If you ask me, no bake cookies are a genius invention.

These caramel apple treats make a family-friendly dessert that’s packed with fall flavors and chewy texture. Sweet caramel and tart apple pieces pair with oats and a hint of cinnamon.

They come together without any oven time – just mix, shape, and let them set on the counter. Buttery caramel and crisp apple bits help the whole thing taste like autumn in cookie form.

It’s a crowd-pleasing treat that takes just minutes to make, perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute gatherings.

Why You’ll Love These No Bake Caramel Apple Cookies

No oven required – Perfect for hot summer days or when you want fresh cookies without heating up your kitchen.
Quick and easy – These cookies come together in just 20-30 minutes from start to finish, making them perfect for last-minute treats or when you need something sweet right now.
Fall flavors year-round – The combination of caramel pudding and dehydrated apples gives you that cozy autumn taste whenever you’re craving it.
Customizable toppings – You can make them your own by adding toffee chips, white chocolate chips, or a sprinkle of sea salt depending on what you have on hand or your family’s preferences.
Great for sharing – This recipe makes plenty of cookies, so they’re perfect for potlucks, bake sales, or bringing to work to share with coworkers.

What Kind of Oats Should I Use?

For these no-bake cookies, old-fashioned rolled oats work best since they hold their shape and give you that classic chewy texture. Quick oats will work in a pinch, but they tend to get a bit mushy and won’t give you the same satisfying bite. Steel-cut oats are too hard and won’t soften properly in this recipe, so I’d skip those. Make sure your oats are fresh – stale oats can make your cookies taste flat and won’t absorb the caramel mixture as well as they should.

Options for Substitutions

These no-bake cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options:

Instant caramel pudding: If you can’t find caramel pudding mix, try butterscotch or vanilla pudding instead. You could even use a packet of caramel sauce mix if available.
Evaporated milk: Heavy cream works as a substitute, or you can use regular milk but reduce it by about 2 tablespoons since it’s thinner than evaporated milk.
Dehydrated apples: Dried apples work great here – just chop them up. You can also use freeze-dried apples or even finely diced fresh apples, though fresh ones will add moisture to the cookies.
Oats: Stick with old-fashioned oats for the best texture. Quick oats will work but might make the cookies a bit softer, while steel-cut oats would be too tough for this recipe.
Toffee chips: Butterscotch chips, caramel bits, or even chopped up caramel candies make good substitutes. You could also use mini chocolate chips or chopped pecans.
White chocolate chips: Regular chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or even chopped walnuts would work nicely here instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with no-bake cookies is not boiling the sugar mixture long enough, which prevents them from setting properly – make sure to bring the sugar, butter, and evaporated milk to a full rolling boil for exactly 90 seconds to ensure they firm up correctly.

Another common error is adding the dry ingredients too quickly while the mixture is still too hot, which can cause the oats to get mushy and the pudding mix to clump, so let the boiled mixture cool for about 2-3 minutes before stirring in the pudding mix and oats.

To get the best texture, rehydrate your dehydrated apples by soaking them in warm water for 10 minutes and then patting them dry, and work quickly when dropping the cookies onto wax paper since the mixture will start to set as it cools.

If your cookies turn out too soft, you likely didn’t boil long enough, but if they’re too hard and crumbly, you probably overcooked the sugar mixture or let it cool too much before adding the dry ingredients.

What to Serve With No Bake Caramel Apple Cookies?

These cookies are pretty much perfect on their own, but they pair beautifully with a cold glass of milk or a warm cup of coffee. I love serving them alongside vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent dessert, especially since the caramel and apple flavors remind me of fall. They’re also great as part of a dessert spread with other autumn treats like pumpkin bars or apple crisp. For a cozy evening, try them with hot apple cider or chai tea – the warm spices really complement those caramel and apple notes in the cookies.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These no-bake cookies stay perfectly chewy when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I like to layer them between sheets of wax paper so they don’t stick together, especially if you added those white chocolate chips!

Chill: If your kitchen gets warm or you want them to firm up a bit more, pop the container in the fridge. They’ll keep for up to 2 weeks in there and have a nice, slightly firmer texture that’s really satisfying to bite into.

Freeze: These cookies freeze like a dream! Just place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers and they’ll stay good for up to 3 months. When you want one, just grab it from the freezer and let it sit for about 10 minutes to soften up.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	10-15 minutes
Total Time	20-30 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

Calories: 3700-3900
Protein: 30-36 g
Fat: 110-120 g
Carbohydrates: 630-660 g

Ingredients

For the cookie base:

2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 oz package instant caramel pudding mix
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup chopped dried apples
Sea salt, to taste

Optional add-ins:

1/2 cup toffee bits
1 cup white chocolate chips

Step 1: Prepare Baking Sheet and Measure Dry Ingredients

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 oz package instant caramel pudding mix
1 cup chopped dried apples
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee bits

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and set it aside.

Measure out all the dry ingredients—old-fashioned oats, instant caramel pudding mix, chopped dried apples, white chocolate chips, and toffee bits—and set them aside to make assembly easy later on.

Step 2: Make the Caramel Base

3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk

In a large saucepan, combine the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and evaporated milk.

Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning.

As soon as the mixture begins a vigorous boil, immediately remove it from the heat to prevent overcooking.

Step 3: Add Vanilla and Combine Dry Ingredients

1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (from Step 1)
1 cup chopped dried apples (from Step 1)
3/4 oz package instant caramel pudding mix (from Step 1)

Stir the vanilla extract into the hot caramel base.

Then add the measured oats, chopped dried apples, and dry caramel pudding mix to the pot.

Mix well to combine.

Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes—this helps the oats and apples absorb the caramel flavor and slightly cools the mixture before adding chocolate.

Step 4: Mix in Chocolate Chips and Toffee Bits

1 cup white chocolate chips (from Step 1)
1/2 cup toffee bits (from Step 1)

Once the oat mixture has cooled for 15 minutes, gently stir in the white chocolate chips and toffee bits.

This prevents the chocolate from melting completely.

I like to reserve a tablespoon of toffee bits to sprinkle on top for extra crunch.

Step 5: Portion Cookies and Garnish

sea salt, to taste

Drop spoonfuls of the cookie mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the top of each cookie for a delicious sweet-salty contrast.

Step 6: Cool and Store

Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet until set.

Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container for storage.

I find these cookies taste even better the next day after the flavors meld.