Deliciously Delightful Apple Pie Cookies: A Treat for Everyone
You definitely do not need to be a professional baker to make these fun and adorable Apple Pie Cookies for your friends and family this Fall Season.
GLUTEN FREE DESSERT RECIPE
Lauren Vasnelis
9/23/2026
Apple Pie Cookies
These Apple Pie Cookies combine a soft, buttery gluten-free cookie with a homemade cinnamon-spiced apple pie filling right in the center. They have all those classic apple pie flavors, but in an easy individual cookie.
The apple filling comes together quickly on the stove with finely diced apples, brown sugar, dairy-free butter, and apple pie spice. A small cornstarch slurry thickens all those apple juices into a filling that stays nestled in the center of the cookies as they bake.
The biggest thing I’ve learned with these cookies is to chill the dough. You can chill it for an hour if you’re short on time, but overnight is even better. Getting that butter nice and cold again helps control how much the cookies spread in the oven.
And don’t worry if your cookies aren’t perfectly round. Mine certainly weren’t! These are homemade cookies, and that apple pie center is the important part.
Yield: About 12 cookies
Prep Time: About 25 minutes
Chill Time: At least 1 hour, preferably overnight
Bake Time: 12–15 minutes
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Equipment
Small saucepan
Stand mixer with paddle attachment, hand mixer, or mixing bowl and whisk
2-tablespoon cookie scoop
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Small spoon or your thumb for creating the centers
Ingredient Breakdown
Apples
You’ll need 2 medium apples, diced very finely. Keeping the pieces small is important because these aren’t full-size apple pies. You want little pieces of apple that will soften quickly and fit easily into the center of each cookie.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar sweetens the apple filling and gives it that deeper, caramel-like flavor that works so well with apples and warm spices.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch turns the liquid released by the apples into a thick apple pie filling. Because we’re working with such a small amount of liquid, it thickens very quickly once the slurry hits the boiling apple mixture.
Dairy-Free Butter
I use dairy-free butter in both the apple filling and the cookie dough. Regular butter can be substituted if dairy isn’t a concern.
Apple Pie Spice
Apple pie spice gives the filling its warm fall flavor. I also like adding it to the cookie dough itself, although that’s optional if you’d prefer a more traditional vanilla cookie surrounding the apple filling.
Sugar
Regular granulated sugar is creamed with the dairy-free butter to create the base of the cookie dough.
Egg
One egg binds the cookie dough and helps give the finished cookies their structure.
Vanilla
I use 1½ teaspoons of vanilla in the cookie dough. Vanilla complements the apples and warm spices without competing with the apple pie flavor.
Gluten-Free Flour
I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. It has consistently worked well for me in gluten-free baking and can be used here without creating a separate flour blend. As always, you can substitute your favorite All-Purpose Flour if Gluten isn't a concern.
Baking Soda & Baking Powder
I use a combination of baking soda and baking powder to give these cookies their lift and texture.
Ingredients
Apple Pie Filling
2 medium apples, finely diced
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon dairy-free butter
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Cookie Dough
½ cup (1 stick) dairy-free butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1½ teaspoons vanilla
1¾ cups gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour
I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1½ teaspoons apple pie spice, optional
Instructions
Make the Apple Pie Filling
Finely dice the apples. You want relatively small pieces so they’ll soften quickly and fit nicely into the centers of the cookies.
Add the apples, brown sugar, dairy-free butter, and apple pie spice to a small saucepan.
Cook the apples over medium heat, stirring as needed, until they begin releasing their juices and start to soften, approximately 5 minutes.
If the apples are sticking before they’ve released enough liquid, add just a small splash of water as necessary.
In a small bowl, mix the 1½ teaspoons cornstarch with the 1 tablespoon water until completely smooth to create a slurry.
Wait until the liquid in the bottom of the apple mixture reaches a good boil. Pour in the cornstarch slurry while stirring quickly.
Continue stirring. Because there isn’t much liquid in the pan, the mixture should thicken very quickly, in roughly 20 seconds.
Remove the apple pie filling from the heat and set it aside to cool.
Make the Cookie Dough
Add the softened dairy-free butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream the butter and sugar together for approximately 2–3 minutes, until well combined and slightly light and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla and mix until completely incorporated.
Add the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and optional apple pie spice.
Mix just until a cohesive cookie dough forms. Avoid unnecessarily overmixing once the flour has been incorporated.
Chill the Dough
Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For the best results, I prefer refrigerating the dough overnight. This gives the dairy-free butter plenty of time to firm back up and helps reduce spreading during baking.
Assemble the Apple Pie Cookies
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion approximately 12 cookies onto your prepared baking sheet.
Use your thumb, the back of a small rounded spoon, or another rounded utensil to gently press a divot into the center of each ball of cookie dough.
Spoon some of the cooled apple pie filling into each divot. Don’t overfill the centers.
Bake
Bake at 350°F for 12–15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and beginning to turn lightly golden around the edges.
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely.
Serve and enjoy!
Lauren’s Tips 💛
Dice Those Apples Small
This isn’t a full-size apple pie, so big chunks of apple don’t work as well. Finely diced apples soften faster and give you a much better apple-to-cookie ratio.
Don’t Skip the Chill
An hour works, but overnight is my preference. You’re giving that dairy-free butter time to firm back up, which can help keep the cookies from spreading excessively.
Use a 2-Tablespoon Scoop
In my YouTube video, I actually used a 3-tablespoon scoop, and my cookies spread quite a bit. I recommend using a 2-tablespoon scoop instead for better-sized cookies and easier-to-manage centers.
Don’t Expect Perfect Cookies
Cookie dough sometimes has a mind of its own. These are homemade apple pie cookies, and they don’t need to look like they came out of a commercial bakery. If they spread a little or aren’t perfectly circular, they’re still going to taste great.
Notes
The apple filling should be cool before you assemble the cookies.
Make sure the liquid surrounding the apples is boiling before adding the cornstarch slurry. Cornstarch needs sufficient heat to thicken properly.
Once you add the slurry, stir immediately. With such a small amount of liquid, the filling can thicken in a matter of seconds.
If you’re using some of the measured water to keep the apples from sticking, make sure you still have enough water to create a smooth cornstarch slurry. A tiny additional splash of water can be used if necessary.
The additional 1½ teaspoons apple pie spice in the cookie dough is optional. The apple filling already contains apple pie spice.
Regular butter can replace dairy-free butter if you don’t need the cookies to be dairy-free.
Different dairy-free butters can behave differently during baking, particularly when it comes to spreading.
I recommend a 2-tablespoon scoop for approximately 12 cookies.
Check out the accompanying YouTube video to see exactly how mine behaved in the oven, including what happened when I used the larger 3-tablespoon scoop.
Please check ingredient labels carefully. While all of my recipes are designed to be gluten-free, not every product I use is certified gluten-free. Always verify ingredient labels to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best apples for Apple Pie Cookies?
You don’t need one specific variety. An apple that holds its shape reasonably well when cooked is a good choice. You can also combine a sweeter apple with a more tart variety if you want more complexity in the filling.
Do I need to peel the apples?
That’s a matter of preference. Because the apples are diced very finely, either can work. If you want the smoothest, most traditional pie-filling texture, peel them first.
Why do I need a cornstarch slurry?
The slurry thickens the juices released by the apples so you end up with an actual apple pie-style filling rather than watery cooked apples sitting in the center of your cookies.
Can I make the apple filling ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare the filling ahead of time and refrigerate it once cooled. In fact, having the filling already cold works well when you’re assembling chilled cookie dough.
Do I really need to chill the cookie dough?
I strongly recommend it. Chilling allows the butter to firm back up, which helps control spreading. At least one hour works, but overnight is even better.
Can I chill the dough overnight?
Absolutely. That’s actually my preferred method for this recipe.
Why did my cookies spread?
Warm dough, the particular dairy-free butter you’re using, and the size of the cookies can all affect spreading. I used a 3-tablespoon scoop in my video and mine spread more than I wanted, which is why I recommend a 2-tablespoon scoop for this recipe.
Can I use regular butter?
Yes. If dairy isn’t an issue for you, regular butter can be substituted.
Do I have to add apple pie spice to the cookie dough?
No. It’s optional. There is already apple pie spice in the filling, so adding it to the cookie dough simply gives the entire cookie an even stronger fall flavor.
How much filling should I put in each cookie?
Enough to fill the center divot without overflowing it. The exact amount will depend on how large and deep you make the indentation.
How do I know when the cookies are done?
They should look set and begin turning lightly golden around the edges. Because ovens vary, start checking around 12 minutes and give them up to approximately 15 minutes if needed.
Do Apple Pie Cookies need to cool before serving?
Yes. Let them cool completely. The cookies and filling will continue setting as they cool, and the apple filling will be extremely hot straight from the oven.