Apricot Almond Crumble Cookies with Buttery Oat Topping

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Soft, tender cookies contrast with a crisp, buttery almond-oat crumble on top.
• Chewy bits of sweet-tart dried apricots in every bite give great flavor and color.
• Easy to make with simple pantry ingredients; no mixer tricks or special equipment required.
• Dress them up with a light almond glaze for a bakery-style cookie that looks impressive on any dessert platter.

Grocery List

• Produce: Dried apricots
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, milk or cream (for glaze), 1 large egg, 1 extra egg yolk
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, rolled oats, sliced almonds, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, almond extract

Full Ingredients

For the Apricot Cookies

• 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but lovely with apricot and almond)
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) lightly packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (about 170 g) dried apricots, chopped into small pieces (pea-sized)

For the Almond-Oat Crumble Topping

• 1/3 cup (40 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (30 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup (35 g) sliced almonds
• 3 tablespoons (40 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 3 tablespoons (42 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Optional Almond Glaze

• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 1–2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (start with 1 tablespoon and add more to thin)
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla, if preferred)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep your pans and ingredients

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the center. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This helps the cookies bake evenly and keeps the bottoms from over-browning.

Chop the dried apricots into small, pea-sized pieces so they distribute nicely throughout the dough. If they feel very sticky, lightly dust your knife and the apricots with a bit of flour to make chopping easier. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the almond-oat crumble

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, sliced almonds, light brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Stir with a fork or spoon until everything is evenly mixed.

Add the cold cubed butter. Using your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or two forks, work the butter into the dry ingredients until you have a mixture of small and medium-sized clumps. It should look like a chunky, slightly sandy crumble that holds together when you squeeze some in your hand. Place the bowl of crumble in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough to keep the butter cold and the topping crisp in the oven.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients for the cookies

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using) until well blended. This step ensures the leavening and salt are evenly distributed before they meet the wet ingredients, which helps the cookies bake evenly. Set this dry mixture aside.

Step 4: Cream the butter and sugars, then add eggs and vanilla

In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is light, creamy, and slightly paler in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat again on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth and well combined. The mixture should look thick and slightly fluffy.

Step 5: Combine the dough and fold in apricots, then chill

Add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed just until the flour is mostly incorporated and no large streaks remain. Avoid over-mixing at this stage so your cookies stay tender.

Use a spatula to fold in the chopped dried apricots by hand, making sure they are evenly spread throughout the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape, prevents excessive spreading, and gives the flavors time to meld.

Step 6: Scoop, top with crumble, and bake

Once the dough is chilled, use a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. You should get around 24 cookies.

With clean fingers, gently flatten the tops of the dough mounds just a little so the crumble has a surface to sit on. Take the chilled almond-oat crumble from the fridge and sprinkle a generous tablespoon or so over each cookie, pressing it lightly onto the surface so it adheres.

Bake one sheet at a time for 12–16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cookies are done when the edges are set and lightly golden, the crumble topping is golden and crisp, and the centers still look slightly soft. They will firm up as they cool.

Step 7: Cool and add optional almond glaze

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. The crumble will be delicate while hot, so use a thin spatula and move gently.

If you would like to glaze the cookies, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk or cream, and the almond extract in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk a few drops at a time until you get a thick but drizzleable consistency. Once the cookies are completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the tops in thin zigzags. Let the glaze set for 15–20 minutes before stacking or storing.

Pro Tips

• Chop apricots small: Pea-sized pieces give the best texture and keep the cookies from getting lumpy or uneven. Larger chunks can cause the cookies to spread oddly.
• Keep the crumble cold: Chilling the crumble while the dough chills keeps the butter firm, so it melts slowly in the oven and bakes into a crisp, crunchy topping.
• Do not overbake: Pull the cookies when the centers still look a touch soft. Overbaking will dry out the apricots and make the cookies less tender.
• Use light-colored baking sheets: Dark pans brown the bottoms faster, which can burn the crumble before the centers are done.
• Rotate pans for even baking: If baking two sheets at once, swap their positions halfway through to keep the color and texture consistent.

Variations

• Apricot Pistachio Crumble Cookies: Swap the sliced almonds in the crumble for chopped pistachios and add 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest to the cookie dough for a bright, slightly tangy twist.
• Coconut-Almond Crumble Cookies: Replace half of the oats in the crumble with unsweetened shredded coconut and sprinkle a few extra coconut flakes on top before baking for added chew and aroma.
• Jammy Apricot Center: After scooping and gently flattening the dough, press a small indentation into the center of each cookie and spoon in 1/2 teaspoon apricot jam before adding the crumble on top.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. Place parchment between layers if you have added the glaze to prevent sticking. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies (with or without glaze) in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.

To make ahead, you can prepare the dough and the crumble up to 24–48 hours in advance. Keep the dough covered in the refrigerator and the crumble in a separate sealed container in the fridge. When ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften slightly for easier scooping, then proceed with shaping, topping, and baking. You can also scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until firm, and transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 extra minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per cookie (1 of 24), without glaze: about 185 calories, 9 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 25 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 15 g sugars, 3 g protein, and 120 mg sodium. Adding the almond glaze will increase the calories by roughly 15 per cookie.