- Apple Pie Cookies

APPLE PIE COOKIES

Yield: 24 cookies

Crust
2½ c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surfaces,
dipping fork
2 T white sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c unsalted butter, very cold (cut into small pieces)
½ c water, very cold

Filling
3 Granny Smith apples
Squeeze of lemon juice
⅓ c white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Few gratings fresh nutmeg
A pinch of any other spices you like in your apple pie

To finish
1 large egg
Coarse or granulated sugar for garnish

Make your pie dough: Whisk together flour, sugar and salt in the bottom of a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, two forks or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the biggest pieces of butter are the size of small peas. Gently stir in the ice water with a rubber spatula, mixing it until a craggy mass forms. Get your hands in the bowl and knead it just two or three times to form a ball. Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and flatten a bit, like a disc. Chill in fridge for at least an hour or up to two days.

In a small bowl mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and any other spices you like. In another small bowl whisk an egg with one teaspoon of water until smooth.

On a well-floured counter, roll out your pie dough pretty thin, a little shy of 1/8-inch thick. Use a 2½ inch cookie cutter to cut as many rounds as you can from the dough. Transfer them to parchment-lined sheet pans and keep them in the fridge until you need them. Once you’ve finished the first packet, repeat the process with the second packet of dough.

Peel the apples and chop them into very small pieces. Sprinkle the sugar/spice mixture and toss to combine. Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice to prevent browning.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grab your first disc of chilled dough and lightly dampen it on one side with the water. This is to help it seal. Place about 1 tsp apples on the one disk. Place a second disc of dough on top (I found it easiest to seal it by picking the whole thing up and press the tops and bottoms together with your fingers). Back on the floured counter, cut decorative slits in your “pies”. Dip your fork in the flour and use it to create a decorative crimp on the sealed edges. Brush your cookie with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Replace on sheet pan and chill while you prepare the others.

Bake cookies for 25 minutes, or until puffed and bronzed and very pie-like.