Apple pie cookies have all the components of apple pie, but in cookie form! My recipe uses a homemade apple pie filling and even includes an optional “a la mode” decoration. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Apple Pie in Cookie Form
These apple pie cookies are gourmet cookies inspired by classic apple pie! They are fun to make (a process, but a worthwhile one!) and would be a truly unique and welcomed addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table.
These apple pie cookies have:
- Flavorful cookie base (very similar to what I use for my coffee cake cookies) that is carefully designed to not be too sweet or rich.
- Authentic apple pie filling! The filling does need to be cooked on the stove first; I talk more about this below.
- Crumbly, buttery streusel topping made from my easy streusel recipe that requires NO pastry cutter (anyone else absolutely hate that thing?)!
- Simple vanilla glaze and adorable buttercream ice cream scoops (!!) 🤩
Okay, technically the glaze and “ice cream” are optional, but aren’t they fun? You may expect the “ice cream” to be too sweet to be palatable (especially once you see how much sugar goes into it), but, almost weirdly, it’s not. It’s mostly just for show, but honestly, it actually tastes good, too! If you don’t feel like doing both, I’d recommend at least doing the glaze.
YES, there are many parts to this recipe and multiple steps, but these cookies are such a fun project that I really enjoyed making. I hope you love them too!
What You Need
You need quite a few ingredients to make these apple pie cookies (15 to be exact, if you make the glaze and ice cream too!), but most are pantry staples.
- Apples. We’re essentially making an apple pie filling (if it looks familiar, it’s because it’s closely adapted from my amazing apple turnovers) for the centers. A firm, tart apple, like Granny Smith, works best here, they hold their shape well without becoming mushy or too weepy and keep the cookie from being too sweet. Precooking the apples works best, since raw apples don’t become soft enough or yield enough flavor (even after being baked in the cookies).
- Brown sugar. I use light brown sugar in nearly every component of these apple pie cookies! If you don’t have any on hand or run out during baking, read my post on how to make brown sugar.
- Cornstarch. This thickens our filling. I also use some in the cookie dough to prevent the cookies from spreading too much and to keep them nice and soft.
- Butter. We’ll use softened unsalted butter for the cookies and melted (yes, melted!) butter for the streusel. Unlike traditional recipes, my streusel recipe comes together in seconds, no pastry cutter required. This is all thanks to melted butter!
- Vanilla. I use regular vanilla extract in the cookie dough and vanilla bean paste in the glaze and “ice cream” scoops. The paste has little flecks of vanilla beans, which makes the buttercream scoops look even more like real-deal ice cream. If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, regular vanilla extract will work just fine!
SAM’S TIP: If you forget to set your eggs out ahead of time, let them sit in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes. This will bring them to room temperature quickly.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Apple Pie Cookies
Apple Pie Filling
- Stir together the apples, sugar, butter, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a pan over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium and let the mixture come to a simmer.
- Continue simmering for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat once the apples are tender, then pour into a heatproof bowl. Transfer to the fridge to cool while you make the cookie dough.
Cookie Dough
- Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until completely combined, then cover and place the dough in the fridge to chill.
Streusel
- Combine the flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl, then drizzle the cooled melted butter overtop.
- Claw/toss the mixture together with a fork until it is clumpy. Don’t work it together too much or you will create a paste.
Assembly
- Roll the dough. Scoop about 2 Tablespoons and roll between your palms until smooth. Indent the centers of each cookie using the back of a cookie scoop.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling into each indentation.
- Press about 1 tablespoon of streusel (I just do a small handful) over the filling, making sure to completely cover it.
- Bake for 13-14 minutes at 350F or until the edges turn a light golden brown. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating, they’ll be a bit fragile when they’re warm.
SAM’S TIP: When indenting the cookies, don’t press too far. If the bottom of the indent is too shallow, then the the filling could become too heavy for it and fall through the bottom.
Glaze/Frosting Decoration
- Cream the butter, salt, and vanilla until smooth, then gradually add the sugar ½ cup at a time. Wait until each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Check the frosting consistency: it should be a stiff, rollable dough that is almost like play dough. If it’s not, add more powdered sugar.
- Whisk together the glaze, then drizzle it over your cookies.
- Add a 1 tablespoon sized scoop of the buttercream over the glaze. Let the glaze harden, then enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You could, but why would you?
Alright, alright! I understand, everything can’t always be from scratch and I don’t see why store-bought wouldn’t work here.
But for the record, I recommend making your own. Homemade will have the best flavor and sweetness level, whereas store-bought could be inconsistent or just way too sweet. If you must use the premade kind, pinky-promise me you’ll try it sometime in the future from scratch and note that you will need about 1.5 cups of pie filling.
Yes! Each component of these cookies (except the vanilla glaze) can be made and stored in advance. The pie filling can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 days, the dough can be covered and stored in the fridge for 3 days, the streusel can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for (you guessed it) 3 days, and the buttercream can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for at least a week. Note that the buttercream will get very stiff in the refrigerator, so I would recommend scooping/rolling it before chilling.
I don’t see why not! You could try using any of the fillings from my hand pies; just make sure to let it cool before adding it to the cookies. Beware that any fillings that are particularly juicy/wet could cause the cookie to become soggy.
So there you have it. Apple pie cookies are the latest, Fall-infused addition to my growing gourmet cookie collection.
If you’re enjoying these slightly outrageous cookies, let me know what others you’d like to see (and check out my blueberry muffin cookies and strawberry cheesecake cookies in the meantime!).
Enjoy! -Sam
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Apple Pie Cookies
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 cups (350 g) cored, peeled, diced apples see note
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 Tablespoons (28 g) butter salted or unsalted
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Streusel
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter melted
- 1 ¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar 65g
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Buttercream “ice cream”
- ½ cups (113 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Glaze
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
Apple Filling
- Combine apples, sugar, butter, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a medium sized skillet over medium-low heat. Stir frequently until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.3 cups (350 g) cored, peeled, diced apples, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons (28 g) butter, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the dough.
Cookie Dough
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine softened butter and sugars in a large bowl and use an electric mixer (or a stand mixer with paddle attachment) to beat until light and fluffy.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- Add eggs and vanilla and stir until combined.2 large eggs, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, stirring until completely combined.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill slightly while you prepare the streusel.
Streusel
- Melt butter in a small bowl and allow to cool until no longer warm to the touch.6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- Combine flour, sugars, salt and cinnamon in medium-sized bowl and stir until combined.1 ¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Drizzle cooled butter into flour mixture and claw together with a fork until you have a clumpy streusel.
Assembly
- Remove apple filling and cookie dough from refrigerator.
- Scoop dough by 2 Tablespoon-sized balls and roll until smooth. Place on baking sheet and make an indent in the cookie (I used the back of the cookie scoop to make indent – do not push too deep or make the cookie too thin or the cookie won’t be able to support the weight of it after baking)).
- Scoop a level Tablespoon of filling into the indent you just created
- Take a small handful of streusel (about 1 Tablespoon) and nestle gently into the filling. Use enough to completely cover the filling.
- Transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) oven for 13-14 minutes or until edges begin to turn a light golden brown. Allow to cool completely before decorating with glaze and “ice cream” (below, if using).
Buttercream “ice cream”:
- Beat butter, salt, and vanilla in large bowl using an electric mixer until butter is smooth.½ cups (113 g) unsalted butter, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, waiting until each cup is completely mixed before adding more. Once finished, the buttercream should be very stiff, almost a play-dough like consistency. It should be easy to roll into a ball. Add more powdered sugar, if needed, to reach proper consistency.3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
- Set aside while you prepare the vanilla bean glaze.
Vanilla glaze
- Whisk together powdered sugar with 1 Tablespoon of milk and vanilla bean paste until completely combined. Add additional milk, a splash at a time, until glaze is smooth and ribbons off of your whisk.1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar, 1-2 Tablespoons whole milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Drizzle glaze on cookie. Scoop buttercream by one Tablespoon sized scoop and place on cookie, gently nestling onto the glaze (which will help “cement” it).
- Allow glaze to harden before enjoying.
Notes
Apples
This is about 4 small apples for me. I recommend Granny Smith apples for best results. They are tart and firm and lend themselves well to these cookies. Alternatively you may use another tart, firm apple. Softer apples, like Mcintosh, aren’t ideal.Cookie indents
Don’t make the indentation in the cookie too deep, if there’s not enough cookie dough on the bottom the cookie won’t be stable.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sarah
If using canned apple pie filling, do I still need to cook the filling and/or add anything to it?
Sam
Hi Sarah! I don’t think there’s any need to cook it in advance.
Sarah
I made these cookies on Christmas Eve for Santa to enjoy when making his delivery 😉. They were so gorgeous and absolutely delicious! Your recipes are always spot on. Thank you very much for sharing!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Lucky Santa! We’re so happy they turned out so nicely for you, Sarah 🥰
Sabrina
Amazing recipe. I did something wrong. My cookies are very thick but so flavorful. I should have diced my apples smaller and maybe cooked them a little longer but those are all user errors. I will definitely do these again but I WILL spread it out over a few days. Thanks for sharing.
Karen Turner
I have just made these for my husband as a treat.
He loved them so thank you for sharing.
I love that you provide metric measurements as well we live in France and that you use all natural ingredients.
Happy holidays
Karen
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Karen! 🙂
Rin
Hello,
Your recipe looks amazing! I plan to make these for a friend visiting and hope to have some left over for their trip back abroad.
I was wondering if it would be possible to freeze the dough, struesel, and filling for a week or so in hopes that baking in 2 batches would be possible.
Many thanks! Really love the way your recipe is structured too!
Sam
Hi Rin! I honestly haven’t tried this. I definitely think it could work, I would consider shaping the dough before freezing, that might make it easier so you don’t have to thaw it and shape and possibly struggle with it. Please let me know how it goes!
RIN
Hi again!
It took awhile for things to get wrapped up because I decided to just do one big batch (plus a few other dishes) right before their flight.
I wasn’t able to get around freezing the components but I do plan to give this another try sometime. The cookies turned out great and quickly became a fan favorite. The only mistake we all agreed on was that there weren’t enough apples. This was due to the fact that I got cold feet (or hands?) and didn’t make the well deeper in fear of breaking the dough.
The glaze and frosting were also omitted because…well, packing issues but again, there will be a next time. Nevertheless, it was a big hit.
Thank you so much for sharing this fun recipe that helped made everyone’s stomach and tastebuds full and happy!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone ultimately enjoyed them and I hope they are an even bigger hit next time! 🙂
Angela McMullen
Made these today for Thanksgiving. They’re delicious! I dipped the “ice cream” in a little bit of the glaze to help it stick and I put a little bit of drizzle over the “ice cream” to make it look like it was melting.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Angela! 🙂
April L.
I’ve made these twice for my husband and he says they’re his all-time favorite cookies! We both love them! Thank you 😊
Sam
Wonderful! Thank you for trying my recipe, April!
Dave
I’m very new to baking so I was just curious what and where do I find Vanilla Extract paste at?? I’ve only ever seen just the pure extract or imitation extract, I’ve not seen paste or pods in years!! well actually check that to my know how I’ve never seen paste!! so any help here would be great, thanks ahead of time!!
Sam
Hi Dave! I actually have a link to the one I use on Amazon so you can see what it looks like. Some grocery stores carry it with the other extracts. 🙂
Dee
I am not much of a baker, but made these delicious cookies and your awesome chili last week when we had our first cold snap. My adult children and grandson loved them. I followed your recipe exactly and had no trouble making these gems. I weighed all the ingredients which may be why other recipes fail. I did omit the “ice cream” and opted for the glaze only. Everyone said they were better than their favorite cookie store. The biggest compliment came 6 days later when my daughter had the last one and said they were still “bussin’”. Thank you so much for making a recipe that is both delicious and so easy to follow. The video was very helpful. Can’t to try other recipes
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Dee! 🙂
Kathy P
I made these apple pie cookies and they were such a big hit! Everything about them was perfect. I appreciate the way the recipe was step by step with the ingredients listed in the step as well! I know I will be making these again! Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Kathy! 🙂
MamaMeg
Apple filing ✅
Cookie dough ✅
Streusel ✅
Tomorrow we bake.
I’m super very excited to finish this recipe tomorrow. We have never been disappointed by a SugarSpunRun recipe! Thank you for continually posting delicious recipes =)
Sam
I hope you love them! 🙂
Y ette
These cookies are amazing and so absolutely cute. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Sam
Thank you so much! 🙂
Wendy
What do/would you recommend as a vanilla bean paste substitute?
Sam
Hi Wendy! I’d just use vanilla extract, but only about half the amount listed as it’s more potent.
Anne Krause
Hi Sam!
Thank you for this amazing recipe. I so appreciate the fact that you work hard to perfect your recipes and will tell you that these are surely little treasures. These will be a special addition to family favorites 😍.
Sam
You’re very welcome, Anne! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed everything so much! 🙂
April
Oops I baked late again, you played with my heart got lost in these apples. Who runs out of butter thinking they had butter while making a recipe, not me, maybe me, ok me! Oh my gracious Apple, these are amazing. As soon as the new recipe notification came up I knew I had to make these! I can not express my tastebud happiness right now. I did not do the “ice cream” or the drizzle, “it is kinda late to be baking” Sam… lol.(past 10 PM). These are a must, the cookie is perfectly not too sweet, the apples came out divine and the crumble is remarkable all equals PERFECTLY BALANCED. Thank you for your magical baking hands. Thank you to your wonderful family for sharing you with us, you are so appreciated!
Sam
Thank you so much, April! I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Janet Miller
These are a show stopper cookie, and look to die for. Yes, a lot of work, but for a special occasion, they would be perfect. I love the ice cream decoration, but just the glaze would be fine. I bet these would be over the top with a drizzle of dulce de leche instead of the vanilla glaze! Thank you for this recipe!
Sam
You’re very welcome, Janet, thank you so much for trying my recipe and for letting me know how it turned out, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Jules Carter
Made these today, and yes, there were a lot of steps, but WOW, they are incredible!! Sooo Yum 🤤 Now one of my all time favourite Cookies, thanks Sam 😁
Sam
Yay! So happy to hear that you loved the cookies, thank you so much for commenting, Jules!! 🙂