Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe tastes like a mini slice of warm apple pie wrapped in a soft, chewy cookie, with crisp edges and cozy cinnamon in every bite. It works perfectly for busy bakers who want a fall-style dessert in about 45 minutes from start to finish. I tested these on my very picky family in Ohio, and no one guessed they were vegan until I smugly showed them the ingredient list.

Why You Should Try This Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

These vegan apple pie cookies pack all the flavor of classic apple pie in a handheld, no-fork-needed dessert. You get tender spiced apples, buttery-style cookie dough, and a hint of caramel flavor from brown sugar in every bite.

This recipe suits vegans, dairy-free folks, and honestly anyone who likes cookies and apples. The dough comes together quickly, and you do not need any fancy equipment or obscure ingredients.

“These Vegan Apple Pie Cookies taste like bakery-style pie in cookie form, and nobody believed they were vegan until the plate sat empty in ten minutes. ★★★★★”

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the apple pie filling

• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
  • Use a firm, tart variety like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp so the apples hold their shape.
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
  • I like Miyoko’s or Earth Balance for rich flavor.
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice (optional but tasty)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
  • This thickens the filling so it does not leak out of the cookies.

For the cookie dough

• 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • Acts as an egg replacer and adds extra apple flavor.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • Use a good quality unbleached flour for best texture.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional toppings

• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
• Extra cinnamon for dusting
• Simple glaze:
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1–2 tablespoons plant milk (oat or almond)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pantry shortcuts and substitutions

• Use store-bought canned apple pie filling if you feel short on time. Chop it smaller and stir in extra cinnamon if needed.
• Swap applesauce with pumpkin puree for a fall twist, and add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice.
• Use gluten-free all-purpose flour blend if you need a gluten-free version. Pick a blend that already includes xanthan gum.
• Replace brown sugar with coconut sugar for a deeper caramel note, though the cookies will look slightly darker.

Equipment list

• Mixing bowls
• Small skillet or saucepan
• Hand mixer or stand mixer (you can mix by hand with a sturdy spatula)
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cooling rack
• Small cookie scoop or tablespoon

Tips & Tricks

• Dice the apples very small so they soften quickly and sit neatly in the cookies.
• Chill the cookie dough for at least 20 minutes so the cookies hold their shape and do not spread too much.
• Let the apple filling cool completely before you stuff or top the cookies, or it will melt the dough.
• Use parchment paper so the cookies release easily and clean up stays simple.
• Slightly underbake the cookies if you like a soft, chewy center, and bake a minute longer for crisp edges.
• Keep cookie size consistent so they bake evenly and finish at the same time.
• Taste the filling and adjust sugar and cinnamon to match your apples, since some apples taste sweeter than others.
• If the dough feels sticky, dust your hands lightly with flour when shaping.

How to Make Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Cook the apple pie filling

Add vegan butter to a small skillet over medium heat and let it melt. Stir in the diced apples, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes until the apples soften and the juices bubble.

Mix the lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Pour this into the skillet and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture thickens and looks glossy. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the filling cool to room temperature.

Step 2: Make the vegan cookie dough

Add softened vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Add applesauce and vanilla extract, then mix until the mixture looks smooth.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing gently until the dough comes together and no dry spots remain. Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 3: Preheat and prep the baking sheet

Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Take the chilled dough out of the fridge while the oven heats so it softens slightly.

Step 4: Shape the cookies

Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the dough into small balls, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Roll each portion between your palms to smooth it, then place it on the baking sheet, leaving space between cookies. Use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to press a shallow well in the center of each dough ball.

Spoon a small amount of cooled apple pie filling into each well. Do not overfill or the apples will slide off the cookie during baking. If you like, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.

Step 5: Bake the vegan apple pie cookies

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 11 to 13 minutes. The edges should look set and lightly golden, while the centers still look slightly soft. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies sit on the sheet for 5 minutes.

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely. If you plan to add glaze, wait until the cookies cool so the glaze sets nicely on top.

Step 6: Optional vanilla glaze

Whisk powdered sugar, plant milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth and slightly thick. Adjust with a few drops more milk if it feels too thick, or a spoon of powdered sugar if it feels too thin. Drizzle the glaze over cooled cookies with a spoon or piping bag.

Let the glaze firm up for about 15 minutes. Serve the vegan apple pie cookies once the glaze sets, or store them for later.

What to Serve with Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

Serve these vegan apple pie cookies warm with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream for a full-on dessert moment. Pair them with a mug of hot coffee, chai, or spiced herbal tea for a cozy afternoon snack. Kids love them with cold oat milk or almond milk, and they pack nicely in lunchboxes. Set them on a dessert board with fresh apple slices, grapes, and a small bowl of vegan caramel sauce for dipping.

Storage Options

• Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Keep them in the fridge in a sealed container for 4 to 5 days for maximum freshness.
• Freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a tray, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
• Reheat cookies from room temperature in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or from frozen for about 10 minutes, until warm and slightly crisp at the edges.

Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

Vegan Apple Pie Cookies taste like a mini slice of warm apple pie wrapped in a soft, chewy cookie with crisp edges and cozy cinnamon in every bite.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 13 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 24

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  

• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch

• 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
• extra cinnamon for dusting
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons plant milk (such as oat or almond)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

1. Add the vegan butter to a small skillet over medium heat and let it melt.
2. Stir in the diced apples, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the apples soften and the juices bubble.
3. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice and cornstarch until smooth, then pour it into the skillet.
4. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the mixture thickens and looks glossy. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool to room temperature.

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Add the applesauce and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing gently just until the dough comes together and no dry spots remain.
5. Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the dough into balls of about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
3. Roll each portion between your palms to smooth it, then place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between cookies.
4. Use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to press a shallow well in the center of each dough ball.
5. Spoon a small amount of the cooled apple pie filling into each well without overfilling. If desired, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.
6. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges look set and lightly golden and the centers still appear slightly soft.
7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, plant milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly thick. Adjust the consistency with a few drops more milk or a little more powdered sugar as needed.
2. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies with a spoon or piping bag.
3. Let the glaze firm up for about 15 minutes before serving or storing the cookies.

Notes

Nutrition Information
Approximate per 1 cookie (about 1/24 of recipe), without glaze: 120 calories; fat 6 g; saturated fat 1.5 g; carbohydrates 16 g; fiber 0.5 g; sugars 9 g; protein 1 g; sodium 95 mg. Values are estimates and will vary based on brands, add-ins, toppings, and portion size.

Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat at 300°F (150°C) until warm and slightly crisp at the edges.