Delicious apple pie cookies for a sweet treat

Ingredients for Apple pie cookies

• 50 g caster sugar

• 5 ml salt

• 300 g plain flour, plus more for surface

• 225 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, frozen 15 minutes

• 15 ml chilled apple cider vinegar

• 2 medium honeycrisp, braeburn, and/or golden delicious apples (about 450 g total)

• 50 g light brown sugar

• 10 ml fresh lemon juice

• 1.5 g ground cinnamon

• 1.5 g salt

• 10 g plain flour, plus more for surface

• 1 large egg

• 15 ml milk

• Demerara or raw sugar (for sprinkling; optional)

• A 7.5 cm round cookie or biscuit cutter; a small (about 4 cm) leaf-shaped or round cookie cutter

How to make Apple pie cookies

1. Pulse the sugar, salt, and 315 g of flour in a food processor until well combined.

2. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs, about 10 seconds.

3. With the motor running, add the vinegar and 60 ml of ice water, processing until the dough just comes together, approximately 30 seconds.

4. Squeeze a small amount of dough between your fingertips; if it’s very crumbly, add more ice water, 15 ml at a time (up to a maximum of 30 ml). Avoid over-processing.

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rough ball.

6. Knead the dough a few times to combine, then divide it into two equal balls.

7. Flatten each ball into a disc with smooth edges and no cracks.

8. Cover the discs with cling film and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

9. Peel, core, and slice the apples into 6 mm-thick slices, then coarsely chop the slices.

10. Transfer the apples to a large pot and add the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, 2 tsp of flour, and 30 ml of water; stir to combine.

11. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and add water 15 ml at a time if the bottom starts to brown, until the apples are softened but still have a little bite, about 10 minutes.

12. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

13. Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan oven 170°C). Line a rimmed baking tray with baking parchment.

14. Beat the egg and milk together in a small bowl.

15. Roll one disc of dough out to a thickness of 3 mm, roughly 33 cm in diameter.

16. Using a 7.5 cm cutter, cut the dough into 12 rounds and transfer them to the prepared baking tray.

17. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the apple filling onto the centre of each round (take care not to overfill).

18. Chill the filled rounds on the tray until ready to use.

19. Roll the second disc of dough out to the same thickness and cut into another 12 rounds using the same cutter.

20. Using a leaf-shaped cutter, cut a hole in the centre of each of these rounds.

21. Brush the edges of the rounds with apple filling using the egg wash.

22. Place the cut-out rounds over the filled rounds to create sandwiches, then press down lightly around the edges to seal completely.

23. Gently press down in the centre of each sandwich to even out the filling.

24. Brush the tops of the sandwiches with the egg wash and sprinkle with demerara sugar, if using.

25. Bake the sandwiches until golden brown and crisp on the bottom, 30–35 minutes.

26. Allow to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

27. The cookies can be baked up to 2 days in advance. Loosely cover with foil and store at room temperature. Avoid storing in a sealed container, as they will become too soft.

Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.