These Apple Pie Cookies are made with a buttery soft cookie dough then stuffed with a delicious not too sweet apple pie filling. Serve them warm or room temper as a snack or with a scoop of ice cream to make the perfect Fall Dessert. Either way they won’t last long!
Can I start off by saying “I love anything Apple and Cinnamon. “? I also love the fact that the horrible heat of July and August is finally coming to an end. And now we can all concentrate on keeping warm. No better way then some warm out of the oven Apple Pie Cookies.
As far as dessert goes in Italy, I discovered that one of the most popular and famous cakes is an Apple Cake. Everyone wants to make the perfect Cake / Ciambellone Over the last two-three years I have made quite a few things with Apples, from cakes to sweet loaves.
So this time I thought why not stuff a cookie? I made the filling quite thick because I didn’t want any of the filling escaping from the inside.
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter – room temperature
- Sugar
- Egg – room temperature
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Apples
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
For these cookies I used a simple pastry dough, although this Brown Sugar, or Homemade Pie Dough would also work, or even a good store bought if you are short on time.
How to make them
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the butter, egg and vanilla. Mix with a fork until almost combined, move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead until dough is well combined and soft. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes at least.
While the dough is in the fridge prepare the filling, in a medium pot add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and diced apples, mix together and cook on low to medium heat, stirring the mixture occasionally and watch that it doesn’t burn, gently squish with a fork, leaving the diced apples chunky rather than mushy.
Continue to cook until the apples are soft and tender. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
To tell the truth I got a bit busy and the filling got overly thick so to thin it up a bit I added a couple of tablespoons of Maple Syrup. As the Italian said, “good move”, I think he would drink the stuff if he could!
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a floured flat surface, cut out rounds with a round cookie cutter. Place half the circles on the prepared cookie sheet, top each circle with a heaping teaspoon of apple filling, gently spread the filling.
Be sure not to go over the edge, cover with another circle and close the edges with a fork or lightly wet your fingers and close the edges. Wetting the edges helps keep them closed while baking.
Brush with a little milk and then sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar.
Bake until golden. Remove from oven, let cool or eat warm. Delicious as a dessert served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
How to make cinnamon sugar
For every 1/2 cup of granulated sugar (or try with brown sugar) and add 2-3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Combine well in a small bowl or shake well in a small jar. Be sure to store any leftover cinnamon sugar in a tight fitting jar in a damp free area. It will keep for up to a year, it will actually keep indefinitely although cinnamon may lose its flavour.
What are the best apples for baking?
I personally always reach for Royal Galla or Fuji, but you could also use Cortland, Empire, Crispin, Northern Spy, Newton Pippin, Rome Beauty, Golden Delicious, Winesap, Honey crisp or Braeburn, or even a combination if you prefer.
Recipe FAQs
The dough can be made using a standup mixer with the flat beaters or with a food processor, instructions are in the recipe card.
The cookies should be stored in an air tight container and will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Freeze the cookies in an airtight freezer safe container or bag, they will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature or warm in a low oven or microwave before serving.
So if you are looking for a wonderful way to start the Fall or even end the summer, then these Homemade Apple Pie Cookies would be a great choice. Enjoy!
More Apple Recipes
- Cinnamon Applesauce Cookies
- Apple Pie Streusel Cake
- Apple Turnovers
- Italian Apple Pie
- Apple Pie Cinnamon Crepes
Homemade Apple Pie Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH
- 1/2 cup butter* (room temperature)*
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
*If using unsalted butter then use 1/4 teaspoon salt.
FOR THE APPLE FILLING
- 2 apples (cored, peeled and diced small)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
CINNAMON SUGAR
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH
- Making it by hand – In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Make a well in the middle and add the butter, egg and vanilla. Mix with a fork until almost combined, move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead just until the dough is well combined and soft, don't over knead. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
- Making it with a food processor or mixer – In the food processor/mixer add the butter and sugar pulse to combine or mix with the flat beater a few times, add the egg and vanilla, combine until smooth, add the flour mixture pulse/beat a few times until almost combined. Move to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead until the dough is well combined and soft (this won't take long). Wrap in plastic or parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
FOR THE APPLE FILLING
- While the dough is in the fridge prepare the filling, in a medium pot add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and diced apples, mix together and cook on low to medium heat for 5 minutes, cover and cook for another 5 minutes,, stirring the mixture occasionally and watch that it doesn’t burn, gently squish with a fork, leaving the diced apples slightly chunky rather than mushy. If the apples are not tender and the mixture hasn't thickened, continue to cook on low for another 5 minutes uncovered, until the apples are soft and tender. Remove from heat and let cool completely. If you find the mixture too thick then you can add a tablespoon or 2 of maple syrup to thin it.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Line one or two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll dough out on a floured flat surface to 1/8 inch / 2 mm (or a little thicker if you prefer) cut with a round cookie cutter approximately 28 circles (2 1/4 inch / 6 cm size), place 14 circles on the prepared cookie sheet, place a heaping teaspoon of apple filling on each circle, gently spread the filling, be sure not to go over the edge, cover with another circle and close the edges with a fork, I lightly wet my fingers and closed the edges, wetting the edges helps to keep the cookies closed while baking. Brush with a little milk and then sprinkle with some cinnamon sugar, bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven, let cool 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely or eat warm. Enjoy!
CINNAMON SUGAR
- In a small bowl mixture together the sugar and ground cinnamon.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from September 2015
Nana says
I love your website. My father came to America when he was a small boy. One recipe I can’t redo is fried pasta made with left over Sunday dinner pasta. Perhaps it just doesn’t taste as good as the memory recalls. When we walked to church on Sunday mornings we could smell all the different pasta sugo (spelling?) coming from the houses. A lovely memory. Do you have any hints?
The other I can’t find on the web, is the St Joseph bread with a colored egg in it. Are you familiar with that?
Thanks Rosemary.
Rosemary says
Hi Nana, my husband said his mother used to make it although I never tried it, heat some olive oil in a pan about a couple of tablespoons, (sometimes she would use butter instead). Add the pasta (usually pasta made with sauce) sprinkle with parmesan and or bread crumbs, then cook until golden and crunchy then flip and do the other side, then serve. I hope that helps. St Joseph bread do you mean this one https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/easter-bread/ ? Hope this helps. Take care!
Lisa says
You have so many amazing creative recipes they are all delicious but this one is totally charming as well!
Rosemary says
Hi Lisa, thanks so much, so glad you like the recipes and these too! Take care!
Sonia says
I made my own homemade salted caramel and added it into the filling with the apples so good.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Rosemary says
Hi Sonia, thanks so much, great idea, sounds wonderful. Take care, have a great weekend.