Apple Pie Cookies: The Fall Baking Secret You NEED!
Miniature apple pies in cookie form, these Apple Pie Cookies are cozy, portable, and irresistible. A chewy spiced cookie base holds a warm apple pie filling — perfect for fall baking, bake sales, or cozy coffee breaks.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- cookie scoop or spoon
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced (Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for filling)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for filling)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)
- caramel or vanilla glaze for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine diced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Toss to coat evenly and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Drop tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls on sheets, 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball with fingers or spoon.
- Spoon a small amount of apple filling onto the center of each cookie, leaving a border.
- Bake 12–15 minutes until edges are golden and filling is bubbly.
- Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Optional: Sprinkle with coarse sugar while warm or drizzle with glaze after cooling.
Notes
Try different apple varieties for complexity. Add chopped pecans, a caramel drizzle, or even a vanilla glaze. Chill the dough for thicker cookies and rotate pans halfway through baking for even results. Vegan and gluten-free options included!