Apple Pie Cookies

All the best bits of an apple pie in the form of a cookie. These apple pie cookies are made of a buttery pie crust sprinkled with crunchy sugar crystals and a sweet caramel apple filling.

Jump to:

• What are apple pie cookies?
• What ingredients do you need to make apple pie cookies?
• How to make the lattice
• Serving Suggestions
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Let's Get Baking
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

What are apple pie cookies?

When you think of fall you think of all things warming and comforting. Whether that be bakes flavored with pumpkin spice or warm treats like pies and puddings.

These are going to become your go-to fall cookie. With all the warming spices found in an apple pie; the comforting caramel apple flavor and a buttery golden crust.

An apple pie is made up of a golden flaky crust and chunky apple pieces. This cookie takes only the best parts of each. With no soggy bottoms and the perfect ratio of apple and cookie in each and every bite, there is everything to love.

While the making of the lattice takes a little extra effort, it adds that special touch to these cookies that are going to leave your friends and family speechless.

What ingredients do you need to make apple pie cookies?

Cookie Dough aka Pie crust

• All-purpose flour: Regular flour works best here! It gives the cookie its body and structure
• Granulated sugar: Granulated or white sugar here adds a touch of sweetness. The majority of the sweetness will come from the apple pie filling, so we don't need much.

• Salt: A big pinch of salt goes a long way in the pie crust. This not only helps with the flakiness of the pie crust it also helps to balance out the sweetness of the filling
• Unsalted butter: Make sure that the butter is chilled. This is essential for a flaky pie crust.

• Ice water: Iced water helps to keep the ingredients of the pie crust cold, helping it become super flaky.
• Turbinado sugar: Also known as raw sugar, this kind of sugar is the one with large sugar crystals. This is sprinkled over the cookies just before they are baked for those speckles of sugar that you find over your apple pies.

Apple Pie Filling

• Granny smith apples: I like to use granny smith apples as these break down the least when being cooked. This prevents your filling from become excessively mushy. You can use other kinds of apples too if that is what you have available.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar gives the filling sweetness as well as a deep caramelized flavor

• Unsalted butter: The butter helps to give the filling body and a velvety texture, while also helping it thicken up as it cools
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice helps to balance out the sweetness of the filling. It also adds pectin, which helps to thicken the filling to a jam-like consistency

• Cinnamon: My choice of spice for a classic apple pie is cinnamon. Feel free to add other spices like nutmeg, or allspice if that is your cup of tea
• Cornstarch: Also known as cornflour, helps to thicken up the filling at the very end of the cooking process. This ensures that the filling is thick enough to stay in your cookies without running out.

How to make the lattice

Making the lattice on these cookies will take them to a new level. If you don't have the time, or just can't be bothered, check out the "Can I make this without a lattice" section in the frequently asked questions for other options!

Use chilled dough

Using chilled dough is one of the most important tips when making a lattice. The cooler the dough is the easier it will be to handle.

Warm dough will melt at your fingertips and tear as you move it around to arrange it.

I like to roll my dough out into large sheets before chilling it for 30 minutes. This not only allows the dough to rest, but also helps to firm it up to the perfect consistency for shaping.

Use a ruler and knife

A ruler is going to be your best friend when making a lattice. This will ensure that each strip of dough you cut out is at the right width and cut in a straight line.

Work quickly

The quicker you work the easier it will be. This is because the longer the dough sits at room temperature the softer it will become. As I stated before, the softer the dough is, the harder it is to work with.

If you find that the dough is getting too soft, just stop and place the dough back into the fridge to chill for 10 minutes to firm up again.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies are so fun because there are so many different ways to enjoy them!

Here are a couple of my favourite ways:

• Just as they are, warm and straight from the oven: These are best when they are a little warm as the crust is still crisp and the filling is caramelized and slightly molten
• Served with vanilla ice cream: Serve these as warm mini apple pies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The ice cream will melt for a delicious after-dinner dessert

• With whipped cream and sauce: A swirl of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce will take these cookies from snack to elevated dessert! Feel free to change the caramel sauce to other toppings like fresh fruit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do these last?

These will last up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Or up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

How should these be stored?

These cookies are best eaten at room temperature as the pie crust will be the flakiest. If you are eating all of them within 2 days I'd keep them stored at room temperature.

If you want to keep them for longer, keep them in the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature before eating.

Can you freeze apple pie cookies?

Yes definitely! There are two ways you can approach freezing these.

Freeze them after they are assembled but before baking

This means you can take them out when you want a warm apple pie cookie and simply bake for 25 minutes. This way keeps them tasting the freshest, like you had just made them from scratch.

Freeze the finished cookies

If you are looking for an easily accessible snack or quick fix just freeze the baked cookies. When you want them, thaw at room temperature, or give them a quick toast in your oven for 10 minutes.

What kind of apples should you use for apple pie?

Personally I think granny smith apples are the best apples for apple pie as they retain their structure the most while cooking. They also are slightly tangy, which works great in desserts as extra sugar is added.

Other apple varieties that are great for baking include: gala, pink lady, honey crisp, golden delicious, jonagold, crispin and so many more.

To be honest it doesn't matter what kind of apple you use, as long as you watch the cook time they won't turn into mush.

How do I thicken my apple pie filling?

I use a couple of different ways to thicken my apple pie filling.

Cooking the apples down with sugar over an extended period of time is the best way to thicken them as it removes excess moisture and allows the sugar to caramelize.

Lemon juice also helps to thicken the mixture to a jam-like consistency as lemon juice contains pectin. Pectin is the secret ingredient to jams thickening.

The most important thickening ingredient is cornstarch. As these aren't apple pies, there is no base to hold the filling in. Instead, the filling needs to be thick enough to hold itself together without oozing out of the cookies.

Cornstarch has the ability to thicken liquids and bring them together to a gelatinous consistency.

Can I make these without the lattice?

Yes, you definitely can! The lattice adds a pie-like touch to the cookies, but there are so many other options.

The simplest option is covering the apple pie filling with another round of cookie dough. Then press the edges of the dough down with your fingers, or even a fork to create a crimping pattern.

Make sure you cut an opening in the top of the cookie as this gives the apple pie filling air to breathe. preventing it from oozing out of the sides.

This could be just a simple cross with a knife, or you could even cut out a little shape with a cookie cutter.

Can I make this with store-bought pie crust?

Definitely! If you don't have the time to make pie dough from scratch storebought pie crust is perfect. Not only is it easy to handle, and pre-rolled into sheets, it tastes equally as delicious.

Can I make these with a different fruit filling?

Yes of course! The options for fillings are endless, from blueberry to cherry you can make this any kind of pie you want! If you are using different kinds of fruit I recommend using granulated sugar rather than brown.

I used brown sugar in this recipe to recreate caramel apples, but I recommend using white sugar. Without the caramelised flavor white sugar will help let the flavors of the other fruits shine through.

Why is my apple pie crust soggy?

There are a couple of reasons why your pie crust may be soggy:

• The butter was too soft when added: Make sure you use chilled butter when making your pie crust, this helps a lot with the final pie crust texture
• The apple pie filling wasn't thickened enough: The extra moisture in your filling will seep into your pie crust as it bakes.

• The cookies were underbaked: If your cookies aren't baked properly they will still be soft. This makes them even more prone to absorbing moisture; whether that be in the apple pie filling or the air around it.
• They weren't cooled on a wire rack: A wire rack allows the cookies to cool without condensation. Condensation between the cookie bottoms and the baking tray cause the bottoms to get soggy.

Let's Get Baking

If you love the flavor of apple pies but are looking for a cookie then you've come to the right place. Satisfy your apple pie and cookie cravings in one hit with these apple pie cookies.

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went.

Also, don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts and hashtag #cattycakes so I can see and share your desserts. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and TikTok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!

Print

📖 Recipe

Related Recipes