Stop buying Crumbl — make bakery-style Apple Pie Cookies at home. These soft, chewy apple-spiced cookies are filled with warm apple pie filling and finished with a buttery crumb topping. They’re easy to make in mini or jumbo sizes and taste even better than store-bought bakery versions.
If you love bakery-style cookies, this Apple Pie Cookie recipe is for you. These cookies deliver the comforting spices and tender texture you expect from a gourmet cookie—without the high price or commercial additives. They’re simple to customize and easy to make in either small bite-size portions or large bakery-style rounds.
Making homemade cookies has become my go-to. Bakery prices have risen, and preparing these at home lets you control ingredients and avoid unnecessary preservatives, strong artificial flavors, and excess syrups. The result is fresher, tastier cookies with real apple flavor.
You can make these as a jumbo cookie (3.5–4 oz dough per cookie) for a bakery-style presentation, or as smaller cookies (about 1.5 oz each) like the photos. Both sizes are delicious and keep the same flavor profile: a spiced cookie base, tender apple filling, and a crunchy buttery streusel on top.
Flavor-wise, the cookie dough features warm fall spices and a hint of apple from apple cider or concentrated apple juice. The filling is cooked fresh apples thickened slightly so each thumbprint is packed with apple pie flavor. The streusel topping adds buttery crunch that elevates the cookies and completes the apple pie experience.
Ingredients for Apple Pie Cookies
The ingredient list may look long, but these cookies come together quickly. You’ll need basic pantry ingredients for the cookie dough, a few items for the filling, and simple components for the streusel topping.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda and baking powder
- Salt
- Apple pie spice (or homemade blend)
- Butter – room temperature for dough; very cold for streusel
- Sugar (granulated) and light brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Apple cider or concentrated apple juice (optional, but adds apple depth)
For the filling:
- Firm green apples (Granny Smith recommended), cored, peeled and finely diced
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Cornstarch to thicken
- Warm water
For the streusel:
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Flour
- Cold butter cut into pieces
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and servings.
How to make Apple Cookies
The recipe breaks down into four parts: cookie dough, apple filling, streusel, and assembly. Work through each component, then assemble the cookies and bake until the edges are lightly golden.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice. Set aside.
- Cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and apple cider, mixing to combine.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined to form a cookie dough. Avoid overmixing.
- Portion dough into balls (about 1″ for mini cookies or 3.5–4 oz for jumbo cookies) and place on the prepared sheet. Use a teaspoon or your thumb to press an indentation into the center of each ball.
- For the filling, combine diced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and warm water in a small skillet. Cook over medium-low until apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- For the streusel, mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, and flour. Add cold butter pieces and use a fork or pastry cutter to form coarse crumbs.
- Fill each indentation with about 1 teaspoon of apple filling, then top with about 1 teaspoon of streusel.
- Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, until the edges just begin to brown. Immediately run a 5″ ring or similar tool around each warm cookie to help preserve a perfect round shape. Allow to cool before serving.
Storage / Freezing
Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container or zipper bag. They keep 3–4 days at room temperature or 5–7 days in the refrigerator.
Freezing: For longer storage, cool cookies completely, flash-freeze on a parchment-lined tray, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm briefly in the microwave if desired.
Tips for the BEST Apple Pie Cookies
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs for the dough; keep some butter very cold for the streusel.
- Do not overmix the dough—overbeating creates dense or crispy cookies.
- Don’t skip the crumb topping—its texture and buttery flavor transform the cookie.
- Underbake slightly if you prefer soft, chewy cookies; they’ll finish setting on the hot pan.
- For large bakery-style cookies, portion dough to 3.5–4 oz each.
- If you chill the dough, baking time will increase slightly.
- To achieve a perfect round shape, swirl a cookie or biscuit ring around the warm cookie right after baking.
Other Cookie Recipes To Try
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Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
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Reese Cup Cookies
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Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Apple Pie Cookies
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Equipment
-
1 5″ Cookie/English Muffin Ring
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup Butter, softened
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 large Egg , at room temperature
- 2 tbsp Apple Cider , or concentrated apple juice
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 cup Flour
- 1 1/4 tsp Apple Pie Spice
- 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Filling
- 1 1/4 cup Green Apple, cored peeled and finely diced
- 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1/4 cup warm Water
Streusel
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 3 tbsp Butter
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet.
Make the Cookie Dough
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Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and apple pie spice. Set aside.
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Cream sugars and butter until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and apple cider and mix to combine. Beat in dry ingredients until just combined. Portion dough into balls and press an indentation into each.
Make the Filling
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Combine apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and water in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Make the Streusel
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Combine brown sugar, sugar and flour. Cut in cold butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Assembly and Baking
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Fill each indentation with about 1 teaspoon of filling and top with about 1 teaspoon streusel. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges begin to brown. Use a 5″ ring on warm cookies to maintain a round shape. Allow to cool.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter and eggs for the dough; keep streusel butter cold.
- Do not overmix the dough to keep cookies tender and soft.
- The crumb topping adds essential texture and flavor—don’t skip it.
- Underbake slightly if you prefer a soft, chewy texture; cookies continue to set after removal from the oven.
- For large bakery-style cookies, portion dough to 3.5–4 oz each.
- If the dough is chilled, allow extra baking time.
- Swirling a ring around warm cookies helps maintain a perfect round shape.
Nutrition
