These apple pie cookie cups is the best fall treat! They’re so simple to make and are so delicious! Chewy sugar cookies filled with homemade apple pie filling. I can guarantee these will be a hit with your family and friends.
This is what I’m making on repeat this fall. These adorable apple pie cookie cups. It’s one of the best ways to enjoy apple pie! Plus no one will be able to resist this delicious mini treat. The sugar cookie is chewy and soft. The warm apple pie filling brings you all the cozy fall vibes. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel for the ultimate apple pie treat.
Here’s why you need to add these to your fall baking
- The crust is a snickerdoodle sugar cookie. No need to mess with a pie crust!
- Perfect alternative to traditional apple pie.
- Quick, easy and simple to make.
- Can be made ahead of time.
- Everyone gets their own mini apple pie! Makes it perfect for family gatherings.
Ingredients needed for the cookie cups
- Butter: Unsalted butter, room temperature or softened in the microwave.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar and brown sugar is added to the cookie cups.
- Egg: To bind the cookie dough.
- Flour: To bring structure to the dough.
- Baking soda: To ensure the cookies rise.
- Vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Ground cinnamon: Ground cinnamon and brown sugar is used to coat the cookies.
Ingredients for the apple pie filling
- Apples: The star of the recipe! I prefer using granny smith apples.
- Brown sugar: To add some sweetness.
- Cinnamon: To give the apples delicious cinnamon flavor.
- Butter: Give the apples more flavor.
- Water: To make the apple pie sauce.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the apple pie filling.
- Caramel: For drizzling (optional) But highly recommend.
Making the cookie cups
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking soda and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Then set aside.
- Mix the rest of ingredients: In a mixer bowl, beat butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
- Make the cinnamon sugar coating: Whisk brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Make the cookie cups: Using a cookie scoop, or scoop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough. Roll into a ball. Then roll in cinnamon sugar coating. Flatten the cookie. Then lightly press the flattened cookie into muffin tins. The cookie dough should fill the bottom and sides of the muffin tin.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven and using a spoon, a small cup or shot glass, press the center of the cookies to make a cookie cup. Return to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes. Half way through baking, take the cookies out of the oven and press the center once more. Then return to the oven and finish baking. Once done baking, press the center of the cookie cup once more. The sides of the cookie cups should be cooked through and deep golden brown. The bottom of the cookie cup will be light golden brown or slightly look underdone. The cookie cups will firm up as they cool. Cool completely.
Making the apple pie filling
- Melt the butter and the spices: In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir for a few seconds.
- Cook the apples: Add the chopped apples and stir to coat in the brown sugar/cinnamon. Then add the ¼ cup of water. Cook the apples and caramelized and tender.
- Make the cornstarch mixture: Mix the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Then add the cornstarch mixture to the apples.
- Cook apple pie filling: Add ¼ cup of water and stir until apple pie mixture is thick. Add water one tablespoons at a time, until you reach desired consistency.
Assemble
Add warm apple pie filling to cookie cups. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipping cream. Then drizzle with caramel. Or serve as is.
Tips for success
- The cookie cups will puff up when baking which is normal. The cookie cups are done when the sides of the cookies are dark golden brown and the bottom of the cookies are light golden brown. The bottom of the cookie cups may look slightly underdone which is ok. You may need to bake more or less depending on how thick that cookie dough is.
- The apple pie filling is thick. If you want more sauce in the apple pie filling, add more water. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.
- I prefer using granny smith apples. They are tart and crisp. The tart apples perfectly balance the sweetness of the cookie cup, ice cream and caramel.
- These can be made ahead of time. Store the baked cookie cups in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for up to 5 days. Store the apple pie filling in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Assemble the apple pie cookie cups once ready to serve.
Other apple recipes you may like
If you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you. Comment and rate below. I would also love to see your creation! Share your photo by tagging tasty_treat_pantry on Instagram.
PrintRecipe
Apple Pie Cookie Cups
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 –14 cookie cups 1x
- Category: dessert
Ingredients
Sugar cookie cup
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 large egg
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
Brown sugar cinnamon coating
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Apple pie filling
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped (approx. 3– 3 ½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup + ¼–½ cup water, divided*
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 12-14 muffin tins and set aside.
- Make the sugar coating for the cookies: whisk brown sugar and ground cinnamon in small bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk, flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixer bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy.
- Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, or scoop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into a ball. Then roll the cookie dough ball in cinnamon sugar coating. Flatten the cookie. Then lightly press the flattened cookie into muffin tins. The cookie dough should cover all the bottom and sides of the muffin tin.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes.
- Take the cookies out of the oven and using a spoon, small cup or shot glass press the center of the cookies to make a cookie cup.
- Return to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes. Half way through the second baking, press the bottom of the cookie cups once more. Then return back into the oven to finish baking.
- Take out of the oven and press the center down once more. Cool completely.
Apple pie filling
- In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir for a few seconds.
- Add the chopped apples and stir to coat in the brown sugar/cinnamon.
- Add ¼ cup of water. Cook the apples until caramelized and tender.
- Mix the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Then add the cornstarch mixture to the apples.
- Add ¼ cup of water and continue cooking until thickened. If the apples mixture is thick, add more water. Add water one tablespoons at a time, until you reach desired consistency.
Assemble
- Add warm apple pie filling to cookie cups. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipping cream. Then drizzle with caramel. Or serve as is.
Notes
- The cookie cups will puff up when baking which is normal. The cookie cups are done when the sides of the cookies are dark golden brown and the bottom of the cookies are light golden brown. The bottom of the cookie cups may look slightly underdone which is ok. You may need to bake more or less depending on how thick that cookie dough is.
- The apple pie filling is thick. If you want more sauce in the apple pie filling, add more water. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency.
- I prefer using granny smith apples. They are tart and crisp. The tart apples perfectly balance the sweetness of the cookie cup, ice cream and caramel.
- These can be made ahead of time. Store the baked cookie cups in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for up to 5 days. Store the apple pie filling in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Assemble the apple pie cookie cups once ready to serve.
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