These Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies are made with rolled oats, unsweetened applesauce, cinnamon, and raisins, baked into soft, chewy cookies that lean less sweet than a typical cookie. The applesauce keeps them moist and cuts down on how much butter the dough actually needs.

I make a batch of these for after-school snacks or a lighter treat to pack in lunchboxes. They also work well for breakfast on busy mornings alongside a glass of milk. I like keeping these next to Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Cinnamon or Apple Carrot Oat Cookies for a bigger cookie jar rotation.

If you like lighter, oat-based cookies like these, these are worth trying too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Unsweetened applesauce works best here, since sweetened versions can make the dough too wet and the cookies too sugary. A short chill on the dough helps these hold their shape better in the oven.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
A stand mixer or hand mixer works best here, though a wooden spoon and some effort will get you there too.
Add the applesauce, egg, and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat until combined.
The batter will look a little separated at first – that’s normal and it comes together once the dry ingredients go in.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.
Fold in the raisins by hand with a spatula.
The dough will be soft and slightly sticky, which is expected given the applesauce.
Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
This one takes a bit of patience, just so you know, but chilled dough spreads less and gives you a better shaped cookie.
Preheat your oven to 350°F while the dough chills.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart, and flatten each slightly with your palm.
Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and just barely golden.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Use unsweetened applesauce. Sweetened versions add extra sugar and moisture that throws off both the flavor balance and the texture of the dough.
Don’t skip the chill time. A cold dough spreads less in the oven, which gives you a thicker, chewier cookie instead of a flat, crispy one.
Flatten the dough balls slightly before baking. This dough doesn’t spread as much as a standard butter cookie, so a light flatten with your palm helps them bake evenly.
Pull the cookies while they still look slightly underdone. They continue to firm up on the hot pan after coming out of the oven, so a slightly soft center is what you want.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. These also freeze well for up to 3 months, either baked or as raw dough balls.
No raisins on hand? Dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots both work well as a substitute.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving: Serve these warm or at room temperature with a glass of milk, or pack a few in a lunchbox for a snack that’s a little lighter than a typical cookie. They’re soft enough that they don’t need any topping.

Storing: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies or raw dough balls for up to 3 months.

Customizing: Add a handful of chopped walnuts along with the raisins for extra crunch, or swap the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice in the fall. Mini chocolate chips work well in place of raisins if you want a sweeter version.