Name: Apple Pie Cookies
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: Makes 12
Ingredients: ¼ cup granulated sugar; 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface; 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, frozen 15 minutes; 1 Tbsp. chilled apple cider vinegar; 2 medium Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and/or Golden Delicious apples (about 1 lb. total); ¼ cup light brown sugar; 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice; ½ tsp. ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt; 2 tsp. all-purpose flour; 1 large egg; 1 Tbsp. whole milk; All-purpose flour for surface; Demerara or raw sugar (for sprinkling; optional); Special Equipment: A 3" round cookie or biscuit cutter; a small (about 1½") leaf-shaped or round cookie cutter

Mini apple pie cookies with a diced apple filling revealed through a windowpane crust.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog

Imagine a slice of apple pie with the portability of a caramel apple. Now scroll down to find an apple pie cookie recipe destined to win hearts, minds, and cookie swaps. The easy cookie dough combines the buttery flavor of Linzer shortbread with flaky pie crust. It comes together quickly in a food processor (but yes, you can also make it by hand if preferred) and can be made up to a day in advance to break up prep time.

You’ll also need to precook the diced apples—since the cook time is shorter here than for a classic apple pie recipe, the fruit needs a jump start on softening. We like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and/or Golden Delicious apples for this recipe, but you can choose any variety you like. Just remember, the best apples for baking are ones that hold their shape in the oven, like the sweeter ones mentioned above, or tart Pink Lady or Granny Smith apples. Feel free to make the filling up to 2 days in advance (keep it chilled until you’re ready to assemble the cookies).

These handheld mini apple pie cookies are delicious as is, though maximalists might enjoy sticking one into a sundae with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. Either way, the adorable autumnal bites are sure to go fast.

Cooks’ Note

The leaf cutouts can be baked too. Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange cookies on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 12–15 minutes.

Editor’s note: This recipe for Apple Pie Cookies first appeared on Epicurious in October 2017. Head this way for more of our favorite fall desserts →

Recipe notes

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