Spiced Apple Cookies are soft and chewy with gooey apple pie mixture nestled in the center of each cookie, and topped with caramel sauce and a light sprinkle of sugar! They’re cozy enough for sweater weather yet easy enough to whip up on a random Wednesday—and yes, they’re unreal warmed over with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
In the mood for apple pie but don't want to make an entire pie? These Spiced Apple Cookies are here to save the day! They offer that perfect balance of soft and chewy texture with the added bonus of a gooey apple filling center.
I've topped these cookies with caramel sauce and a light sprinkle of sugar which makes them even more irresistible and pretty to look at!
Why You'll Love My Spiced Apple Cookies
- These spiced apple cookies are soft and chewy with an irresistible apple-pie-like center that will have you devouring the entire plate in minutes!
- These cookies are a delicious alternative to classic apple pie when you want to enjoy similar flavors without having to bake an entire pie.
- You can make the apple pie filling and the cookie dough a day in advance to reduce the recipe time when it comes to assembling and baking.
- These spiced apple cookies are simple enough to bake on a busy afternoon when you need something sweet, while also being special enough to be served to guests at social gatherings.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cookie dough – This spiced apple cookie recipe calls for a standard cookie dough consisting of butter, sugar (white and brown), egg, vanilla extract, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- Apple mixture – Chopped apple, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, water, and cornstarch.
- Toppings – I've topped these spiced apple cookies with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a light sprinkling of brown sugar.
Swaps
- Gluten-free – Use gluten-free flour to make the cookie dough, if needed.
- Apple mixture – I've made my own apple mixture for these cookies, but you could use canned apple pie filling instead for added convenience.
- Add-ons – Consider sprinkling finely chopped pecan nuts or walnuts over these cookies for a little crunch.
It's important to store the cookie dough in the fridge for an hour to help prevent these cookies from spreading too flat while they bake. If you like, you can make the cookie dough the day before and store the dough in the fridge until ready to assemble and bake these apple spiced cookies.
Feel free to use store-bought or homemade caramel sauce for drizzling over these cookies.
Using a cookie scoop is a great way to ensure uniform-sized cookies that will bake at the same rate.
Storage & Cooking Tips
- Storage: airtight container, fridge, 3–4 days. Warm gently to re-soften.
- Room-temp butter = fluffy creaming: soft but not melty.
- Chill time matters: it hydrates flour and keeps cookies thick.
- Tiny apple dice → easier wells: aim for pea-size pieces so filling sits neatly.
- Make ahead: dough keeps 24 hrs in fridge; apple filling can be made the night before.
Delicious Fall Inspired Cookie Recipes
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
- White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
Spiced Apple Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 stick of unsalted butter at room temp
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups of flour
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Apple Mixture
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 large apple of your choice
- 4 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon of butter
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the 1 stick of room temp butter, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of brown sugar and mix together using a hand mixer, until it turns fluffy and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt and mix again until a cookie dough forms. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 1 hour. Around 10-15 minutes before you take the dough out begin making the apple filling.
- Chop the apples all up into tiny pieces and make sure the skin is off. In a small saucepan over medium to low heat add the apples, butter, cinnamon and brown sugar and stir until the mixture is melted and starts bubbling.
- Combine the water and cornstarch together and stir. Pour that into the saucepan and stir and let simmer for 5 minutes on a medium heat until the mixture becomes thick. After the 5 minutes is up turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for 5-10 minutes.
- While the apples are cooling roll out the cookie dough balls. Add 1/4 cup of sugar to a small bowl and set aside. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Roll out 9 even balls of dough and roll each one into the bowl of sugar, coating the entire thing in sugar. Place on the baking sheet.
- Flatten the cookie some with your hand and make a big indent with your finger in the middle of the cookie for the apples to sit in. Add the apple mixture into the middle of the cookie, about 1 tbsp.
- Add to the preheated oven and bake for 14 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Drizzle the caramel all over top of the cookies and sprinkle just a bit of brown sugar on top! Enjoy!
Notes
FRIDGE
Store these apple spiced cookies in an airtight container for 1-2 days in the fridge. The apple filling will soften the cookies, so they are best enjoyed the same day of baking.FREEZER
Freeze these cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and enjoy them slightly chilled or allow them to sit at room temperature first.Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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