Homemade Apple Pie Cookies
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
Wow this looks so goood!
Hi,
I would like to thank you sharing all the recipes from Italy, i really enjoy making them and sometimes challenging myself :). recently i made Homemade Apple Pie Cookies and they are so good and easy, already made second time yesterday with double the recipe.
Thank you again.
Sylwia.
Hi Sylwia, thanks so much, so glad you enjoy the recipes. Take care and have a wonderful week.
Love this blog! Can’t wait to try the apple sndvpecan.cookies for starters! Do you have a cookbook ?⁹
Hi Jane, thanks so much I actually have 2 books a paper book Authentic Italian Desserts and an e book All About Pasta. Have a great weekend. https://anitalianinmykitchen.com/cookbook-authentic-italian-desserts/
Very clever idea.
Have you used Monkfruit as a sweetener? If you have what ratio did you use (should I use)?
Hi Barbara, thanks, I have never used it, but they say it is sweeter than granulated sugar so you should use 1/3 of the amount of monkfruit. If you use it let me know. Have a great weekend.
Can I use apple filling from a can?
Hi Amalia, sure that would also work. Let me know how it goes. Have a great weekend.
Hi! I was wondering if I should use tart or sweet apples for this recipe?
Hi Lindsey, I usually use gala apples which I find are sort of in between, although more sweet than tart. You want more of a firm apple not a mushy one, so the best bets are gala, honey crisp (a sweet apple) or granny smith (which is a bit tart). So really it’s up to you or you could combine them. Hope that helps.
I reduced sugar in the dough to 70 g and didn’t sprinkle the cookies before baking, but otherwise this is a really great recipe!
Hi Irina, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed them. Have a great weekend.
Amazing recipe!!! They are my favorite cookie!
Thanks Desiree so glad you enjoy them. Have a great weekend.
I made these, and not too long after they were put in the oven, they spreaded out. Is there something i did wrong?
Hi Lillian, could be your flour, if the protein content isn’t high enough (12% or above) it can cause cookies to spread. Chilling the cookies for about 30 minutes before baking also helps. Let me know.
Hey, just wanted to let u know that u misspelled “escapes’. Thanks for the great recipe!
Excellent recipe. The cookies were a big hit.
Hi Heather, thanks glad you enjoyed them. Take care.
Can you freeze the baked cookies
Hi Pat, yes you can freeze them, just make sure they are cooled completely. Place them in a freezer safe bag or container. They will keep up to 5 months in the freezer.
How long can we leave the dough in the fridge for? Can I make the dough in advance?
Hi Calia, I would say the dough will last 2-3 days in the fridge, so yes you can make the dough in advance.
These would also be great a great recipe making raisin filled cookies.
These cookies are AMAZING!!! Thank you sm for the recipe. My family and i enjoyed them a lot <3
Hi Karma, thanks so much so glad you and your family enjoyed them. Take care.