Apple Pie Cookies
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These Apple Pie Cookies taste just like an apple pie, except they are mini-sized and easy to eat, featuring buttery flaky pie crust and spiced brown sugar apple filling.
There is nothing better than a sweet from scratch delight like traditional apple pie. And if you like apple pie, you will love these bite-sized Apple Pie Cookies. These adorable hand pies always go fast whenever I make them. More importantly, they are very convenient to eat. No messy with fewer dishes to wash because these are an easy grab and go dessert. It is less commitment than a whole pie, but certainly no less indulgent. And the best part of all is that you literally have an apple pie just for yourself.
Another thing that I love about these Apple Pie Cookies is that you can get as creative as you want with them. You can cut them larger and fold the crust to make them look like a turnover or use different cookie cutters to shape them however you like. Kids can also help shape them and these Apple Pie Cookies can be prepared days ahead of frozen.
Today I am sharing this Apple Pie Cookies recipe with a video tutorial. Feel free to use alternate filling just in case apple is not your thing. If you are intimidated by making your own pie crust dough or too lazy to make it from scratch, you can use store-bought pie crusts. Alternatively, you can also substitute it with puff pastry just like in my Apple Cinnamon Puff Pastry recipe.
Homemade Pie Crust
The first step is to make your pie crust dough. Pie crust is essentially the combination of fat, flour, and water. But how you combine those ingredients can make all the difference in the outcome of your pie.
In this recipe, I use the fat combination of butter and shortening. Of course, you can use all butter for the best flavor, but it could be a lot harder to work with. I really recommend to mix it with vegetable shortening because it has a higher melting point than butter, so it is easy to incorporate into pie dough and roll out. It also holds its shape better the best during baking. To get the butter flavor and better shape, I go with the butter and shortening ratio 1:1 for this recipe.
Make sure to always cut the fat into small pieces and chill or even freeze it until very cold before you start making on the dough. The chilling step will make the dough easier to handle and helps it become nice and flaky when baked. And if your dough gets too warm while you are rolling it out, stop and chill it again for 15-30 minutes before you proceed.
Best Apple for the Filling
Of course, the most important ingredients in this menu are not surprisingly the apples that you use for the filling. You can mix firm-tart and firm-sweet apple varieties. Whether you like them sweet or tart when baking, make sure to choose the right variety. Look for an apple with a crisp bite so they stay firm and hold their shape when cooked.
If you are not sure which one to choose, Granny Smith apples have long been considered the favorite because they are extremely firm, and do not mush under almost any amount of cooking. The classic green apple is slightly sour and definitely one of the best apples for apple pie. In addition, they are typically readily available at any supermarket any time of year is a plus point.
How to Make Apple Pie Cookies
Firstly, you will need to prep the pie crust and apple filling ahead. Feel free to use the shortcuts and take refrigerated pie crust and a can of apple pie filling if you are feeling lazy.
To make this recipe, you will start by rolling out the pie crusts. Then, cut out your circles with a 3.5-inch/9cm round cookie cutter. I do not suggest anything smaller than 3-inch/7.5cm in diameter because you cannot fit enough filling in a pie that small. Spoon the filling on top of your pie crust circles while leaving some room at the edges. Once you have added the filling, top each pie with lattice or another half of the remaining pie crust circles and crimp the edges with a fork. If you want to make them stick together a little better, you can use some egg wash in between. Make holes on top for the ones topped with pie crust circles to allow steam to escape when baking. Then, brush the top with egg wash to get that nice golden brown color after baking.
More Apple Desserts Recipes
Check these recipes too while you are here!
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 1/2 cups (300 gr) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113 gr) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup (95 gr) cold shortening, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) ice water
Apple Filling
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, diced
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp water
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- Coarse sugar, for topping (optional)
Instructions
Pie Crust
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, granulated sugar, and salt together. Then, add the butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut them into the dry ingredients until they resemble a coarse meal.
- Slowly drizzle in one tablespoon of ice water at a time and gently mix it in until the dough starts to come together with a fork. Do not add any more water than you need to. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps.
- Divide the dough in half and pack the dough into a ball. Cover each one tightly with plastic wrap and finally refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Apple Filling
- In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until well combined. Set aside.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter completely. Add the diced apples and cook until they soften for about 4-5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in brown sugar, cinnamon powder, and nutmeg powder until well combined. Stir in cornstarch slurry until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat and let it cool completely before using. Set aside.
Egg Wash
- In a small bowl, mix together egg and milk until incorporated.
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 375F/190°C. Line two baking pans with baking mats or parchment paper.
- Lightly dust the working surface lightly with flour. Then, roll one of your pastry dough out to about 1/8-1/4-inch/3-5mm thick. At any sign of sticking, sprinkle some flour underneath then keep rolling. One half of the dough is for the bases and the other half is for the tops. Using a 3.5-inch/9 cm cookie cutter, cut into circles (these are the bottom crust). Re-roll any scraps and cut them into circles.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of the apple pie filling to the center of each circle. Brush the edges with egg wash.
- Lattice top. Roll the remaining pastry dough out to about 1/8-1/4-inch/3-5mm thick. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch/1.2cm strips with a knife. Arrange the lattice on top of each circle. Cut and remove excess with the same round cutter you used for the base.
- Closed Pies. Roll the remaining pastry dough out to about 1/8-1/4-inch/3-5mm thick. Using a 3.5-inch/9cm cookie cutter, cut into circles (these are the top crust). Arrange the circles on top. Press your fingers all around the edges to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut slits on top.
- Crimp the edges with a fork.
- Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake for about 28-32 minutes or until they are golden brown. Rotate pans halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool until ready to handle.
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