These apple pie cookies are a cinnamon thumbprint cookie full of apple pie filling! These cookies are perfect if you want apple pie, but in a cookie form! The cookies are cinnamon cookies that are coated in cinnamon that are filled with apple pie filling with a drizzle of salted caramel.
These apple pie cookies are the perfect cookies if you don't want to make a whole apple pie! They are thumbprint style that are full of homemade apple pie filling and topped with salted caramel.
For more apple recipes, try Apple Toffee Layered Cake, Apple Cider Donut Cake, and Caramel Apple Spice Cake.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Cinnamon cookies- The cookie dough has cinnamon and the cookies also get rolled in cinnamon sugar after they baked.
- Apple filling- The apple pie filling is cooked with brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Salted Caramel drizzle- The cookies are drizzled with salted caramel for the perfect caramel apple pie filling.
- No mixer- This recipe doesn't need a mixer! It is all made by hand.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Apple- Use a gala apple. You can also skip making apple pie filling from scratch and just use canned pie filling.
- Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar.
- Cornstarch- This helps to thicken the filling. For the dough, it helps to give it a softer texture.
- Unsalted butter- For the filling, it can be cold before melting. For the caramel, it needs to be room temperature and cubed. For the cookie dough, it needed to be melted and cooled.
- Eggs- Pull the large eggs out 2 hours before baking.
- Salted caramel- You can also use store bought caramel, however homemade caramel is so much better.
Step By Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake the cookies, apple pie filling, and salted caramel. This recipe doesn't need an electric mixer.
STEP 1: Apple pie filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Then, add the chopped apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Cook until everything starts to thicken.
STEP 2: Salted caramel. Check out my salted caramel recipe for more tips and tricks on making caramel. Start by heating the sugar in a small saucepan. Heat the sugar until all the sugar crystals melted. Use a whisk to mix.
Next, let it turn amber in color and remove from heat. Add the butter, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt.
STEP 3: Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder.
STEP 4: Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Use a whisk to mix until smooth.
Then, add in the flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to mix until just combined.
STEP 5: Scoop. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then use a large cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough. Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Then, use a ⅛ measuring scoop or the bottom of a spice jar to press a hole into the cookie dough. It will create jagged edges, so use your hands to soften it and press back into a circle.
STEP 6: Bake. Bake the cookies for 11 minutes. Then, take them out of the oven and press the measuring cup back down to make sure there is a good hole. Then, bake for another 1-3 minutes.
Cool completely on a cooling rack.
STEP 7: Brush the cookies. Brush the cookies with melted butter using a pastry brush and dip them in the cinnamon sugar.
STEP 8: Decorate the cookies. Fill the holes with the apple mixture and drizzle caramel sauce on top.
Expert Baking Tips
- Flour- Make sure the flour gets spooned and leveled. If you stick the measuring cup into the bag of flour then it will become compacted. Compacted flour causes the cookies not to spread.
- If the cookies spread too much, make sure the butter was completely cool. Even warm butter will cause the cookies to spread too much. Also, make sure you bake the cookies on parchment paper.
- The cinnamon sugar on top of the cookies are optional, but it makes the cookies so fun!
- If you live at high altitude, add an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour. This will help with the spread.
FAQ
You can, but I only recipe tested these with large cookies.
Yes they can! Store the cookie dough balls in an airtight container or use plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for 30 days. Let the cookie dough balls thaw before baking.
Yes you can. However, I recommend making them into cookie dough balls first before chilling overnight. Wrap them in plastic wrap. Make sure they come to room temperature before baking.
Storing and Freezing
Store these caramel apple pie cookies in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.
Freezing
Freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container and freeze up to 30 days. Thaw for 1-2 hours before eating.
Other Cookie Recipes To Try
Make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
📖 Recipe
Apple Pie Cookies
Ingredients
Apple Pie Filling
- 1 Apple gala, peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Salted Caramel
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted butter room temperature and cubed
- ¼ cup Heavy cream room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon Cookies
- 3 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- 2 Large eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoon Unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup White granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Instructions
Apple Pie Filling
- Peel and slice the apples. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apple slices, brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Heat until it starts to bubble. Then, cook and stir for about 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken and the apples will be soft.1 Apple, 2 tablespoon Unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon Cornstarch, ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon, ¼ cup Brown sugar
Salted Caramel
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the sugar until all the sugar crystals are melted. Let it turn amber in color. This takes less than 30 seconds. Take off the heat immediately.½ cup White granulated sugar
- Add in half of the cubed butter and whisk until melted. Add in the rest of the butter and stir. This will bubble up a lot and be very hot. Add half of the heavy cream and whisk. Add the rest of the heavy cream.2 tablespoon Unsalted butter, ¼ cup Heavy cream
- Add in the vanilla and salt. Let the salted caramel and apple pie filling cool completely.½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon Cookies
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.3 ¼ cups All-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Baking powder, 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Salt
- In a large bowl, mix the melted butter (it needs to be cooled to room temperature before using), brown sugar, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Whisk until combined and smooth.1 cup Unsalted butter, 1 cup Brown sugar, ½ cup White granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, 2 Large eggs
- Add in the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to mix until just combined.
- Let the cookie dough rest for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a large cookie scoop and scoop 6 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet. Use ⅛th measuring cup or the bottom of a spice jar to press a circle into the cookie dough. Then, use your hand to light press the dough into a nice circle. See pictures in my blog post.
- Bake for 11 minutes. Take out of the oven, and press the measuring cup back into the hole. Then, bake for another 1-3 minutes until the edges are golden.
- Cool the cookies completely on a cooling rack.
- Brush the cookies with melted butter using a pastry brush (do 1 cookie at a time), roll the cookie in cinnamon sugar. Only worry about the outside of the cookie and not inside the hole.2 tablespoon Unsalted butter, ½ cup White granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- Top each hole with apple pie filling. Then, drizzle salted caramel on top.
alex says
so the recipe calls for one apple? just wanna make sure i’m reading it right!
Stephanie Rutherford says
Yes just one apple. It doesn't take much to fill the cookies.
Zachary says
Made these today to hand out to my friends before the hustle of thanksgiving day. Absolutely to die for! The salted caramel drizzle is to die for! Must make for yourself!
Kathryn says
these cookies are amazing and perfect for getting that fall vibe without having to make the whole pie! For anyone who doesn't want to deal with the caramel, they still have a ton of flavor without it. Only thing I would advise is doubling the amount of apples/sugar recipe.
Aliza says
Amazing! First time ive ever reviewed ANY recipe, this one deserves 10 stars.
Bridgett Moyer says
This recipe was such a hit!! I substituted 1:1 Gluten free flour, baked them a total of 10 mins (I love soft cookies) and used canned apple pie filling since I had some. AMAZING!!! One of my favorite recipes.
Ivette says
Can you please let us know how much brown sugar in the Apple pie filling? Can't wait to make these!
Stephanie Rutherford says
Oops, I just updated it now.