Apple Pie Cookies on Gold Marble
Get to the heart of fall baking by combining classic apple pie with the chewy goodness of cookies. Filled with a spiced apple filling and drizzled with homemade caramel, these apple pie cookies are the perfect bite-sized treat for fall, a great bake sale item, or any time you're craving comfort in dessert form!
Print Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, browned
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
For the Apple Filling:
- 2 cans apple pie filling, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Homemade Caramel Sauce:
- ⅔ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
How to Make Apple Pie Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your browned butter, white granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add in the vanilla extract and both eggs, whisking until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.
- Next, pour in your dry ingredients: the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold everything together with a spatula until a thick dough forms.
- Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, form dough balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each ball.
- Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, or until they have spread out and crinkles appear on the surface.
Making the Apple Filling
- Take your canned apple pie filling and rinse off the thick sauce surrounding the apples. This step may seem strange, but it helps the filling better integrate into your cookies. Place the rinsed apples into a saucepan.
- Add in your sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and water. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the apples start to soften and the filling thickens.
- As the mixture heats up, break the apples into smaller chunks using your spoon. Once it reaches a boil and becomes thick and delicious, remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool.
Homemade Caramel Sauce (Optional but Worth It!)
- In a clean saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat. Stir occasionally, and keep an eye on it as the mixture begins to turn an amber color—this is your caramel starting to take shape!
- Once the amber color is achieved, lower the heat and carefully whisk in the butter and heavy cream. The mixture will bubble, but keep stirring until everything is combined and smooth. Finish by stirring in the salt.
Putting It All Together
- Now that your cookies are baked and cooled (at least for a few minutes), use a spoon to place some of the apple filling into the center of each cookie, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edges.
- Drizzle the homemade caramel sauce generously over the tops of the cookies. Trust me, the sweet, buttery caramel paired with the apple filling is irresistible! Transfer to a platter and serve!