These mini caramel apple pie cookies feature a flaky puff pastry crust, sweet spiced apple filling, and caramel drizzle. They’re as easy as they are delicious––perfect for when you want all the flavor of apple pie without the fuss!
As a former pastry chef, I know firsthand that investing hours into an apple pie can be overwhelming. To simplify and elevate the classic, these apple pie cookies use frozen puff pastry instead of pie dough, so there are no lattice tops, pie dough rolling, or mixer required!
Each bite is packed with flaky layers, warm cinnamon, rich caramel, and spiced apples. If you’re a fan of my apple pie cinnamon rolls, you’ll love this recipe. You can also try my apple snickerdoodles or apple donut cake next!
Table of Contents
Tips for the Best Pie Cookies
Avoid overly touching the cut pastry rounds. Touching the sides can seal the edges and prevent them from puffing during baking. This won’t affect the taste but may result in a less light and fluffy texture!
Cut the dough as close together as possible. This will minimize waste as the scraps can’t be rerolled.
Assemble the cookies on a baking sheet. As the dough sits at room temperature, it will soften and become hard to work with.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Puff pastry: This is the key ingredient to a pie-crust-like texture without all the work. For the best flavor, I recommend using all-butter puff pastry! They will all come frozen, so I recommend letting it thaw in the fridge overnight before using it.
Apples: Like in my fresh apple cake, fresh apples are best, especially in the fall when it’s apple season! If you’re in a pinch, you can also use canned apple pie filling.
Brown sugar: To replicate the traditional apple pie flavor, brown sugar is added to the stewed apples. Both light and dark brown sugar are suitable.
Caramel: Making caramel from scratch is the best option, but you could also use store-bought caramel sauce in a pinch.
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
Best Apples to Use
While any apple can be used, here are my favorites that I tested this recipe with:
- Granny Smith apples- I like using a mix of green and red apples to keep the filling sweet but not too sweet!
- Honeycrisp apples
- Gala apples
- Envy apples
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Make the apple pie filling. You want to cook the apples with the sugar and apple pie spices until they are super soft with a thick, caramel-like syrup.
Step 2: Cut out the pie rounds. Make sure the puff pastry is completely defrosted. Use a medium-round cookie cutter to cut the rounds, then transfer them to a lined baking sheet.
Step 3: Score the center of the pastry. Using a smaller cookie cutter, “score” the center of the puff pastry. You want to press it into the dough about halfway but not all the way where it separates!
Step 4: Egg wash and bake! Brush the tops with an egg wash and generously sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. When the pastry is puffed and golden brown, it’s done baking! Allow them to cool on a wire rack while baking the second tray.
Step 5: Deflate and fill. Use the back of a spoon to crush the centers of the baked cookies, then fill them with the stewed apples.
Step 6: Drizzle with caramel. Drizzle the apple pie cookies with salted caramel sauce and enjoy!
FAQs
They will stay fresh for 1-2 days. After that, they tend to get soggy.
If the pastry is underbaked, it will deflate after baking. Make sure the pastry is nice and golden brown!
I don’t recommend freezing them. You can cut and freeze the puff pastry rounds, though!
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. To crisp them the next day, place them on a lined baking sheet and reheat them in the oven at 400 F/200 C until crispy, about 5-8 minutes.
Yes! Bake the puff pastry and store them in an airtight container. The next day, reheat the pastry at 400 F/200 C for 5-8 minutes then add the filling. The filling can be made 3-4 days in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to use. You can make the entire assembled cookie one day in advance.
Apple Pie Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups peeled and cored red apples, diced
- 1/2 cup peeled and cored green apples, diced
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 14 ounces all-butter puff pastry
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1/4 cup caramel, for drizzling on top
Instructions
- Before you start. Preheat the oven to 400F/200 C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the apple pie filling. In a pot, cook the chopped apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, spices, salt, and vanilla over medium heat until the apples are tender and the sauce is thick like caramel and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool and set aside.2 cups (260 g) peeled and cored red apples, 1/2 cup (65 g) peeled and cored green apples, 1/3 cup (67 g) light brown sugar, 1 3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Cut out the cookies. Lay the defrosted puff pastry on a lightly floured cutting board. Use a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter to cut out 18-20 puff pastry rounds and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. You can save the scraps to bake off later!14 ounces (14 oz) all-butter puff pastry
- Indent the centers for filling. Use a small 1 1/2-inch round cutter to “score” the inside of each round. It should make an indent but not cut all the way through.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake! Egg wash the tops then generously sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown, about 10-13 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while you bake the second pan. You can bake off the puff pastry scraps! Brush them with egg wash, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake until golden brown.1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 (50 g) large egg
- Fill the center of the cookies. Once cool, use the back of a spoon to push down the center of the puff pastry. Then fill it with the apple pie filling.
- Drizzle with caramel. Garnish with a drizzle of caramel and enjoy!1/4 cup caramel
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. After the first day, they will soften from the moisture in the filling. To crisp them up, place them on a lined baking sheet and reheat them in the oven at 400 F/200 C until crispy, about 5-8 minutes.
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
These were incredible! Definitely making them again for the holidays!
These were delicious! I’ve loved all of your recipes so far!
What a unqiue and fun idea! Cant wait to make these next week, my husband is already drooling!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Genius hack with the puff pastry! I’ve always been intimidated by the lattice apple cookies, it just seems like so much work and I’d rather just make a whole pie!