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.
Table of Contents
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
- 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.
- 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!
- 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.
- Add dry ingredients. Measure your all-purpose flour, baking powder, whole wheat flour, and salt into the bowl with the wet ingredient mixture.
- Stir. Fold the wet and dry mixtures together until the dough is just blended.
- Make the coating. Combine additional coconut sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger in a small bowl.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
📋 Recipe
Apple Pie Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup organic vegan shortening
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup grated apple, peeled before grating. (McIntosh, Granny Smith & Gala are great options, but use your favorite!)
- 1 egg substitute (I used chia egg)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
For the Cinnamon/Sugar Coating:
- 3 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the coconut sugar and shortening in a large mixing bowl.
- 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.
- Stir in the chia egg, vanilla extract, and grated apple. Use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture until well-combined.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, whole wheat flour, and salt into the bowl with the wet ingredient mixture.
- Fold the wet and dry mixtures together until the dough is just blended.
- For the cinnamon/sugar coating: combine all of the coating ingredients (coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger) in a small bowl.
- Portion and roll the cookie dough into balls, then drop them into the cinnamon sugar mixture, making sure the surface of each gets evenly coated by the mixture.
- 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.
- 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.
- Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool and enjoy!
Ginny McMeans
Yes, brown sugar would make them much sweeter than coconut sugar Victoria. I think the red delicious apples and applesauce would have been fine for the sweetness but not the brown sugar. Things absolutely do change when the ingredients get swapped.
Nancy E
What can I use as an egg subsitute? Would the vinegar and baking soda trick work? I have used it in caked before but never in cookies. Thank you. The recipe looks great, I would like to make then for my vegan grandson.
Ginny McMeans
That is so nice Nancy! Applesauce would work for these. 3 tablespoons should do it. Or you can use flaxseed meal - 1 tablespoon mixed with 3 tablespoons water.
Mariah
These were so good! So soft and chewy!
Ginny McMeans
That is wonderful Mariah!
Mirabelle
I made these with margarine instead of shortening , I used cooking apples from my neighbours tree and for the egg substitute I roughly crushed 1 and a half tablespoons of flax seeds and mixed them rapidly with 2 tablespoons of boiling water until they became gloopy. I didn't follow the measurements exactly but I added more flour until it was like a thick but very sticky cake batter mix , I wetted my hands as I rolled the balls - this stops the mix sticking everywhere! They are so yummy - straight out the oven 🙂
Ginny McMeans
Ha! That's great Mirabelle and thank you. Since you didn't follow the directions I'm glad you added enough flour and thought up enough things so that they turned out. I love these apple pie cookies too.
Linda G.
Can I just use regular ap flour and granulated sugar?
Ginny McMeans
Yes, you can Linda but maybe take out 1 tablespoon of the sugar because it is so much sweeter.
Mark
Can we use applesauce as an egg sub?
Ginny McMeans
Yes Mark! That will work perfectly.
Ginny Belli
What can be used as an egg substitute? Applesauce?
Ginny McMeans
Yes, you can use applesauce Ginny OR 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tablespoons of water OR 1 tablespoon chia seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water.