Fall Apple Pie Cookies: Spiced Autumn Dessert
Select firm, tart apples such as Granny Smith for these fall apple pie cookies. You want fruit that holds its shape when heated so the filling does not become a puree. Put back any apples that feel soft or mealy to the touch. Use a sharp knife to dice the fruit into 1–1½ cm pieces to ensure they cook evenly in the saucepan.
These cookies combine a shortcrust pastry with a thickened apple centre. You will roll the dough to a thickness of 3 mm and bake at 180°C (350°F) until the edges brown. Chill the dough for 30 minutes before shaping to prevent the cookies from spreading. The result is a savoury-sweet pastry that carries the warmth of ground cinnamon and nutmeg in every bite.
Fall Apple Pie Cookies: Spiced Autumn Dessert
Recipe cardIngredients
Watch how it's made
Instructions
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Prepare the oven
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the dough from sticking to the metal.
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Rub in the butter
Whisk 250 g flour and 1.2 g salt in a bowl. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the softened butter into the flour until you see coarse crumbs, which ensures a tender crumb.
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Bind and chill dough
Beat the egg yolk with 15 ml water and stir it into the flour along with 100 g brown sugar. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and chill it in the refrigerator. This rests the gluten so the cookies do not shrink.
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Cook apple filling
Heat diced apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and a cornstarch slurry in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir for 8 minutes until the mixture thickens. This creates a stable jam that will not leak during baking.
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Cut the circles
Roll the chilled dough on a floured surface to a thickness of 3 mm. Use a 6 cm (2.5 in) round cutter to punch out circles. Transfer them carefully to your baking sheets.
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Fill the cookies
Spoon a heaped tablespoon of apple filling onto the centre of each circle. Gently press the edges over the filling, but leave a small opening. This opening allows steam to escape so the base remains crisp.
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Bake the batch
Bake for 12–14 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Flip the sheets halfway through if your oven has hot spots. The centres must be set but still soft to the touch.
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Cool and glaze
Let cookies sit on the sheets for 2 minutes before moving them to a rack. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla and milk together. Drizzle this over the warm cookies for a glossy, savoury-sweet finish.
Keep your dough cold throughout the process. If you notice the dough softening or becoming sticky while you shape the cookies, return it to the fridge for a few minutes. Cold dough maintains its structure, which stops the cookies from spreading too thin in the oven.
The Flour
Use all-purpose flour to maintain a tender crumb. You can substitute plain flour with a gluten-free blend, but the dough may become more fragile. Do not use cake flour, as it lacks the structure needed to hold the apple filling without the cookies spreading too much during baking.
What to serve with it
Pair these cookies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to create a contrast between warm and cold textures. For a silky finish, drizzle a light vanilla custard over the warm cookies. A light dusting of cinnamon-sugar before serving adds an extra aromatic touch to the final presentation.
Storing and reheating
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep them on a parchment-lined tray before covering. For long term storage, freeze individual cookies on parchment paper for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 215
- Protein
- 3.2 g
- Carbs
- 24.8 g
- Fat
- 11.4 g
- Fiber
- 1.1 g
- Sugar
- 13.2 g
Estimated, and offered as a guide rather than a medical figure.
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Questions people ask
Can I use red apples instead of Granny Smith?
Yes, but use a firm variety. Granny Smith apples are preferred because their tartness balances the brown sugar and they hold their shape better during the heating process without turning into a mushy puree.
What do I do if the dough feels too soft to roll?
Return the dough to the refrigerator for a few minutes. Keeping the dough cold prevents the butter from melting, which ensures the cookies maintain their shape and prevents the edges from spreading too far on the baking sheet.
Can I skip the cornstarch in the apple filling?
No. The cornstarch slurry thickens the natural juices released by the apples. Without it, the filling will be too runny, which can make the dough soggy and cause the cookies to leak during the baking process.
