Love pie and cookies? Hate to choose between the two treats? With this creative apple pie cookie recipe, you can have your cookie and pie all in one bite!
Yes, you read that right. These cookies are truly the best of both worlds. I've been on quite a giant cookie spree in the last few months. After perfecting the classic giant chocolate chip cookie, I used the same dough base to make peach cobbler cookies. They were the ultimate seasonal summer treat. The great thing about that recipe is it is pretty interchangeable with the filling. Enter these apple pie cookies!
The recipe for the cookies is basically the same. Just like the peach cobbler cookies, the crumb topping is folded into the cookie dough. The filling is the only thing that changes. Don't worry, they are still super delicious.
For the filling, I used Gala apples. Gala is not normally my go-to when baking with apples. I typically use Granny Smith, but I had a few of these in the house, so I figured I would give it a shot. Turns out that Gala apples work great! They have a natural sweetness that comes out when they are baked. You could use any apple for the filling, so if you don't want to use Gala, don't worry.
Why I Love These Apple Pie Cookies
- Ultimate Mashup - It's the best of both worlds. A little cookie, some pie filling, and a truly delicious bite.
- Great For Any Season - While they are for the fall, these cookies can be made year-round.
- Easier Than Pie - Making a whole pie can be complicated and time-consuming. These cookies are simple to make and taste, just like a bite of apple pie.
Ingreidents Needed To Make Apple Pie Cookies
See below for all the details on what you'll need to make the full recipe.
- Apples - I like to use Gala apples in this recipe.
- Cake Flour - Allows the cookies to be extra soft.
- Butter - Keep the butter cold.
- Brown Sugar - both dark and light brown sugar will work here.
- Cinnamon- Helps keep the true flavor of the apple pie.
Directions For How To Make Apple Pie Cookies
- Prepare
Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix dry Ingreidents.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix wet Ingreidents.
Cream the butter, add in the sugar, and continue to cream the butter mixture for about 1-2 minutes. The mixture should look pale yellow.
- Mix the cookie dough.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. The mixture will be a bit crumbly, so don't worry if it looks off. Add in eggs and mix until fully combined. Chill the dough in the fridge.
- Make the apple mixture.
In a small saucepan, combine the chopped apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, and water on low heat. Cook the apples for about 10 minutes or until they become soft.
- Make the crumb topping.
Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix with a fork until crumbs start to form. The crumbs should be about the size of a pea.
- Form the cookies.
Remove the dough from the fridge and fold in about ¾ of the crumbs. Form into large balls. Once the dough is in a ball, take about a quarter chunk of dough off the top and flatten it to form a round disc. Flatten the dough with your thumb to form a well. Inside the well, place a heaping tablespoon of the filling and a small sprinkle of the crumbs. The filling should completely fill in the well. Cover the well and filling area with the remaining cookie dough. Repeat for the remaining cookies. Sprinkle additional crumbs on top of the cookie
- Chill and bake.
Place the cookies in the freezer to chill for 90 minutes. When the chilling time is almost up, preheat the oven to 375. To get a solid cook, place one empty baking sheet upside-down in the oven and place the tray with the cookie dough on top of it. Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until the edges show a golden brown tint. Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: These cookies are best made on the day of. However, the apple filling can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge if needed.
- To Store: Keep any extra cookies in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: The cookies can also be frozen and kept for 2-3 months in an airtight container in the freezer.
Tips and Variations
- Be Patient - There is a lot of chilling and waiting around time, but it will all be worth it. Don't rush the process.
- Use Different Fillings - Just like pie, these cookies can be made with all types of fruits. Try out peach, cherry, or whatever you can think of!
- Don't Overstuff The Cookies - Too much filling will just make them fall apart in the oven. Use less filling if you aren't sure about how much to put in each cookie.
FAQs
This recipe uses Gala apples to make the filling. If you can't find Gala apples, use Granny Smith or Honeycrisp.
The cookies are called apple pie cookies because they have an apple pie filling and a crumb base similar to an apple pie.
I wouldn't try to make them smaller. They are big because the filling needs a place to hang out on the inside. If they were smaller, everything would just fall out all over the place.
Apple Pie Cookies
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- baking sheets
- Stand or hand mixer
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 and ¼ cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ⅔ cup light or dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
Apple Pie Filling
- 2 Gala apples roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2-3 teaspoons water
Crumb Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to cream the butter for about 30-45 seconds. Add in the sugar and continue to cream the butter mixture for about 1-2 minutes. The mixture should look a pale yellow.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture to the butter mixture. The mixture will be a bit crumbly, so don't worry if it looks off. Add in eggs and mix until fully combined. Place dough in the refrigerator while you make the apple filling and crumbs.
- Make the apple filling. Combine the chopped apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, and water in a small saucepan on low heat. Cook the apples for about 10 minutes or until they become soft. You don't want them to be too mushy because they will cook again in the oven. When a fork can go through them easily, they are done.
- Remove the filling from the heat and let cool. Make the crumb topping while the filling is cooling.
- Add the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix with a fork until crumbs start to form. The crumbs should be about the size of a pea. Feel free to add in more/less cinnamon and adjust to your taste.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and fold in about ¾ of the crumbs. If the crumbs are difficult to fold in, let the dough sit for a minute to warm up. The dough will be a little lumpy, but don't worry if it is not fully incorporated.
- Make the cookie dough balls. Each ball should weigh around 6 oz or ¾ cups. The dough should make around 5-7 large cookies. Once the dough is in a ball, take about a quarter chunk off the top and flatten it to form a round disc. Flatten the dough with your thumb to create a well. Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling and a small sprinkle of the crumbs inside the well. The filling should completely fill in the well. Cover the well and filling area with the remaining cookie dough. Repeat for the remaining cookies.
- Sprinkle additional crumbs on top of the cookie and place them in the freezer to chill for 90 minutes.
- When the cookies are almost ready in the freezer, preheat the oven to 375°F. To get a solid cook, place one empty baking sheet upside-down in the oven and place the tray with the cookie dough on top. Bake for 24-26 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Let the cookies come to room temperature before enjoying.
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