Apple Pie Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 Fuji apples, cored and sliced 1/2 centimeter thick, or very thin
- 1/4 cup of white granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp of light brown sugar
- 1 tsp of ground smoked cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 1 Tbsp of water
- 2 disks of ready make pie dough
Apple Pie Cookies
The art of the classic apple pie is nothing short of a culinary labor of love. There is the peeling, slicing and prep work that can take hours to create the perfect apple pie; and whilst it is always worth the effort, sometimes you want that apple pie taste without all the effort. These quick and easy apple cookies are ideal for those moments, and the busy autumn days where you want homemade with an added shortcut. For this classic recipe, I’m using Fuji apples because their sugary-sweet flavor that tastes like fresh apple cider, but you can use a Granny Smith to offer a more tart finish to this recipe.
What I love most about this recipe, apart from it’s nostalgic taste, is that it is one of those family recipes that you can pass over to your little chefs to create on their own, or to bake together. When we baked these, I sliced the apples using a mandolin, then stood back and watched as our children worked out the assembly line of dipping, cutting and crimping, and then debated over who was going to lick the sugar bowl.
Once the cookies are done, there is the added treat of a crispy caramel edge that appears around the cookie, almost a crunchy hint to what is to come. Avoid the temptation to break them off and nibble them, or get worried when you see them start to weep sugar while baking. This crunchy delight lends a little touch that plays so well with the soft apple and flakey pastry.
This recipe originally appeared on The Stem, an inspiring blog for cooking with fresh fruit, by Stemilt Growers. Read the full post here.
Directions
- In a small mixing bowl, add the spices, salt and sugar, then stir to blend them well.
- Core your apple.
- Lightly dust your work surface with flour and then roll out your ready made pie dough, cutting 2-2 ½ inch circles across the dough.
- Begin assembling the cookies by slicing your apples, dipping each apple slice into the sugar blend so that it is fully coated, and then laying the 3-4 apple slices onto the circular dough cut out. Repeat this process until all of your cookie bases are assembled. Then roll out the second disk to cut out the top of your pie cookies.
- Lay the top pastry disc onto your apple slices and gently press a fork down to crimp the edges and secure the pie cookie together. Once done, cut a vent on top of each cookie to release the steam while it bakes.
- Before placing in an oven, lightly brush with water and then sprinkle the top with the sugar blend.
- Bake at 385F for 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown around the edges.