Apple crumble pie cookies

Everything you love about apple crumble pie packed into a delicious, buttery and perfectly sweet cookie.

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These cookies are different from anything I think I've ever baked before, and I am so in love with how they turned out. The cookie is thick and buttery without being too sweet, the filling is full of apple and fall spices, and the brown sugar oat crumble on top not only protects the delicious apple filling but also adds the perfect crunch and sweetness to round out this deliciously perfect apple crumble pie cookie.

While I was worried about getting the filling and crumble just right, it really all started with the cookie dough. I had two ideas in mind but first tested a base with graham cracker incorporated into the dough and I loved it so much that I stuck with that idea. The dough is quite standard with lots of brown sugar and a great vanilla flavor, and the addition of crushed graham crackers really added an almost oaty and nutty flavor to the dough. Rather than crushing the graham crackers completely, you'll actually break them up by hand in a plastic bag so you'll be left with some large pieces and this all really adds to the soft yet crisp texture of the cookie dough and it holds up beautifully to the apple pie filling even days after they've been baked.

Next came the apple pie filling. This might've been the toughest part to get just right but the end result is a recipe that comes together so simply and is just the key to the entire cookie! You'll start by cooking down diced apples with a few ingredients including sugar, spices, a small amount of water and butter. Once things start to bubble and the apples just begin to soften, you'll alternate adding some additional water and flour to thicken the liquid and continue cooking the apples. The end result? Everything you would want in an apple pie filling. It's sweet, buttery and perfectly spiced.

My biggest concern about the apple pie filling when I started working on this recipe was the consistency. I wanted the apples to be soft enough and also for the filling to not be too wet or too dry. What we wound up with truly is the perfect texture, and when you bite into the cookie once it's fully baked it seriously is just like biting into a hand held slice of the best apple crumble pie ever. Peeling and then dicing the apple is important. You don't want the pieces to be too big to ensure you get some apple in every single bite. I also went with a sweeter apple, specifically a honeycrisp. For a pie I'd normally use a mixture of apple types (some sweet and some more tart) but since you'll only need one apple here I opted for a sweeter variety and was so happy I did. It added the perfect flavor to the filling so I highly recommend choosing an apple that you'd enjoy biting into uncooked that’s on the sweeter side!

The last step to this recipe before assembling and baking was the crumble. This is probably the easiest step and it's the perfect topper for these cookies. After mixing together your butter and sugar, you'll fold in the rest of your dry ingredients until a crumbly mixture forms. After a short chill, you'll bake your crumble for up to 15 minutes until very lightly golden since we're just partially baking them at this point. When they come out of the oven, you can mix them around a bit to make sure there aren't any large pieces stuck together.

Once your crumbles are cooled, you'll shape your dough balls, fill them with the apple pie filling and top with your crumble. Then they'll take a short trip back to the fridge before you can bake and enjoy!

One of the most surprising things about this recipe was how well the cookies held up in the fridge. On day 5 we reheated a cookie in the oven at 350 degrees for five minutes and it was still so incredibly delicious. The cookie itself will be a bit softer starting on day two but truly it was still so buttery, warm and sweet and the structure of the cookie was still impressively stable.

For the best results, I highly recommend using the gram measurements provided

Ingredients:

Cookie

• 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/2 cup (96g) light brown sugar

• 1/3 cup (64g) granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 6 sheets (90g) graham crackers

• 1 2/3 cups (200g) all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Apple pie filling

• 1 medium apple (180g) peeled and diced I used a honeycrisp, about 1 1/2 cups

• 3 tablespoons (36g) light brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 

• Pinch of salt

• 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter 

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 5 tablespoons water divided and will be added in three rounds

• 2 tablespoons (15g) all purpose flour

Crumble topping

• 1/4 cup (48g) light brown sugar 48

• 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/3 cup (26g) old fashioned rolled oats

• 1/2 cup (60g) all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Prep time: About an hour

Chill time: About 2 hours (mostly while completing other recipe steps)

Bake time: About 14-16 minutes

Servings: 10-12 cookies*

*I baked these in a batch of 10 cookies (60g for each dough ball) but you can also bake a batch of 12 (50g for each dough ball). I'll share guidance and carb details for both.

Equipment

• Rubber spatula or large spoon

• Cookie sheets

• Parchment paper

• Large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons)

• Stand or hand mixer

• Nonstick heavy bottom pot

• Additional: Tablespoon measuring spoon, cutting board, sharp knife, peeler

Cooking instructions

First, make your cookie dough. Into your stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or large bowl if using a hand mixer) add your butter and both sugars. Mix at a medium to high speed for about two minutes, then pause and scrape down the sides of your bowl and paddle attachment using your spatula.

Add in your large egg and vanilla extract. Turn your mixer back on at a medium to high speed and run for about a minute or two. Then scrape down your bowl and mixer attachment again and run your mixer for another minute or two. Scrape again.

Prepare your graham crackers by adding to a small plastic bag and crushing with your hands. You want most of it to be a sandy texture with some small chunks still intact. Add your crushed graham crackers, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into your stand mixer. Mix at a low speed, pausing to scrape the sides of your bowl as needed and being sure to reach down to the bottom. Keep mixing for about a minute until your dough just forms.

Set your dough into your fridge to chill while you prepare your other parts of the cookie. Note: don't chill your dough uncovered for more than two hours. If you do need to chill for longer just be sure to cover your dough with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container so it doesn't dry out.

Make your apple pie filling. First prepare your apple. Peel your apple and then cut into small cubes. You should have about 180g of cubed apple or about 1 1/2 cups.

Into your nonstick pot on your stovetop, add your apple cubes, vanilla, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, unsalted butter, and one tablespoon of water. Turn the heat on to medium and mix often as your mixture begins to bubble. Once it bubbles let it continue to cook for about two minutes.

Lower your heat and you're going to add a total of 4 tablespoons of water and two tablespoons of all purpose flour following these instructions. First add in one tablespoon of flour followed by one tablespoon of water. Mix until there are no clumps of flour and then repeat this, adding another one tablespoon of flour and one tablespoon of water. Mix and let it continue to cook and thicken. Once your mixture is thick and there is no visible flour, you'll add two more tablespoons of water - one at a time, only adding the second once the first has completely mixed in. Your mixture should be thick but still wet. If it looks dry you can always add more water one teaspoon at a time. If it seems too thin let it continue to bubble.

Remove from the heat, and set aside. I recommend transferring to a small bowl and placing it in the fridge so that it's easier to work with later.

Make and partially bake your crumble. For the final ingredient prep, add your light brown sugar and butter to a medium or large bowl. Use a spatula to mix together until there are no more streaks of uncombined butter.

Then fold in your dry ingredients, oats, flour, cinnamon and salt. Continue to mix until dry crumbles form and there are no large pockets of unmixed flour.

Onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, use your hands to press small clumps of your crumble dough together and sprinkle across into an even layer. Place into the fridge to chill for 15 minutes and meanwhile preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Once your oven is preheated, bake your crumble for 13-15 minutes. You don't need your crumble to be completely golden but just lightly golden. When you take it out of the oven, use a spatula or other utensil to stir your crumble around breaking up any large pieces that may have formed.

Form and bake your cookies. Once your crumble topping and apple pie filling are both cool to the touch, you can begin assembly.

Starting with your dough, use a cookie scoop or large spoon to form 10 cookie dough balls - each should be about 3 tablespoons in size (60g each). Note: if you'd prefer to make 12 cookies, you're looking for about 50g each or a very shy 3 tablespoon scoop.

Roll each cookie dough scoop into a smooth ball and then use a tablespoon measuring spoon to press an indent into the top of each dough ball. Use your hands then to form a small bowl with your dough. Scoop about a tablespoon of apple pie filling into each dough bowl. It should be easy to scoop now that it's cold and be sure to give the filling a good mix before you start scooping. If you're making 12 cookies, be sure to use a shy tablespoon.

Finally, sprinkle and press your partially baked crumble onto your cookie to cover the apple pie filling. This will protect your apple pie filling from drying out in the oven so be generous. Reserve your leftover crumbles for later.

Place your formed, filled and topped dough balls back into the fridge for a short chill as your dough will likely be soft from handling. Chill for just about 30 minutes or until firm again.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Space your cookies out onto larger parchment lined sheets and bake your cookies for about 14-16 minutes.  I recommend pulling your cookies out at about 8 minutes and topping with additional crumble where you see spots of uncovered apple pie filling or even towards the edges of your dough that has begun to spread (of course do this carefully as the cookies and filling will be extremely hot!) and then place your cookies back into the oven to finish baking.

Let your cookies cool off for at least 10-15 minutes and enjoy while warm!

You can store these cookies for about 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. They taste delicious cold but they taste even better if reheated in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. These cookies will taste best if enjoyed fresh with crisp edges and a soft center, but they do taste great even a few days later when reheated just know they will get a bit softer.

Carb and serving info:

Carbs for full recipe: 580

Carbs per serving (1 of 10): 58

Carbs per serving (1 of 12): 48

Carbs from cookie dough: 392

Carbs from graham crackers: 72

Carbs from apple pie filling: 74

Carbs from apple: 25

Carbs from crumble topping: 114

Note: Carb information is calculated based on the specific ingredients I used to cook with to help guide my own insulin to carb ratio when dosing before I eat my home cooked recipes.