Healthy Apple Pie Cookies

 
During a previous visit to my parents’ house to spend time with them and play with their new puppy, my dad offered to barbecue for dinner. With the warm summer weather still lingering, everyone immediately agreed, so he drove to the store to pick up groceries.  

A little while later, he stood outside over the grill, carefully spreading out the hot coals before setting the grate on top. Once satisfied with the temperature, he added freshly shaped burgers for my mom and brother, a sriracha sausage for himself, and a seasoned chicken breast for me.

Just before rotating the entrées for the final time, Dad slid the veggies onto the barbecue, gingerly rotating those zucchini spears, mini bell peppers, and ears of corn for the perfect kiss of char. We call him the Grill Master of our family for a reason!
 

 
The entire meal turned out perfectly, as we all commented multiple times while enjoying bites of everything. As we started clearing the table, Mom casually mentioned she had a craving for pie, just like when we typically grill during the hot summer months.

The rest of us thought nothing of it… Until Mom returned from the grocery store the following evening with a frozen berry pie to bake. That craving must have been much stronger than any of us realized!
 

 
Although I flew home shortly after, I kept thinking about Mom and her pie… But before I started craving it as strongly as she did, I baked a batch of these healthy apple pie cookies to satisfy my sweet tooth!

They’re so much faster and easier to make, compared to baking a pie entirely from scratch, yet they have the same sweet and cozy spiced flavors as the traditional pie. They also have built-in portion control!

(In case you’re anything like me and feel tempted slice off an itty bitty sliver of pie nearly every time you walk through the kitchen… 😉 )
 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY APPLE PIE COOKIES

So let’s talk about how to make these healthy apple pie cookies!

You’ll start with one of my trusty cookie dough recipes. You’ll need white whole wheat flour (like this!), which has the same exact health benefits as regular whole wheat flour but a lighter taste and texture. That really lets the chewy texture of these cookies shine! Then for added softness and chewiness, you’ll whisk in a tiny bit of cornstarch. Such a nifty trick, isn’t it?

Tip: If you’d like to make your apple pie cookies gluten-free, then check the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve shared my top recommendations there!

With just 1 ½ tablespoons of butter or coconut oil (but I truly prefer the rich flavor of butter in these cookies!), you’ll also mix in extra vanilla extract. That boost of vanilla enhances the butter’s flavor, which makes these cookies taste much more buttery and indulgent!
 

 
To sweeten your cookie dough, you’ll use coconut sugar (like this!). It’s an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts, but it doesn’t actually taste like coconuts! It has a rich, caramel-like flavor similar to brown sugar, but it pours like granulated sugar. It’s a staple in my pantry!

After chilling the cookie dough, you’ll drop it into small mounds on your baking sheet. I just use a spoon and spatula for this — no special equipment! To make each mound of cookie dough round and form the well in its center, moisten your fingers with a tiny bit of water first. This trick prevents the cookie dough from sticking to your hands!
 

 
The filling is even easier to make! You’ll toss finely diced apples (yes, very finely… even smaller than the size of miniature chocolate chips!) with a little cinnamon, and then you’ll cook those on the stove. This softens the apples so they’re not entirely raw when you bite into the cookies… Because the cookies don’t bake long enough for the apples to fully cook all the way through in the oven. Just before spooning the filling into your cookie dough, you’ll toss it with a little pure maple syrup (like this!), for a sweetness boost.

Tip: I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon! It has a slightly stronger, richer, and sweeter flavor compared to regular cinnamon. It’s basically the only kind I use in my baking now, and I buy it online here. (It’s really affordable!)

Remember to gently press the filling down into those wells! The filling does not spread or change shape while baking… So it will look exactly the same as it does when you pop your baking sheet in the oven, even though the cookie dough typically spreads some!
 

 
So much easier than pie… And just as sweet and satisfying! 😉 When you make your own batch, would you mind leaving a comment and rating the recipe? (You can also snap a picture and share it with me on Facebook!) I’d love to hear what you think of these healthy apple pie cookies!

Healthy Apple Pie Cookies

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 24 cookies

These thumbprint cookies are perfect for when you’re craving apple pie but don’t want to make one entirely from scratch… Or don't have the time! They have the same sweet, buttery, and cozy flavors, but they require a fraction of the work to make. Leftover cookies will keep for at least four days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

5 from 5 votes

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Ingredients 

FOR THE COOKIES

• 1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tbsp (21g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 large egg white (room temperature)
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar (or light brown sugar)

FOR THE FILLING

• ½ cup (60g) very finely diced apple (see Notes!)
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup

Instructions

• To prepare the cookie dough, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg white, and vanilla. Stir in the coconut sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until incorporated. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
• While the cookie dough chills, prepare the filling. Add the apples and cinnamon to a small pan lightly coated with cooking spray, and cook over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Once at room temperature, stir in the maple syrup.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 24 small rounded mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Using your index finger or thumb, make an indentation in the center of each. (If the dough cracks, gently pinch it back together with your fingers. If the cookie dough sticks to your fingers, moisten them with a small amount of water!) Carefully spoon in a small amount of filling, and gently press it down into the cavity with a spatula.
• Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack. (If the cookies stick to the baking sheet, slide a knife underneath each first!)

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure the flour correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of will make your cookies cakey, bready, or dry and crumbly, instead of soft and chewy.

 

If your cookie dough is too dry and you can’t incorporate all of the flour, add milk (any type) ½ teaspoon at a time until you can incorporate all of the flour.

 

IMPORTANT APPLE NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: I used a Fuji apple, and I did not peel it. (You're welcome to peel yours if you prefer!) Many sweet, firm red apples will work.

 

The apples should be cut even smaller than the size of miniature chocolate chips. I know it takes extra time and effort, but I promise it’s worth it! This small size ensures the apples will soften more while baking, and it makes the filling easier to press into the centers as well.

 

The filling does not spread while baking, so you must gently pat it down with a spatula. (The cookie part should spread a bit though, if there isn't too much flour in the dough!)

 

If you prefer more filling, then double the amounts!

 

IMPORTANT BAKING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Do not over-bake these cookies! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the bits of dough around the apple centers still feel slightly soft and underdone. The heat from the warm baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through while you let the cookies rest for 10 minutes after pulling the pan from the oven.

 

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.

 

CORNSTARCH NOTE: The cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft. If you don't have any or prefer not to use it, you can omit it. Your cookies' texture will be slightly different.

 

SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Light brown sugar may be substituted for the coconut sugar.

 

Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

 

DAIRY-FREE OPTION: Use the coconut oil option, or substitute stick-style vegan butter (I really like this one and this one) in place of the unsalted butter.

 

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, use as follows: ¼ cup (30g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, 3 tablespoons (21g) coconut flour, and ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) will work as well, if measured like this.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container. If refrigerated, they should keep for at least four days.

 

DOUBLING THE RECIPE: This recipe is easily doubled!

 

{gluten-free, dairy-free, clean eating, low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Pumpkin Pie Thumbprint Cookies
♡  Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
♡  Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies
♡  Peanut Butter Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
♡  Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
♡  Grandpa’s Thumbprint Cookies
♡  PB&J Thumbprint Cookies
♡  Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy cookie recipes!