If you are craving something cozy and also a little unexpected, these apple cookies are about to become your favorite fall treat. They are soft and chewy and made with grated apple so there’s apple flavor in each bite without any weird chunks. To make it even better, they don’t require any chill time and can be made in 30 minutes or less! They’re absolutely delicious on their own, but if you want to take things up a notch, drizzle them with the easiest maple glaze and watch how fast they disappear!

Apple cookies with a white drizzle on a wire rack.
Cool the cookies on wire rack, then drizzle with maple glaze.

I’m a little weird about fruit in my cookies, something about the texture feels off to me. So when I set out to make these soft and chewy apple cookies I knew I didn’t want to have any big apple chunks in them.

Instead, I decided to grate the apple so that you still get a lot of apple flavor but none of the chunky texture. Honestly I was surprised with how well this worked! The grated apple almost melts into the cookie, and the brown sugar and cinnamon make them sooo super cozy and give you all the fall feels.

Testing these in the summer time made me crave the fall!

Of course you can eat them on their own, lol see if you can have just one- but if you really wanna be * extra * then 10/10 recommend drizzling them with this easy maple glaze. It takes just 1 minute to make and adds that special touch.

As a trained professional baker, making different types of cookies for all palettes is something that is so fun for me. If I want something super soft and chewy Ill make these cinnamon sugar cookies. But if I want something crispy, these gingersnap cookies are in the oven in less than 10 minutes.

Want something super festive? These snowball cookies do not disappoint. SO MANY COOKIES, I can never have enough!

Making the cookies

Im obsessed with making these because they do not require any chill time, and you only need one medium sized apple to make them.

Also make them with any apple you want. I used Honeycrisp for these because thats what I had on hand. But they would be soooo good with a granny smith too, I just know it.

Sugar and butter creamed in a mixing bowl.
Cream unsalted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a mixing bowl on med speed till fluffy. You can do this by hand too with a good wooden spoon.
Grated apple in a glass bowl.
Peel and grate a medium sized apple. Squeeze out the juice– it should not go into the cookie batter.
Grated apple added to creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Add the squeezed out apple to the creamed butter and sugars. Mix again.
Batter for apple cookies in a mixing bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. I like to start with the cinnamon so it mixes well with the apple first for maximum flavor.
Cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet.
Use an ice cream scoop to measure out the cookie dough and space out 2″ on a cookie sheet. You will need two cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes on 350°.

Try this for maximum chewiness

There’s 2 things I always do to my cookies to make sure they are extra chewy. Try them and tell me what you think!

  1. Immediately when the cookies come out of the oven, smack the cookie sheet on the counter. Don’t like, break anything 🤣, just give them a good tap. This de puffs the cookies and flattens them out a little bit making them even chewier.
  2. Use a round cookie cutter or a glass that is larger than the cookie and place it over the warm cookie. In a fast motion move your hand clockwise round and around the cookie to make them perfectly round. This is called “scooting” the cookie and also makes them super chewy.
An apple cookie with a bite taken out of it.
Look how chewy they are on the inside. Seriously these are perfect!

You have to do both of these things as soon as they get out of the oven while they are still hot and not set. If they cool even a little bit neither of these techniques will work.

Its ok though even if you skip these extra tips they will still be delicious! Don’t forget to drizzle them with the maple glaze after!

Apple cookies with a white drizzle on a wire rack.
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30 Minute Easy Apple Cookies with Maple Glaze

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 13 cookies
If you are craving something cozy and also a little unexpected, these apple cookies are about to become your favorite fall treat. They are soft and chewy and made with grated apple so there's apple flavor in each bite without any weird chunks. To make it even better, they don't require any chill time and can be made in 30 minutes or less! They’re absolutely delicious on their own, but if you want to take things up a notch, drizzle them with the easiest maple glaze and watch how fast they disappear!
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 113 g
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg, large
  • 1/2 cup apple, 1 medium apple, peeled & grated, also squeeze out juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 280 g
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions
 

  • Pre heat the oven to 350° F and line 2 half sheet aluminum trays with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the 1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup white sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar on low-medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Scrape down the bowl and add the egg, 1/2 cup grated apple and 1 tsp cinnamon. Mix for 1 more minute on low- medium speed.
  • Stop the mixer and add the 2 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 baking soda, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt and continue to mix until dough forms- about 2 minutes.
  • Using an ice cream scooper, or 3 tablespoons at a time, scoop or shape the dough Ito round balls. Place 6 on a cookie sheet separated by 2″.
  • Bake the cookies for 15 minutes.
  • Smack and scoot the cookies immediately after coming out of the oven. (See blog post for instructions)
  • Cool on a wire rack and drizzle with maple glaze.

Notes

Storing 
I store these cookies in a zip top bag after the icing hardens at room temp. You can also make the recipe up until scooping the cookie dough and then freeze the dough balls and bake at a different time. 
Freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet then transfer to a freezer safe bag when mostly frozen. 
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 234kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 169mg, Potassium: 59mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 240IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Author: Sam Adler
Cuisine: American
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