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If you love the buttery oat topping on apple crisp even more than the apples themselves, these apple crisp cookies are about to become your new fall obsession.
These bakery-style Apple Crisp Cookies layer everything you love about homemade apple crisp into one oversized cookie with a soft brown sugar base, cinnamon apple filling, buttery oat crumble, and an optional vanilla glaze.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Thick, bakery-style cookies
- Fresh cinnamon apple filling
- Crunchy buttery oat crumble
- Soft brown sugar cookie base
- Perfect fall dessert for parties and cookie exchanges
- Make the components ahead of time
They taste like warm apple crisp and an oatmeal cookie had the most delicious fall baby.
Apple crisp has always been one of those desserts I can’t resist even though I honestly have no idea where the obsession started. My mom hated cooked apples, so it definitely wasn’t a childhood tradition.
What I do know is this: if an apple crisp doesn’t have a thick, buttery oat topping, I’m disappointed. I don’t want a sprinkle of oats. I want giant buttery crumbles that taste halfway between apple pie and an oatmeal cookie.
One fall afternoon I looked at a pan of homemade apple crisp and thought…
“Why isn’t this a cookie?“
So naturally, I made one.
And after one bite, I knew these were staying on the blog forever.
Ingredients for Apple Crisp Cookies
These cookies have four simple components:
Cookie Base
- Unsalted Butter: Adds rich flavor and creates a soft, tender cookie.
- Cream Cheese: Makes the cookies incredibly soft without tasting like cheesecake.
- Brown Sugar: Adds rich caramel flavor throughout the cookies.
- White Sugar: Helps create lightly crisp edges while balancing the brown sugar.
- Egg: Binds the dough together and adds richness.
- Vanilla: Enhances all the warm fall flavors.
- Flour: Gives the cookies structure while keeping them thick and bakery-style.
- Cornstarch: Creates an extra soft, tender cookie texture.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cookies rise for a thick, fluffy center.
- Baking Soda: Encourages browning and helps the cookies spread just enough.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances every flavor.
Apple Filling
- Fresh Apples: Granny Smith or Honeycrisp hold their shape while baking and deliver the best flavor.
- Sugar: Sweetens the apples without overpowering their natural flavor.
- Water: Helps the apples soften as they cook.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warm, cozy spice to every bite.
- Salt: Enhances the apple flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the filling so it stays neatly on top of the cookies.
Oat Topping
- Flour: Helps bind the crumble together into buttery clusters.
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal: Give the crumble that classic apple crisp texture.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and caramel flavor as the topping bakes.
- Cinnamon: Brings warm spice to every crunchy bite.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and deepens the flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Creates rich, buttery crumbles that bake up perfectly crisp.
Vanilla Glaze
- Unsalted Butter: Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that takes the glaze to the next level.
- Powdered Sugar: Creates a smooth, sweet glaze.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warm vanilla flavor that complements the apples and cinnamon.
- Milk: Thins the glaze to the perfect drizzling consistency.
How to Make Apple Crisp Cookies
These cinnamon apple cookies come together in four simple components. While they take a little more time than classic drop cookies, each step is easy and absolutely worth it.
- Make the Crisp Topping: Stir together the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter until a thick dough forms. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet, bake until golden and crisp, then let it cool completely before breaking it into crumbles.
- Cook the Apple Filling: Cook the diced apples with the sugar, cinnamon, and salt until they’re tender. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the filling thickens, then set it aside to cool completely.
- Bake the Cookies: Cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugars until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla, then stir in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop the dough into large balls, roll in cinnamon sugar, and place on prepared baking sheets. Chill the dough if you have time, then create a small well in the center of each cookie before baking.
- As the cookies bake, gently press the centers again to create a deeper well for the filling. Let the cookies cool completely before assembling.
- Make the Glaze & Assemble: Brown the butter, then whisk it together with the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk to create a smooth drizzle.
- Fill each cooled cookie with the cinnamon apple filling, sprinkle generously with the crisp topping, and finish with a drizzle of the glaze, if desired.
Pro Tip: Every component can be made up to two days ahead of time. Prepare the topping, filling, and glaze in advance, then bake and assemble the cookies when you’re ready to serve.
Apple Crisp Cookies FAQs
Granny Smith and Honeycrisp are my favorites. Granny Smith gives the filling a bright tart flavor while Honeycrisp adds sweetness and holds its shape beautifully.
Yes. The apple filling and oat crumble can both be made up to two days ahead, making assembly much easier.
These cookies are best enjoyed fresh. Because the apple filling adds moisture, freezing and thawing changes the texture of both the cookie and crumble.
Pressing the centers creates the perfect little bowl for the apple filling while keeping the cookie thick and soft.
No, but the vanilla glaze adds bakery-style flavor and makes these cookies extra special.
No. Homemade apple filling works best because it isn’t overly sweet and won’t make the cookies soggy.
Tips for Success
- Dice apples into evenly sized pieces for consistent cooking.
- Chill the cookie dough if your kitchen is warm.
- Don’t overfill the cookies or the filling may spill over.
- Let the cookies cool completely before assembling.
- Add the oat topping just before serving for the best crunch.
Storage Tips
Store assembled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
For the best texture, keep the cookie bases, apple filling, and crumble separate until you’re ready to serve.
Funny enough, these apple crisp cookies started because I couldn’t stop thinking about our Key Lime Cookies. One baking idea turned into another, and before long I was wondering, “What if apple crisp became a cookie?” One batch later, I was completely hooked. If you’re looking for the ultimate fall cookie recipe, this is it.
If you love baking with apples, you’ll also love:
- Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting
- Apple Brown Betty
- Easy Apple Dumplings with Sprite
- Apple Pie Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
- Apple Pie Bombs al la Mode
- Apple Cider Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting
Watch How These Cookies are Made…
Apple Crisp Cookies
Ingredients
Crisp Topping
- 1/2 Cup Flour
- 3/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal
- 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- Dash of Salt
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cut into small cubes
Cookie Base
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened, not warm
- 2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/3 Cup White Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 ¾ Cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Apple Filling
- 3 Granny Smith or Honeycrisp Apples, peeled and diced small
- 1/3 Cup Sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons Water
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Optional Glaze
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoons Milk, or half and half
Instructions
Crisp Topping
- In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, seasonings and oatmeal.1/2 Cup Flour, 3/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal, 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon, Dash of Salt
- Stir everything together.
- Add the butter cubes and using a pastry cutter begin to cut in the butter. As the butter begins to be incorporated into the mixture, switch to using your hands and squeeze and mix everything together until it is like a very thick dough and no flour remains.6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350℉ for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool then crumble in small chunks.
Apple Filling
- Peel, core, and dice the apples.3 Granny Smith or Honeycrisp Apples
- In a saucepan over medium heat, stir in apples, sugar, salt and cinnamon.1/3 Cup Sugar, 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, Pinch of Salt
- Cover and cook stirring occasionally for 4-6 minutes or until very slightly softened.
- In a small dish combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Add to the pan while stirring and continue to cook until apples are soft and filling is thickened. Set aside to cool.1-2 Tablespoons Water, 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Cookie
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream the butter until smooth then add in the cream cheese and cream again.1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, 2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese
- Add in sugars and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, 1/3 Cup White Sugar
- Scrape the sides of the bowl down and mix in the vanilla and egg.1 Large Egg, 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the mixer and mix until 1/2 the flour is incorporated then switch to a wooden spoon and gently fold together.1 ¾ Cups Flour, 1 teaspoon Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Salt
- Using a large cookie scoop, scoop out 8-10 large cookies then roll into a ball.
- Roll the dough in cinnamon sugar then place 4 at a time on a baking sheet. We like to refrigerate covered with plastic wrap at this point so they will spread as little as possible but it is not necessary. The dough not being baked should, however be refrigerated until use.
- Make a well using a tablespoon in the center of each ball.
- Bake 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately press using a small glass or measuring cup to indent the center for the filling one more time.
- Bake an additional minute or two or until the center does not appear shiny and doughy.
- Set aside to cool completely, pressing with the glass a final time if needed.
- Once everything is cool, add the filling, top with a little crumble and a drizzle of glaze if desired.
Glaze
- In a saucepan, brown the butter over medium heat then pour off into a bowl. Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla, adding a little milk if needed.2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1 Tablespoons Milk
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made these today and they were scrumptious and a huge hit!!!
Thank you so much Paula!! So glad you enjoyed them!