Tender Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies

Name: Tender Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 1 h 42 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Cup Butter - room temperature; 3/4 Cup Sugar; 1 Egg; 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste; 2 1/4 Cup Flour; 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder; 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon; 1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg; 1/4 Teaspoon Cloves; 1/4 Teaspoon Salt; 1/2 Cup Sugar + 1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon for rolling dough in; 2 Medium Honeycrisp Apples - finely diced; 4 Tablespoons Butter; 2 Tablespoons Sugar; 2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar; 2 Teaspoon Corn Starch; 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon; 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg; 1/2 Teaspoon Cloves

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Apple pie thumbprint cookies are the perfect sweet treat to enjoy this fall! Loaded with a homemade apple pie filling tucked in a tender spiced cookie. Baked at 350 for 11 minutes, these are a mini handheld version of the classic fall pie in cookie form!

I know that all pumpkin everything is all the rage this time of year, but in my opinion, apple-flavored treats are highly underrated!

My body craves a crisp apple in season in the fall and I love baking with apples. From My Mom's Apple Pie Recipe, Apple Bundt Cake with Bourbon Caramel Glaze, 4 Ingredient Apple Dip to Brown Butter Apple Bars and now cookies! We are taking all the classic flavors of apple pie and putting them in cookie form and you will not be upset!

A hand grabbing an Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies off a plate of them.

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Ingredients Needed
How to Make
Helpful Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
More Cookie Recipes
More Apple Recipes
Recipe

Ingredients Needed

Spiced Cookie Dough

Butter
Sugar
Egg
Vanilla Bean Paste* - I always use Nielson Massey Vanilla Bean paste in all my baking recipes. It yields such a much richer vanilla flavor in my opinion. You can use regular vanilla extract as well.
Flour - I always use King Arthur brand flour for all my baking recipes.
Baking Powder - make sure you have fresh baking powder - like within the past 6 months. I write the date on the lid so I don't forget to replace it every 6 months, even if it isn't used all the way (and it usually isn't). If you have old baking powder, this will affect the rise of the biscuits - they will not turn out as tall and tender as they should.
Spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt
Sugar + Cinnamon - for rolling the dough in

Apple Pie Filling

Honeycrisp Apples - you can use Granny Smith apples as well in this recipe. You want a harder and crisp apple when baking so they will hold us throughout the baking process. Either one of these apples will be perfect!
Butter
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Corn Starch
Spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves

Clear bowls of flour, sugar, apples, spices, egg, butter, and vanilla.

How to Make

Step One: Make the Spiced Cookie Dough

In a stand mixer, add butter and sugar and mix for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add in egg and vanilla and mix until just combined.
Add in flour, baking powder, and spices. Mix just until the dough has come together and everything is combined.
Scoop out cookie dough with a cookie scoop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon and sugar. Place back on the cookie sheet and repeat with all the dough balls.
With a half-tablespoon round measuring spoon or wooden spoon, gently press a round circle divet in the middle of each dough ball. Do not press all the way down to the bottom, but just enough to create a hole for the filling to fit in. If the dough cracks around the edge, press it back together with your fingers. Place in the fridge and chill for at least an hour (or up to 24 hours).

Rolling cookie dough in cinnamon and sugar with intending them with a spoon for a hole in the middle. — I like to use a ½ Tablespoon spoon to gently indent the thumbprints in the cookies after they have been rolled in cinnamon sugar. You can also use the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb to make the indention.

Step Two: Make the Apple Pie Filling

While the dough is chilling, finely dice the apples into small pieces. Dice as small tiny squares as possible so that they will fit in the center of the circle. You do not need to peel the skin off.
Place the diced apples in a skillet with the butter, sugars, and spices. Cook on medium for 5-10 minutes until the butter is melted and the apples have cooked and softened. Remove from the heat until needed.

apple pie filling in a clear bowl — You want to diced the apples into small pieces so that they can fit into the cookies easily.

apple pie filling mixed up in a clear bowl — Toss together with the sugars and spices to create a small batch of apple pie filling.

Step Three: Assembled, Bake, and EAT!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place 12 cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon about a ½-1 teaspoon of apple filling in the middle hole of each dough ball - filling as much of it as it will hold.
Place in the oven to bake for 11-12 minutes.
Remove and let cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

1 apple pie thumbprint cookies on a green table with a napkin and cinnamon sticks around it.

Helpful Tips

Thumbprint cookies can be a bit tricky. This took me several rounds of recipe testing to get just right. During my testing, I learned a couple of helpful tips for you along the way.

Dice the apples as small as possible. I know this is a bit tedious, but it is crucial. I took the extra time to finely dice the apples into tiny squares and it made all the difference! Because the holes in the cookies aren't that big, having finely diced apples helps them sit tucked in the holes nicely and is easy to eat.
Do not over-mix the dough. This dough is on the "thicker" side with a bit more flour so they don't spread too much to maintain the integrity of the thumbprint holes. If you overmix the dough, it will result in a dry and crumbly dough. Mix everything until just combined.
Follow the steps in order. Because the dough needs to chill, make the dough first, then the filling, then assemble and bake. It is the most efficient use of your time.

A green platter of Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies with apples in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store

Store in the fridge covered tightly for 3 days.

How to Make Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies Ahead and Freeze

You know I love freezing cookie dough! Make the cookie dough all the way up to step 6. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Place frozen cookie dough in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. To bake, make the apple pie filling and place it in frozen cookie dough. Bake at 350 for 12-13 minutes.

Why are My Thumbprint Cookies so Crumbly?

You have probably overmixed the dough. This dough is on the "thicker" side with a bit more flour so they don't spread too much to maintain the integrity of the thumbprint holes. If you overmix the dough, it will result in a dry and crumbly dough. Mix everything until just combined.

Can Thumbprint Cookie Dough be Refrigerated Overnight?

Yes! Chill cookie dough for at least 1 hour but up to 24 hours in the fridge. Just cover with plastic wrap if stored in the fridge overnight.

What Apples Are Best to Use for This Recipe?

Granny smith or Honeycrisp apples are best used for this recipe and baking with apples in general. You want a tart and firm apple. Avoid sweet and mushy apples like red delicious.

More Apple Recipes

Broken and unbroken Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies on a green table with apples, cinnamon sticks, and a napkin all around them.

Recipe