Irresistible Apple Pie Cookies (Soft, Spiced & Jammy)

Yield: 24–28 cookies  |  Prep: 45 minutes (includes filling)  |  Chill: 30 minutes  |  Bake: 12–14 minutes per tray  |  Total: ~1 hour 30 minutes

Introduction

Imagine everything you love about a classic apple pie—silky cinnamon apples, brown-sugar warmth, buttery pastry aromas—wrapped into a soft, chewy cookie that disappears in two blissful bites. These Apple Pie Cookies deliver exactly that: a tender, spiced cookie base crowned with a glossy, jammy apple filling. They travel well, freeze beautifully, and are just as welcome at a bake sale as they are on a festive dessert platter.

The key to success is balance: cook the apples long enough to turn jammy (so your cookies don’t weep), chill the dough for tidy scooping, and bake in two smart stages to set the cookie’s “cradle” before adding the filling. Below you’ll find a polished, bakery-style formula with pro tips, seasonal swaps, and answers to the most common questions home bakers ask.

Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional, but lovely)

For the Apple Pie Filling

• 2 cups peeled, finely diced firm apples (about 2 medium; Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional, for tart apples)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice or cloves (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (slurry)
• Pinch of salt

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coat (Optional but Recommended)

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Vanilla Glaze (Optional)

• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Make the apple pie filling (jammy consistency).
   Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add apples, ⅓ cup brown sugar, cinnamon, optional spices, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring, until the apples soften and their juices release. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1–2 minutes more until glossy and thick, like pie filling. Transfer to a shallow dish and cool completely (speed it up in the fridge). The filling must be room-temp to slightly cool before assembly.
2. Mix the cookie dough.
   In a large bowl (stand mixer with paddle preferred), cream 1 cup softened butter, 1½ cups granulated sugar, and ½ cup brown sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape bowl. Beat in 2 eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla.
3. Combine dry ingredients.
   Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to the butter mixture in two additions on low speed just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
4. Chill for clean scoops.
   Cover and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours). This helps the cookies hold their shape and enhances flavor.
5. Preheat & prep.
   Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. If using the cinnamon-sugar coat, stir the ⅓ cup sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl.
6. Portion & shape wells.
   Scoop 1½ tablespoon mounds (a level #40 scoop). Roll each into a ball; optional: roll in cinnamon-sugar. Arrange 2½ inches apart. Using a lightly floured thumb, teaspoon back, or a ½-teaspoon measuring spoon, press a deep well in the center of each ball (do not pierce through). The wall should be roughly ½ inch thick.
7. Stage-bake to set the “cradle.”
   Bake the indented cookies for 6 minutes to puff and set. Remove the tray; the wells may rise—gently press them back down with the same spoon.
8. Fill & finish baking.
   Spoon 1 to 1½ teaspoons cooled apple filling into each well. Return to the oven and bake another 6–8 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and centers look just set. Rotate the tray once for even color.
9. Cool & glaze.
   Cool cookies on the tray 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Whisk glaze ingredients to a slow-ribbon consistency and drizzle in thin zigzags once the cookies are barely warm. Let set 15 minutes.

Serving and Storage Tips

• Serving: These shine at room temperature. For bakery-style presentation, dust with a whisper of powdered sugar right before serving.
• Room temperature: Store in an airtight container up to 2 days. Place parchment between layers to protect the glaze.
• Refrigeration: For longer keeping, refrigerate up to 5 days. Bring to room temp for best texture.
• Freezing: Freeze baked, unglazed cookies up to 2 months. Thaw in a single layer; glaze after thawing. You can also freeze the cooled apple filling separately for quick future batches.
• Make-ahead dough: Chill dough 24–48 hours (well-wrapped). Scooping is easier, and flavor deepens from hydration and spice bloom.

Variations

• Salted Caramel Apple: Drizzle salted caramel instead of vanilla glaze; sprinkle a pinch of flaky salt while it’s tacky.
• Apple Crumble Cookies: Top each filled cookie with 1 teaspoon cinnamon-oat streusel (oats, brown sugar, butter, pinch of flour). Bake until toasty.
• Brown-Butter Base: Brown the butter for the dough, cool to a soft-solid state, then proceed. Expect deeper toffee notes.
• Whole-Wheat Lift: Swap 25–30% of the flour for fine whole-wheat pastry flour; add 1–2 teaspoons milk if the dough feels stiff.
• Glaze Swap: Maple glaze (powdered sugar + maple syrup + pinch of salt) pairs beautifully with the apple filling.
• Cheddar Twist (savory-sweet): Fold ¾ cup finely shredded sharp cheddar into the dough for a classic apple-cheddar vibe.
• Ginger-Apple: Replace nutmeg with ½ teaspoon ground ginger; add 2 tablespoons diced crystallized ginger to the filling.

Tips

• Dice small & even: ¼-inch apple cubes cook evenly and sit neatly in the wells.
• Jammy is the goal: If filling looks loose, simmer 30–60 seconds longer. The cornstarch must bubble to activate.
• Keep the wells deep: Re-press after the first partial bake. A shallow well = runaway filling.
• Chill strategically: Warm dough spreads too much; 30 minutes of chill time gives tidy edges and a soft-chewy center.
• Don’t overbake: Pull when edges just turn gold. Residual heat finishes the interior for a plush bite.
• Two-tray flow: While one tray bakes, fill the next. You’ll maintain pace and consistent textures.
• Weigh if possible: For uniform cookies, weigh dough balls at 30–33 g each.

Conclusion

These Apple Pie Cookies deliver all the cozy, orchard-fresh comfort of a homemade pie with the grab-and-go charm of a cookie. A quick jammy filling, a soft cinnamon-spiced base, and a simple glaze create layers of flavor far greater than the sum of their parts. Once you master the short “stage-bake then fill” rhythm, you’ll have a reliable showstopper for holidays, bake sales, or rainy-day baking therapy.

Make them as written for a classic profile, or lean into the variations—from salted caramel to ginger-apple—to match the season. Either way, you’ll end up with cookies that vanish the second the tin opens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stuff the filling inside instead of on top?

Yes—flatten two 1-tbsp dough discs, add 1 teaspoon filling between them, seal the edges, then bake 12–14 minutes. Reduce filling moisture slightly for tidy seams.

Which apples work best?

Use firm, slightly tart apples that hold shape—Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Braeburn. Avoid mealy varieties.

My cookies spread too much—what happened?

Dough was warm, butter overly soft, or flour under-measured. Chill dough, measure flour accurately (360 g), and bake on cool sheets.

Can I make them gluten-free?

Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Start with 2¾ cups and add 1–3 tablespoons more if the dough feels sticky after chilling.

How do I keep the filling from leaking?

Cook the apples until thick and glossy; re-press wells after the first 6-minute bake; avoid overfilling (1–1½ tsp is plenty).

Can I skip the glaze?

Absolutely. The cookies are delicious without it. Try a dusting of powdered sugar right before serving.

What’s the estimated nutrition per cookie?

It varies by size, but a 30–33 g cookie with 1 tsp filling and light glaze is roughly 160–180 kcal.

Do these ship well?

Yes—skip the glaze, chill the cookies, pack snugly with parchment separators, and ship with a cool pack if warm out.