If apple pie and cookies had a little fall love child, these apple pie cookies would be it. Made with buttery cookie dough, warm cinnamon-spiced apples, and a rustic lattice top, these oversized cookies have all the cozy flavors of homemade apple pie in one delicious bite.
They may have started as cookies, but they definitely had other plans. Think mini apple pies with a soft, buttery crust and a sweet apple filling—the perfect treat for a crisp fall day.
There’s just something about baking with apples when the weather starts to turn. I wanted to make something a little different from a traditional apple pie, and these little cookies were the result. Mine ended up much bigger than planned, but they turned out to be the sweetest little mini pies and I’m not complaining.
Recipe Details
Yield: 6 large Apple Pie Cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 20–25 minutes
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Total Time: About 1 hour
Recipe Note
These apple pie cookies are made extra-large, with a generous scoop of cinnamon apple filling and a rustic lattice crust. This recipe makes 6 oversized cookies that are almost like individual mini apple pies. For smaller cookies, divide the dough into smaller portions and adjust the baking time as needed.
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling
- 2 medium apples, peeled and finely diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- Pinch of salt
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
For the Lattice Tops
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
- Coarse sugar, optional
Instructions
1. Make the Apple Filling
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and salt. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into the apples and cook for another 1–2 minutes, until the filling thickens and becomes glossy.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow the filling to cool completely before assembling the cookies.
2. Prepare the Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
If the dough feels too soft to work with, cover and chill for 20–30 minutes.
3. Assemble the Apple Pie Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll the dough to approximately ¼-inch thickness. Cut into circles about 3 inches wide.
Place half of the dough circles on the prepared baking sheet. Add about 1 tablespoon of cooled apple filling to the center of each.
Cut the remaining dough circles into thin strips and arrange them over the filling to create a lattice pattern. Gently press the edges to seal.
Whisk together the egg and water to make an egg wash. Lightly brush the lattice tops and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
4. Bake
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the edges and lattice tops are golden brown.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet briefly before transferring them to a wire rack.
House on Ady Recipe Notes
- Finely dice the apples. Smaller pieces make the filling easier to scoop and help keep it from spilling out.
- Cool the filling completely. Warm filling can soften the dough and make assembly more difficult.
- Don’t stress about perfect lattice tops. A rustic, homemade look is part of the charm.
- Cookie size matters. Larger cookies will yield fewer servings and may need additional baking time. Watch for golden edges and a baked-through crust.
How to Store Apple Pie Cookies
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm in the oven at 300°F for a few minutes to refresh the crust.
- Freezing: For best texture, freeze the baked cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator and warm before serving.
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Some of the kitchen essentials that make baking at home a little easier.
- Apple Peeler
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Apple Pie Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the apple filling by cooking the apples, butter, sugar, spices, lemon juice, and salt until softened. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened. Add vanilla and cool completely.
- Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients and gradually mix them into the butter mixture. Chill if needed.
- Roll out the dough to about ¼-inch thick and cut into circles. Add cooled apple filling (about 1 tbsp per cookie) to the center.
- Cut dough strips and arrange them in a lattice pattern over the filling. Gently press the edges to seal the cookie then brush the lattice with egg wash before baking.
- Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, until golden.
Notes
- Finely dice the apples. Smaller pieces make the filling easier to scoop and help keep it from spilling out.
- Cool the filling completely. Warm filling can soften the dough and make assembly more difficult.
- Don’t stress about perfect lattice tops. A rustic, homemade look is part of the charm.
- Cookie size matters. These oversized cookies are more like individual mini apple pies. Baking time may vary depending on cookie size. Larger cookies will yield fewer servings and may need additional baking time. Watch for golden edges and a baked-through crust.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm in the oven at 300°F for a few minutes to refresh the crust.
- Freezing: For best texture, freeze the baked cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator and warm before serving.