instructions)
Instructions
- Microwave butter in heatproof bowl for 30 seconds on high until melted. Set aside to cool for a couple minutes. Add brown sugar and apple butter and mix until combined.
- Add vanilla extract and egg yolk. Mix until combined.
- Add salt, baking soda, cinnamon, flour, and oats and mix until just combined.
- Stir in diced apple until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. Gently spread 2 tablespoons of fig preserves on top of the dough. Use a knife to gently swirl the preserves into the dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 6 cookies using a #20 (3 tablespoon) cookie scoop. Gently divide remaining tablespoon of fig preserves on top of the cookies. The fig preserves on top is optional, but totally worth it!
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven I like to give them a scoot with a cookie cutter to make them into a perfectly round cookie.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Bake Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Karen
These are perfect for fall. Baked so perfectly!
Dawn Johnson
How much cinnamon?
schmidtybakes
1/4 teaspoon! Thank you for catching that.