Apple Pie Cookies

Apple Pie Cookies may be the perfect treat. Grated fresh apple is blended with apple pie spices. Soft, sweet, and chewy, all in one little package.

How can there be so many cookie recipes? That wasn’t a question but a statement of awe.

It always blows my mind how there are new recipes popping up on the internet by cooks and bakers around the world.

Even cookies that are vegan with no eggs or dairy are endless. They look beautiful and taste even better.

I love that there are no-bake cookies now too. They are so easy and perfect for summertime. Sometimes you just don’t even want to turn on the oven.

My husband is always trying to think up new recipes for me. He thinks there are only just so many.

I told him that all those notebooks I have been writing in are full of ideas, inspiration, and recipes. But, hey, bring it on. Of course, the first word out of his mouth is Vanilla.

Something like this Starbuck’s copycat in the shape of vanilla dunkers. Vanilla Almond Biscotti to be more exact. The Italians got that cookie right.

My mind is so full of ideas I even have to let them go sometimes. I don’t think he believes me because he keeps being concerned.

I told him to just think of recipes like faces. How can there be so many different faces with just two eyes, a nose, and a mouth? It didn’t help.

So, here I am with a new recipe. An American inspired cookie this time around – Apple Pie Cookies,  and they are good! Thank goodness you can find great apples year-round.

Oh, oh. Here come the ideas. I could do a cookie that mimics everyone’s favorite pies. How about pecan pie cookies or blueberry pie cookies? Maybe I’ll do that one next.

P.S. I have lots more.

Ingredients for Apple Pie Cookies with Fresh Apples

For the Cookies:

• Coconut sugar – is the perfect sweetener for these cookies and it’s unrefined too.
• Organic vegan shortening – blends so well with the sugar that it actually whips up.
• Vanilla extract – seems to be a favorite for baked goods and there is good reason for it. Ah, that vanilla taste.
• Apple – is what apple pie cookies are all about. McIntosh, Granny Smith & Gala are great but use your favorite, peeled and chopped very fine or grated.
• Egg substitute – of your choice but I used flaxseed meal mixed with water.
• All-purpose flour – adds a lightness to the cookie dough.
• Baking powder – is the leavening agent.
• Whole wheat flour – just makes everything a bit healthier. I use whole wheat whenever I can.
• Salt – is a seasoning necessity. Even just this little bit.

For the Cinnamon/Sugar Coating:

• Coconut sugar – is the added sweet coating.
• Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger – make all the flavors add up to an apple pie.

How to Make Vegan Apple Pie Cookies

1. Setup and combine. Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine coconut sugar and shortening in a large mixing bowl.
2. Cream sugar + shortening. Use a hand mixer to cream the sugar and shortening mixture together for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you could use a regular whisk to vigorously mix it by hand–it will just take a bit of extra work! 
3. Add wet ingredients. Stir in a chia egg (or flax egg, if you prefer), vanilla extract, and grated fresh apples. Use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture until well-combined. 
4. Add dry ingredients. Measure your all-purpose flour, baking powder, whole wheat flour, and salt into the bowl with the wet ingredient mixture. 
5. Stir. Fold the wet and dry mixtures together until the dough is just blended. 
6. Make the coating. Combine additional coconut sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger in a small bowl. 

7. Roll and coat. Portion and roll the cookie dough into balls, then drop them into the cinnamon sugar mixture, tossing gently to make sure the surface of each of the cookie dough balls gets evenly coated. 
8. Arrange and flatten. Place the coated cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2″ of space in between. Use your fingers to lightly flatten each dough ball.
9. Bake. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 12 minutes, until lightly golden brown around the edges. The cookies will still be a little soft but they will harden as they cool.
10. Cool and enjoy! Remove your vegan apple cookies to a wire rack to cool and enjoy! 

Note: the photo makes them look larger than they are in reality, they are about 2″ in diameter.

Watch Us Make Vegan Apple Pie Cookies

Can You Freeze Vegan Apple Pie Cookies

Why, yes, you can! Before and after baking.

• IF FREEZING:
  There are two times you can freeze these cookies.
• BEFORE BAKING:
• Freeze the balls of raw dough. Then, when you want to bake them, defrost and bake as instructed above.
• AFTER BAKING:
• After they have cooled you may freeze them in any of the methods How to Freeze.
• They defrost quickly so it really doesn’t take any planning. Just put them on a plate for an hour or so and take one whenever you like.