Apple Pie Cookies: 18 Easy Vegan Thumbprint Cookies
These apple pie cookies are my answer to wanting pie without making pie. A soft cinnamon brown sugar dough gets pressed into little cups, each one gets a spoonful of jammy homemade apple filling, and a thin vanilla drizzle goes on top once they cool. Two bites, and it tastes like the corner piece of a warm apple pie.
They also happen to be completely vegan and pretty cheap to make. One apple is enough filling for 18 cookies, and the dough uses a single stick of vegan butter and pantry staples. I bake them for cookie swaps, Thanksgiving dessert tables and on random rainy Tuesdays when the kitchen needs to smell like cinnamon.
Prep: 25 minutes | Cook: 22 minutes (8 for the filling, 12 to 14 to bake) | Total: 1 hour 5 minutes, including 20 minutes chilling | Serves: 18 cookies | Diet: vegan, egg-free, dairy-free
Why You’ll Love These Apple Pie Cookies
- All the pie flavor, none of the crust rolling. No pie dough, no lattice, no stress.
- The filling is homemade and quick. One apple, 8 minutes on the stove.
- They’re soft, not crunchy. The dough bakes up tender like a sugar cookie with brown sugar warmth.
- Egg free and dairy free. Applesauce stands in for the egg so nobody misses it.
- Budget friendly. A full batch of apple pie cookies costs about $4.
Ingredients
You’ll make three small components for apple pie cookies: the filling, the dough and a quick drizzle. Make the filling first so it has time to cool while you mix the dough.
For the Apple Pie Filling
- 1 large firm apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (200g)
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (25g)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1.5g)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (3g)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (5ml)
- 1 tablespoon water (15ml)
For the Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened (113g)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (100g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce (30g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2.5g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5g)
For the Drizzle
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (60g)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons plant milk (10-15ml)
Ingredient Notes
Apple: Use a firm apple that holds its shape when cooked. Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn or Pink Lady all work well. Dice it small so the pieces fit neatly in each cookie.
Vegan butter: Stick-style vegan butter gives the best texture. Tub spreads have more water and make the cookies spread.
Applesauce: Just 2 tablespoons replaces an egg and adds a subtle apple note to the dough.
How to Make Apple Pie Cookies
- Cook the Filling. Stir the apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, lemon juice and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the apples are tender and the syrup is thick. Spread on a plate to cool.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar. Beat the vegan butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with a hand mixer or sturdy spoon for 2 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the applesauce and vanilla.
- Add the Dry Ingredients. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt together, then stir them into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Chill. Cover and chill the dough for 20 minutes so it is easier to shape and spreads less. Heat the oven to 350F (175C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Shape the Thumbprints. Roll the dough into 18 balls, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Place 2 inches apart and press a deep well into each with your thumb or the back of a teaspoon.
- Fill. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of cooled apple filling into each well.
- Bake. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. If the wells puffed up, gently press them again right out of the oven. Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then move to a rack.
- Drizzle. Whisk the powdered sugar and milk until thick but drizzly. Drizzle over the cooled cookies and let set for 15 minutes.
Tips for the Best Apple Pie Cookies
Cool the filling completely. Warm filling melts the dough around it. I spread it on a plate and pop it in the fridge while the dough chills.
Make deep wells. Press almost to the bottom of each ball. Shallow wells puff up in the oven and the filling slides off.
Don’t overfill. About 2 teaspoons is right. Too much bubbles over and burns on the sheet.
Re-press after baking. If the centers rise, gently press them down with the back of a spoon right when the apple pie cookies come out of the oven.
Watch the edges, not the tops. These cookies stay pale on top. Pull them when the bottoms and edges are lightly golden.
Why the Filling Is Cooked First
I tried these with raw diced apple, and it didn’t work. The apple released juice in the oven, the dough around it turned soggy, and the pieces were still crunchy when the cookies were done. Cooking the apple briefly with cornstarch and brown sugar softens the fruit and turns the juice into a thick syrup that sets as it cools.
That little bit of lemon juice matters too. It keeps the apple from tasting flat and balances the sweet dough. The result is a jammy, glossy center that stays put and tastes like real apple pie filling, which is the whole point of apple pie cookies.
If you double the filling, you’ll have extra to spoon over oatmeal or vegan yogurt the next morning. It keeps for 5 days in the fridge.
Variations and Swaps
- Cookies made with canned apples: Use about 3/4 cup canned apple pie filling, chopped into small pieces, instead of the homemade filling.
- Crumb topping: Rub together 2 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon vegan butter and sprinkle over the filling before baking.
- Pear pie cookies: Swap the apple for a firm pear and add a pinch of ginger.
- Maple drizzle: Use maple syrup instead of plant milk in the glaze.
- Nutty: Roll the dough balls in finely chopped pecans before making the wells.
Apples are one of the most budget-friendly fruits in the fall, and they’re good for you too. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has a nice overview of apples and their nutrition.
Make a Cookie Tray
Apple pie cookies look lovely on a holiday cookie tray next to chocolate crinkles and plain sugar cookies. The little pockets of apple filling add color, and they’re a nice change from all the chocolate. Bake them a day ahead, keep them in the fridge, and drizzle them the morning of your party so the glaze looks fresh.
What They Cost
My rough cost this fall: one apple $0.60, vegan butter $1.40, flour $0.40, sugars $0.65, applesauce, lemon and spices about $0.40 and powdered sugar $0.25. That’s about $3.70 for 18 apple pie cookies, or around 20 cents each.
Serving Ideas
These are lovely with a mug of tea or a glass of cold oat milk. For a fall dessert table, I set them out next to a pan of spiced pear crisp and a bowl of baked cinnamon apple chips for a crunchy contrast.
Storage
Room temperature: Store apple pie cookies in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Fridge: Because of the fruit filling, they keep best in the fridge after day 2, up to 5 days. Let them warm up for 15 minutes before eating.
Freezer: Freeze undrizzled cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter and drizzle before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make apple pie cookies ahead of time?
Yes. The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days and the filling for up to 5. Let the dough sit out for 10 minutes so it’s soft enough to shape.
Why did my thumbprints crack?
The dough was probably too cold or a little dry. Let it warm up for a few minutes, or knead in a teaspoon of plant milk.
Can I use a different fruit?
Firm pears work best. Berries are too juicy unless you cook them down with extra cornstarch.
Are these apple pie cookies gluten free?
Not as written, but a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend works well. The dough will be a bit more fragile, so chill it for 30 minutes.
Do I need a mixer?
No. A wooden spoon and some elbow grease work fine for creaming the butter and sugar.
Bake a Batch This Fall
These apple pie cookies are cozy, pretty and simple enough for a weeknight bake. They make one apple stretch into a whole tray of treats, and they disappear just as fast as a pie would. For more sweet ideas, browse my vegan dessert recipes.
If these cookies made your day a little sweeter, share the recipe with a friend who loves apple pie, and follow me on Pinterest for more cozy vegan desserts on a budget. After you bake them, tap the stars in the recipe card below to rate them and leave a comment telling me which apple you used. Happy baking!
