Apple Pie Cookies... and a gluten-free version.

Apple Pie Cookies... and a gluten-free version. I'm sorry I don't intend on posting too many dessert recipes one after another... but I've had a few sitting in my draft that I should post. So bear with me as I "clean" my draft folder.

If you remember I posted a make-ahead pie crust recipe some time ago... a pie crust you could store in the freezer for future use. Well, I wanted to show you what I ended up doing with half the batch. I made these apple pie cookies last year, for a church Christmas hymn sing, but I'm finally getting around to posting the recipe.

The idea of making apple pie cookies might not be so new, as I'm sure many of you have seen apple pie cookie recipes floating all over the internet. Personally, I've always wanted to make them. I thought they were the cutest of things:).

Since I always make my own pie crust, I ended up using my homemade version, but this recipe can easily made with any pie crust really. You can use a ready-made store bought pie crust, or even use your own pie crust recipe that's special to you... maybe handed down from your mother or grandmother. The recipe I use is an all-butter crust...  which makes for a tender and flaky pastry-like crust.

I love adding a nut filling to my apple pies, as it gives it extra flavor and a bit of texture. It also holds the bottom of the pie crust from getting too soggy. I applied the same idea when making these pie cookies, but you can certainly skip the nut filling if you want... or you can add a bit of caramel.

While you can make simple, round, double-crusted apple pie cookies, I rather like the lattice look. It makes the cookies look a bit more elegant... more pastry-like, rather than cookies. But feel free to make the cookies without the lattice top.

And since I also made a gluten-free version, I thought to post that as well. The lattice for the GF apple pie cookies was quite a bit harder to make. I'd recommend crisscrossing the lattice part, without interweaving them, or even skipping the lattice part completely and using just round pie circles(double-crust). The GF crust is much more fragile... prone to breaking, and giving you a headache:).

Hopefully, the apple pie cookie idea is seen in this post, my intention was not to make it look too complicated:).... because it really isn't.  They're just mini apple pies... flatter... to take on the form of cookies. You'll  have a few scraps from the cutouts, but you can bake them as is, or place the scraps in x-small muffin tins.... makes really good mini "tarts". Of course, you can skip the cutouts and  make one large lattice apple pie cookie. Actually, I thought of  making one large cookie myself... but I'd probably call it an apple pie tart:).... especially if you cut it in wedges. Maybe next time. Hope you enjoy...    

You will need: makes about 20 ( 2-3 inch) apple pie cookies

Ingredients For Making Pie Cookies:

2 pie crusts
apple pie filling
nut filling, or can use a caramel filling
cinnamon, nutmeg sugar
raw sugar crystals
icing, optional
beaten egg for brushing top of pie cookies

Nut Filling: For one regular apple pie cookies recipe. Will need to make another 1/2 of the recipe for a GF version 

1/2 cup ground walnuts
1 TBS brown sugar, or to taste
1 TBS beaten egg
1/8 tsp vanilla

Apple Filling: will need only 1/2 of the filling to make the regular apple pie cookies recipe... can freeze the rest or use the rest to make the GF version below

2 large apples*
1 TBS cornstarch
4- 5 TBS sugar
2-3 TBS lemon meyer juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
* I used 1 large fuji apple + 1 large pink lady apple= 4 1/2- 5 cups sm. dice apples

Directions:

Make Nut Filling:
1. Beat egg, and remove 1 TBS beaten egg and place in a bowl. Reserve the rest of the egg for brushing the top of the cookies.
2. To the 1 TBS beaten egg, add the ground walnuts, brown sugar and vanilla. Combine all ingredients. Set aside. This nut filling makes enough for just the regular pie  cookies, but if you would like to make a gluten-free version, then you will need to make another 1/2 a batch. Set aside.

Make Apple Filling: 
1. Peel and cut apples in small dice pieces( 1/4 inch or so)... you should have about 5 cups.
2. In a medium saucepan, add diced apples, cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon. Heat on med-low and mix ingredients until combined. Cook, stirring often... till apples slightly soften and thicken. This will take about 10 -12 minutes or so. Taste filling, adjust for sweetness and add the lemon juice. Stir in the vanilla. Set aside.


Make Cinnamon Sugar + Icing:
1 TBS sugar+ 1/4 tsp cinnamon+ a few gratings of nutmeg
Powdered sugar+ a bit of water + lemon/vanilla extract to drizzling consistency

Assemble Apple Pie Cookies:

• Preheat oven to 375 deg F
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

1. Roll out one pie crust to about 12 inches in diameter... or so. 

2. Spread nut filling on bottom of crust... all the way to the edge.

3. Place about 1 cup of the diced apple filling and spread on top of the nut filling. You will have some apple filling leftover. You may freeze the rest for another use,  or use it to make another small batch of GF pie cookies , as I did.

4. Roll out second pie crust to about 12 inches and cut 1/2 inch strips. Place strips in lattice design on top of the apple filling. 

5. Brush lattice top with beaten egg, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, can add a bit of raw coarse sugar as well, if desired.

6. Using a 2 1/2- 3 inch sharp round cookie cutter, cut out cookies... making sure to leave as little a space between cutouts to maximize the number of cookies you get.

7. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet. With scraps, I like to use a mini muffin tin and bake them... this way I don't waste the scraps and turn them into mini muffin pie scraps.  You can see this in the GF version photos below.

8. Bake in preheated 375 deg F oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

9. If you like, you can drizzle some cookies with a powdered sugar icing. 

Gluten- Free Apple Pie Cookies

Note: It is best to keep pie crust cold, as it is difficult to work with if dough is soft. And use a bit of GF flour to dust work surface as you roll out dough.

You will need:

1 GF pie crust recipe, 4 pieces, rolled in 6 inch circles

1 cup diced apple pie filling

1/2 nut filling(recipe above)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 deg F
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

1. Cut pie crust in 4 pieces. You will need to work with smaller pieces, as the crust is quite fragile. Roll out one piece of the dough to about 6 inch or so.

2. Spread about 2 tablespoons or so of nut filling on crust, then add about 1/2 cup of apple pie filling and spread it to the edge.

3. Roll out another 6 inch pie crust, cut in strips and form lattice top.... 

Now, I must admit this was quite challenging as the dough breaks easily. I used a knife to lift up the strips and had many broken pieces. In the end it turned out ok. It's doable, but if you want to make it easier, you can opt to cut out small shapes and use those instead or even placing another rolled out crust on top as you would when making regular pies(w/out any lattice work). 

4. Brush top with beaten egg, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, can add a bit of raw coarse sugar as well, if desired.

5. Using a 2 1/2- 3 inch sharp round cookie cutter, cut out cookies... 

6. Place cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet.

7. Repeat the process with the other 2 pieces. 

8. With scraps, I like to use a mini muffin tin and bake them... this way I don't waste the scraps and turn them into mini muffin pies. 

9. Bake in preheated 375 deg F oven for 15 minutes or so... or until golden.

10. If you like, you can drizzle some cookies with a powdered sugar icing.

All Butter Pie Dough Crust

 

All Butter Pie Dough Crust...Years ago, my teaching assistant gave me this recipe for pie crust dough. I tried the recipe and absolutely loved it... loved the fact that it was flaky and tasty.The recipe  is actually adapted from Melinda Lee, food news radio host, who called this recipe "foolproof".

I have to admit I rarely use any other dough to make pies. This recipe makes enough dough for 2 double crust pies and a bit for decorating! That means that you can freeze one for later. Of course you can halve it and just make one double crust pie if you like.

I changed the original recipe a bit, and took out the shortening... and replaced it with all butter. I love to use all butter in my dough. Don't care too much for shortening. I know that many recipes use shortening for the flakiness it imparts. But, I think this dough is quite flaky, plus you have the real butter flavor. I also like to add flavoring to the dough, which makes it taste even better. The top crust benefits from an egg wash...it will make the crust shiny and golden. Hope you enjoy...

Tips:

Vanilla sugar, lemon/orange peel, almond flavor, are a few flavors you can add to the dough depending on the filling you use.

The dough needs to be chilled before rolling out.

You can handle the dough as much as you like, just don't overdo it. You should be able to still see some butter pieces through the dough.

If the dough is too dry, add a 1/2 TBS of water to bring it together. You shouldn't add too much water. It is best if you just place the dough in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes or so. This allows the flour to absorb the liquid and in turn be pliable enough to roll out.

You can flour your counter top well to ensure that the dough won't stick as you roll it out.

You will need: add flavoring amounts as you like or skip all together.

4 cups flour

1 3/4 cups unsalted butter, cut up

1 TBS sugar

2 tsp salt (I use kosher)

1 TBS vinegar

1 egg

1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Mix first 4 ingredients together with a fork or pastry blender. I have,of lately, started to use my food processor for this... pulsing it until the butter pieces are a bit bigger than peas, more like kidney beans.

2. In separate bowl, beat remaining ingredients.
3.Combine the 2 mixtures, stirring with a fork until all ingredients are moistened.

4. Then, with hands, mold dough into a ball.

5. Chill at least 20 minutes, before rolling it into desired shape.
6. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts.This way, you know you have enough dough for 2 double crust pies. If you like to freeze some, make sure you wrap the dough well before freezing.

7. Roll the dough out.

You can see, in the picture above, some white pieces of butter in the dough. This will make it flaky.
8. Make sure you leave about 1/2-1 inch overhang of pie dough so you can seal the bottom crust with the top crust.

9. Fill with desired filling.
10. Place top crust, crimp and glaze with egg wash.
11. Bake in a preheated 400-425 deg.F oven. Make sure you cover (tent) the pie with some foil half way through(or when it is just golden...it will continue to lightly brown even with the foil on) so that the dough won't burn.