Chewy Apple Pie Cookies
Chewy Apple Pie Cookies are bite-sized caramel apple pie treats made with tender apple filling, buttery pie crust, caramel sauce, cinnamon sugar, and egg wash.
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Servings: 16 cookies
Ingredients
For the Apple Pie Filling
- 3 apples about 1 lb, peeled and sliced into 8 slices each
- 1 to 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 dash nutmeg
- 3/4 cup water
For the Pie Crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes and chilled
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup ice water plus more if needed
Alternative:
- 1 package refrigerated pie crust 2 crusts
For the Filling and Topping
- 1 3/4 cups prepared apple pie filling chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Apple Pie Filling
- Place the peeled and sliced apples in a bowl.
- Add the lemon juice and toss gently to coat the apple slices. Set aside.
- In a saucepan or pot, combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water.
- Stir the mixture until well combined.
- Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly.
- Boil for approximately 2 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.
- Add the apple slices to the thickened sauce and stir gently to coat.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pot and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, or until the apples are soft but not mushy. Cooking time may vary depending on the apple variety used.
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Keep the apples covered and allow them to cool.
- Once cooled, separate the apples from the sauce.
- Chop the cooked apples into small pieces and set aside for assembly.
Prepare the Pie Crust
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar.
- Add the chilled butter cubes to the flour mixture.
- Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture and blend gently.
- Add another 2 tablespoons of ice water and continue blending.
- Squeeze a small amount of dough in your hand. If the dough holds together, it is ready.
- If the dough crumbles, add additional ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions.
- Flatten each portion into a disc.
- Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
- Lightly dust a work surface with flour.
- Place one chilled dough disc on the floured surface.
- Lightly flour the dough and rolling pin.
- Roll the dough to approximately 1/8-inch thickness, turning it occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Repeat the process with the second dough disc.
Assemble the Apple Pie Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly spray the parchment paper with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Place one rolled pie crust on the prepared work surface.
- Spread the caramel sauce evenly over the pie crust.
- Spread the chopped apple pie filling evenly over the caramel layer.
- Gently press the filling with your palms to help it settle into an even layer.
- Cut the second rolled pie crust into 1/2-inch strips.
- Arrange the strips over the apple filling in a lattice pattern.
- Using a round cookie cutter, approximately 2.5 inches wide, cut out the cookies.
- Carefully transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the tops of the cookies with the lightly beaten egg.
- In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture generously over the tops of the cookies.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving, as the caramel and apple filling will be hot.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
To make these Chewy Apple Pie Cookies gluten free, replace the all-purpose flour pie crust with a gluten-free pie crust recipe or a certified gluten-free refrigerated pie crust.
If preparing homemade gluten-free crust, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum, or add xanthan gum if the blend does not include it.
Confirm that the cornstarch, caramel sauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugars, and non-stick spray are certified gluten free or free from gluten cross-contact.
Use clean utensils, a clean rolling pin, parchment paper, bowls, and baking sheets to prevent gluten cross-contact.
If using store-bought apple pie filling or caramel sauce as a shortcut, check the label carefully for gluten-containing additives.
Keep gluten-free cookies separate from regular pie crust cookies when serving or storing.