That sounds absolutely delicious! Apple Pie Cookies are a fantastic mashup, giving you the warm, spiced flavors of apple pie filling wrapped in a buttery, often flaky, cookie crust.¹ They’re perfect for satisfying that pie craving without the hassle of baking a whole pie.

Here is a recipe for Mini Apple Pie Cookies that use a simple shortbread-style dough and a quick apple filling:

🍎 Mini Apple Pie Cookies

These cookies are often shaped like mini hand pies or empanadas.

📋 Ingredients

🛠️ Instructions

I. Prepare the Cookie Dough (Shortbread Style)

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt.
2. Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (the size of small peas).
3. Add Egg: Add the beaten egg and mix until the dough just starts to come together. Add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a ball.
4. Chill: Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap them in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.

II. Prepare the Apple Filling

1. Mix: In a small bowl, combine the finely diced apple, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
2. Sauté (Optional but Recommended): For a softer filling, briefly sauté the apple mixture in a small skillet with a tiny pat of butter for $3 \text{ to } 5 \text{ minutes}$ until slightly tender. Let cool completely before filling the cookies.

III. Assemble and Bake

1. Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to $375^\circ\text{F}$ ($190^\circ\text{C}$). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled dough disc to about $1/8 \text{ inch}$ thickness. Use a round cookie cutter (about $3 \text{ inches}$ diameter) to cut out even circles.
3. Fill: Place about $1/2 \text{ teaspoon}$ of the apple filling slightly off-center on each dough circle. Do not overfill!
4. Fold and Crimp: Fold the circle over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges tightly (this is crucial to prevent the filling from leaking). Cut a few small slits on top of each cookie to vent steam.
5. Bake: Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mix (if using).
6. Bake: Bake for $12 \text{ to } 15 \text{ minutes}$, or until the cookies are golden brown. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy these portable slices of apple pie heaven! Would you prefer a recipe for a cookie bar version of apple pie instead?