Description
Delight in these vegan Apple Pie Cookies featuring a spiced cookie dough filled with tangy apple curd and topped with a crunchy crumble and sweet icing. Perfectly tender and packed with warm fall flavors, these cookies offer a vegan twist on classic apple pie, making them an irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 115 g vegan butter (block-style), melted and cooled to room temperature
- 50 g vegan apple curd (half batch, see note 1)
- 20 g vegan Greek-style yogurt or skyr (or regular unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 220 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Crumble Topping
- 25 g brown sugar
- 15 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 20 g rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter (block-style), melted and cooled to room temperature
Icing
- 80 ml apple cider vinegar (or apple juice)
- 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 g powdered sugar (icing sugar)
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough: In a mixing bowl, whisk together melted vegan butter and granulated sugar until well combined. Add 50 g of the vegan apple curd, vegan yogurt, and vanilla extract, whisking to incorporate. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and sea salt, mixing evenly. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gently using a spatula until just combined. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat and prepare trays: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F) and line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
- Make the crumble topping: In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, and melted vegan butter. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients using your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Prepare the icing: Pour apple cider vinegar into a saucepan and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until reduced to about 2 tablespoons (30 ml). Transfer the reduction to a mixing bowl, then whisk in non-dairy milk, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until smooth. Cover and set aside until needed.
- Shape and fill cookies: Using a 2.4 inch (6 cm) cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, portion the dough into 8 equal balls (or 12 smaller portions). Arrange on the lined trays, leaving at least 2.5 inches of space between each to allow spreading. Flatten each ball slightly and press a teaspoon-sized indentation in the center of each one without puncturing through. Fill each indentation with about a teaspoon of remaining apple curd, then carefully mold the dough around the filling to seal completely. Press crumble topping onto the top of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes (reduce to 10-12 minutes if making smaller cookies). After baking, use a large cookie cutter or smooth glass rim to gently round and shape the edges of the hot cookies. Let them rest on the baking trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack lined with parchment to cool completely.
- Frost the cookies: Fill a piping bag with the prepared icing and snip off the tip. Pipe a lattice design atop each cookie or drizzle the icing using a spoon. Allow the icing to set for 10-20 minutes before serving.
- Storage: Once cooled, store cookies in an airtight container. They keep well at room temperature for a couple of days but are best refrigerated due to the apple curd filling, lasting up to one week. They can be frozen in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to one month, with parchment paper between cookies to prevent sticking.
Notes
- Vegan Apple Curd: Use a homemade or store-bought vegan apple curd. If homemade, ensure it is fully cooled before using in dough and filling.
- Sealing Cookies: Take care to completely seal the dough around the apple curd filling to prevent leakage during baking.
- Cookie Size: Using a 2.4 inch scoop yields 8 larger cookies; for smaller portions, use a smaller scoop to make 12 cookies with adjusted baking time.
- Apple Cider Vinegar Reduction: Reducing the vinegar intensifies the flavor and balances the sweetness of the icing.
- Freezing: Freeze cookies with parchment paper layering to maintain shape and prevent sticking.
