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    Home » All Recipes » Vegan Cookies + Brownies

    Vegan Apple Pie Cookies

    Published: Sep 8, 2022 by Megan · This post may contain affiliate links.

    2.1K shares
    Jump to Recipe
    apple filled cookies with text overlay "vegan apple pie cookies, with a gooey apple pie filling!".

    These chewy Vegan Apple Pie Cookies are filled with warming spices and a homemade apple pie filling for a truly decadent Fall cookie. If you're searching for the perfect eggless & dairy-free apple cookie, then you have to try this recipe!

    two cookies topped with a gooey apple pie filling propped against eachother.

    Can we all just agree that apple season is one of the best parts of Fall?! Not only is apple picking one of the coziest activities, but then you get to go home and bake with all the fresh apples you picked!

    Since you loved my Apple Pie Bars and Apple Streusel Muffins, this year I decided to create a cookie version of everyone's favorite pie flavor!

    Ingredients:

    apple pie filling and apple pie cookie ingredients labeled.

    Ingredient notes:

    • Apples: I used large Honeycrisp apples for this recipe and highly recommend sticking with a sweet and crisp apple. This way, the apple chunks hold their shape and stay a little tart.
      • Other firm apple varieties that work well include Pink Lady, Cortland, and Braeburn varieties.
    • Pumpkin Pie Spice: Works best for this recipe as it's a mix of many spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. However, you can substitute it for a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg for a similar flavor.

    How to make vegan apple spice cookies

    Make the apple pie filling

    First, peel the Honeycrisp apple and cut it into very small chunks. This step is key to getting the right texture for these apple pie cookies.

    Then, add the chopped apple, lemon juice, brown sugar, vegan butter, and pumpkin pie spice to a saucepan. Stir and cook together until the butter melts and the mixture starts bubbling.

    chopped apples with brown sugar and butter sauce in a pot.

    Then, add in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking the apple filling until it thickens and turns glossy. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool while you make the apple spice cookie dough.

    cooked chopped apples in gooey brown sugar sauce.

    Make the spiced cookie dough

    First, cream together the vegan butter and sugar until fluffy. Then, mix in the flax egg and vanilla.

    Next, add the dry ingredients and mix everything into a thick dough. Cover and place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to chill. This step is crucial so don't skip it!

    mixing bowl of apple spice cookie dough.

    Assemble the apple cookies

    Remove the cookie dough from the fridge, roll it into 10 balls, and then roll each cookie dough ball in sugar.

    hand holding up a cookie dough ball rolled in sugar.

    Add the cookies to a parchment-lined baking tray. Use your thumb to press into the center of each cookie and use your fingers to make a larger indent in the center of each cookie dough ball.

    Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of apple pie filling into each cookie. Then, add to the oven to bake!

    baking tray with apple pie cookie dough filled with apple filling before baking.

    Remove the tray of apple cookies from the oven and let them cool slightly. They will initially be pretty soft but will firm up as they cool.

    Once cooled, enjoy these decadent & chewy vegan apple cinnamon cookies!

    hand holding apple pie filled cookie over tray of apple pie cookies.

    FAQ & Tips:

    Can I make apple cookies gluten-free?

    Yes! Just make sure to substitute the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free all-purpose flour like Bob's Red Mill GF flour. Other flour alternatives like coconut flour or almond flour will NOT work in this recipe.

    Can I make apple cookies refined sugar-free?

    You can certainly try, but the cookies will likely spread less and be less sweet. This is because brown sugar and cane sugar have more moisture than many sugar alternatives like coconut sugar or maple sugar.

    How do I store leftover cookies?

    Cookies can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 48 hours or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

    I highly recommend storing the apple pie cookies between layers of parchment paper as they are relatively sticky and will stick together when stored on top of each other.

    cookie with apple pie filling with a bite taken out to show gooey inside.

    I can't wait for you to try these soft & chewy Vegan Apple Pie Cookies! With a spiced cookie base and apple pie filling, they are truly the perfect vegan apple dessert. Enjoy- and don't forget to check out my Vegan Pecan Pie Cookies next!

    -TSG

    More vegan apple desserts you will love:

    • two cinnamon sugar donuts stacked on top of eachother with a bite missing from the top donut
      Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts
    • pan of muffins with streusel topping and apple slices on top
      Vegan Apple Streusel Muffins
    • apple bundt cake with white glaze and dried apple slices on a wooden board with cinnamon sticks and apples
      Vegan Apple Cider Bundt Cake
    • Vegan Apple Butter Cookies

    If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star review on the recipe card. I always appreciate your feedback and support! You can also follow along on my Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest, or sign up for our newsletter!

    two cookies topped with a gooey apple pie filling propped against each other.

    Vegan Apple Pie Cookies

    These decadent & chewy apple pie cookies combine an eggless spiced cookie dough base with a homemade apple pie filling for the best vegan apple cookies!
    4.77 from 34 votes
    Print Pin
    Course: Dessert, Vegan Desserts
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Chill time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 10 large cookies
    Author: Megan Horowitch

    Ingredients 
    US Customary - Metric

    Apple Pie Filling

    • ¼ cup water
    • ½ Tablespoon cornstarch
    • 1 large honeycrisp apple peeled and cut into small chunks
    • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
    • 2 Tablespoons vegan butter
    • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

    Spice Cookies

    • ½ cup vegan butter
    • ½ cup+ 2 Tablespoons sugar ( ½ cup for dough, 2 Tbsp for rolling before baking)
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • 1 flax egg 1 Tablespoon (8 grams) ground flaxseed mixed with 3 Tbsp water
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups+ 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    Make the apple pie filling

    • First, make the cornstarch slurry by mixing together the cold water and cornstarch until a cloudy paste forms. Set aside.
    • Peel and finely chop your apple into small cubes. Then, add the apple to a saucepan with the brown sugar, vegan butter, lemon juice, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix together and cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture starts bubbling.
    • Once bubbling, add in the cornstarch slurry and mix together. The apple pie filling will start off thin and cloudy. Continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes until it thickens and becomes glossy. Then, set aside to cool while you make the cookie dough.

    Make the spiced cookie dough

    • To make the dough, add the room temperature vegan butter, ½ cup of white sugar, and brown sugar to a mixing bowl. Then, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
    • Next, add the flax egg and vanilla bean paste to the bowl and mix together for about 30 seconds.
    • Add in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Make sure to add the flour first and then add the other ingredients on top. Mix everything together until a thick cookie dough forms.
    • Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and add the bowl to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes- 1 hour. The dough can also be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

    Assembling & baking the cookies

    • About 10 minutes before removing the dough from the fridge preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
    • Remove the dough from the fridge and use a cookie scoop to scoop out 10 evenly sized cookies. Roll each cookie dough ball between your palms to form a round ball. Then, roll each ball in a bowl with the 2 Tbsp of sugar that was set aside so that each dough ball is coated in sugar.
    • Place the spiced cookie dough balls onto the baking sheet. Then, slightly press each dough ball down with your palm. 
    • Use your thumb to make an indent in the center of each cookie and then use your fingers to spread the dough out and make the indent larger. Then, spoon about 1 Tablespoon of the cooled apple pie filling into the center of each cookie.
    • Once filled, make sure the cookies are at least 2 inches apart on the baking tray as they will spread while baking. Then, add to the tray to the oven and bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes until the edges are crisp and the centers are set but still gooey.
    • Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, move the cookies to a wire rack to continue cooling.
    • Once cooled, enjoy these apple pie cookies!

    Notes

    • If you want fluffier cookies, don't make as large of an indent in the cookies. The bigger the indent the more they will spread.
    • If making smaller cookies (about 15) reduce the baking time to 12-14 minutes.
    • Cookies can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 48 hours or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
    • I highly recommend storing the cookies between layers of parchment paper as they are relatively sticky and will stick together when stored on top of each other.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1large cookie | Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @shortgirltallorder or tag #sgtoeats!
    « Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emily says

      November 15, 2022 at 7:16 pm

      5 stars
      These are incredible, and super easy to make! I’ll be baking a batch to share with the fam for the upcoming holidays, I can’t wait for them to taste these!!! Thanks for sharing this recipe!!

      Reply
      • Megan says

        November 15, 2022 at 8:19 pm

        You're so welcome!!

        Reply
    2. Megan says

      October 30, 2022 at 6:23 am

      Delicious recipe. My family loves it! I'm just curious...(amateur here) is there such a thing as a fat free cookie dough? Also, do you have suggestions to lower the calories of this (esp. substituting the butter)? Could low fat butter be used? I'm curious what would happen if apple sauce was used in lieu of butter (I saw many low cal cookie dough recipes use it as the main wet ingredient)?

      Reply
      • Megan says

        October 30, 2022 at 2:13 pm

        I'm definitely not an expert on fat-free or low-fat baker, so I really wouldn't know. Applesauce in place of butter would affect the texture of these cookies, though, and I wouldn't recommend it. You would honestly be better off finding a totally different low-fat cookie recipe than trying to adapt this one that way.

        Reply
    3. Amy says

      October 26, 2022 at 4:55 am

      What are some substitutes for vegan butter? Can vegetable oil, e.g., olive oil be used instead?

      Reply
      • Megan says

        October 26, 2022 at 2:27 pm

        I don't recommend a liquid oil as the cookies will likely spread too much. Vegan butter is super important to use because creaming it with sugar adds structure to the cookies- so I honestly don't recommend any other substitutes unless you are okay using a dairy butter.

        Reply
        • Megan says

          October 28, 2022 at 6:57 pm

          Thank you. This is crucial information! So glad you replied quickly.

    4. Lana says

      October 18, 2022 at 9:51 pm

      My grandson requested these for Thanksgiving, will they get too soft because of the apple filling if I make them the night before?

      Reply
      • Megan says

        October 18, 2022 at 11:08 pm

        I believe they should be fine! They will get a tiny bit softer, but if you store them in the fridge for a day should be fine to keep the crispy texture! I store them in the freezer and that works best but it does require some defrosting time at room temperature.

        Reply
    5. Claire says

      October 11, 2022 at 1:23 pm

      5 stars
      Holy moly!! These are so delicious, thank you for creating them! I made a double batch for a work party and they were gone immediately. My boyfriend “sampled” three right after they were cool enough to eat lol I ended up making mini ones, so I diced the apples pretty small (1-2 cm cubes) and I used 3 small-med Granny Smith apples. Perfect amount of filling for 30 cookies. I will be making these again. Cheers!

      Reply
      • Megan says

        October 11, 2022 at 2:33 pm

        Love to hear that!! I always have to sample one right away too 🙂

        Reply
    6. Marisa says

      October 04, 2022 at 3:20 pm

      2 stars
      Recipe seemed okay, the dough spread out much more than anticipated. It was chilled for 40 mins but I think it should be chilled for at least an hr, no less. Will def try again and wait for a solid dough instead of soft chilled

      Reply
      • Megan says

        October 04, 2022 at 4:08 pm

        Sorry to hear they didn't turn out for you- These cookies are definitely meant to spread, but a lot of times the dough can spread too much if you don't add enough flour, if your baking powder isn't active, or if you're using vegan butter from a tub vs. sticks as they contain more water.Definitely all worth looking into next time you make them.

        Reply
    7. Anna says

      October 03, 2022 at 2:08 pm

      Hi! Love the recipe. I didn’t have vegan butter so I used regular, but I did use flax egg. Mine didn’t turn out as cute as yours - it all flattened out and didn’t have that lip on the outside. Did I not let the dough cool long enough? Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Megan says

        October 03, 2022 at 2:47 pm

        It may be the regular butter but I'm not sure! The lip on the outside is really from how I shaped the dough before baking it though- so it was pretty indented as you can see from the pictures/video. You can also create more of a circle shape when the cookies are right out of the oven by swirling them between a biscuit cutter to make them more round.

        Reply
    8. Will says

      October 03, 2022 at 2:33 am

      5 stars
      I couldn’t find any pumpkin pie spice or flax seeds at my Kroger so I used a regular egg and apple pie spice and it was AMAZING! I’ll definitely be making these again!

      Reply
      • Megan says

        October 03, 2022 at 12:30 pm

        So happy to hear it worked well with those substitutions thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    9. Amber says

      October 03, 2022 at 1:29 am

      5 stars
      This was great! They didn’t last an hour.

      Reply
      • Megan says

        October 03, 2022 at 1:58 am

        Yay love to hear that! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Lara says

      September 30, 2022 at 6:31 pm

      5 stars
      I made these without the (vegan) egg and they still turned out amazing! Really in love with this one. Definitely recommend:D

      Reply
    11. Sophie says

      September 27, 2022 at 3:06 am

      These looks amazing! Would a regular egg be okay to use? Or how would you prepare flax egg? Sorry, I’m not a vegan but I want to make these badly! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Megan says

        September 27, 2022 at 2:02 pm

        I don't bake with eggs so not 100% sure but I would guess a small egg would work :). The instructions to make the flax egg are in the recipe card- it's 1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 Tablespoons of water.

        Reply
    12. Angelica says

      September 26, 2022 at 8:18 pm

      This looks lovely! I have most of these ingredients as well. Do you think the flax can be substituted for anything?

      Reply
      • Megan says

        September 26, 2022 at 10:54 pm

        I don't recommend substituting it, but if you do chia seeds can also make a vegan egg.

        Reply
    13. Carmen says

      September 24, 2022 at 6:28 pm

      5 stars
      So tasty! They remind me of pecan tarts but apple pie! Easy to make too! Love all the fall food here!

      Reply
      • Megan says

        September 26, 2022 at 3:55 pm

        So happy you liked them, hope to make an actual pecan version soon too 🙂

        Reply

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