Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe tastes like a tiny handheld slice of cinnamon apple pie with chewy edges and a soft, gooey center, and it works perfectly for fall gatherings, bake sales, or weeknight dessert cravings in under an hour. This recipe suits vegans, dairy free folks, and honestly anyone who loves classic apple pie flavor without the fuss of a full crust. I tested these on my very picky neighbors, and they disappeared faster than my patience at a crowded grocery store.

Why Choose This Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

These vegan apple pie cookies deliver all the cozy flavor of apple pie without rolling a big crust or babysitting a pie in the oven. You mix, scoop, top with apple filling, and bake, so beginners feel confident and experienced bakers still feel satisfied.

The recipe uses simple pantry ingredients like flour, sugar, and cinnamon, plus apples and vegan butter. You skip eggs completely, and the dough still bakes up soft and chewy with crisp edges that taste bakery level.

“These Vegan Apple Pie Cookies taste like mini pies in cookie form, and nobody guessed they were vegan at all ★★★★★”

Ingredients You’ll Need

Dry ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour (scoop and level so the cookies stay soft, not dry)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional, but it adds that cozy apple pie vibe)

Wet ingredients

• ½ cup vegan butter, softened to room temperature
  • Use stick style vegan butter, not tub margarine, for better structure.
• ½ cup organic cane sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (acts as the egg replacement and adds apple flavor)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon non dairy milk (oat or almond milk both work)

Apple pie topping

• 2 medium apples, peeled and finely diced
  • Use firm, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp so they hold shape.
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon water (thickens the filling)

Optional extras

• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling on top
• Extra pinch of cinnamon for dusting after baking

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
• Rubber spatula
• Small skillet or saucepan
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
• Cookie scoop (about 1½ tablespoons size) or a regular spoon
• Cooling rack

Tips & Tricks

• Chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes so the cookies hold shape and do not spread too much.
• Dice the apples very small so they soften quickly and sit neatly on top of each cookie.
• Use firm baking apples so the topping does not turn mushy.
• Line the baking sheet with parchment so the cookies release cleanly and the bottoms do not overbrown.
• Slightly underbake the cookies, then let them finish on the hot tray for soft centers.
• Keep the apple topping thick, not runny, so it stays on each cookie and does not leak everywhere.
• Scoop the cookie dough, then press a shallow well in the center with your thumb or a spoon to hold the apple filling.
• Bake one test cookie to check spread and adjust with a tablespoon of flour if it spreads too much.
• Cool the cookies fully before stacking so the apple topping does not glue them together.

How to Make Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the apple pie topping

Add the diced apples, vegan butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to a small skillet. Cook over medium heat and stir often until the apples soften slightly and release some juices, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the apples and cook 1 to 2 more minutes until the mixture thickens and looks glossy, then set it aside to cool.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Break up any clumps so the spices distribute evenly. Set the bowl aside.

Step 3: Cream the vegan butter and sugars

In a large bowl, beat the softened vegan butter, cane sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer until the mixture looks light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the applesauce, vanilla, and non dairy milk, then mix again until everything combines smoothly.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions. Mix on low speed until the flour just disappears and the dough looks thick and soft. Do not overmix, and scrape the bowl to catch any dry pockets.

Step 5: Chill the dough

Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. This short chill time helps the dough firm up so the cookies bake thick and chewy. During this time, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.

Step 6: Shape the cookies

Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie and place the scoops on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each one. Use your thumb or the back of a spoon to press a shallow well into the center of each dough ball. Spoon a small amount of the cooled apple topping into each well, about 1 to 2 teaspoons per cookie.

Step 7: Add finishing touches

Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar and a tiny pinch of cinnamon if you like extra crunch and flavor. Check that the apple pieces sit neatly on the dough and do not spill over the sides. Gently nudge any stray pieces back onto the cookie.

Step 8: Bake

Bake the cookies at 350°F for 10 to 13 minutes, until the edges set and turn lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft. Rotate the pans halfway through baking if your oven heats unevenly. Remove the trays from the oven and leave the cookies on the hot pan for 5 minutes so they finish setting.

Step 9: Cool

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool until just warm or at room temperature. The apple topping thickens more as it cools, which makes the cookies easier to handle. Serve warm for gooier centers or fully cooled for a firmer texture.

What to Serve with it?

These vegan apple pie cookies taste amazing with a cold glass of oat milk or almond milk. Pair them with hot coffee, chai, or spiced herbal tea for a cozy afternoon snack. I also like to serve them with a scoop of dairy free vanilla ice cream so the warm cookie melts into the ice cream a bit. Add some fresh apple slices or a simple fruit salad on the side if you want a lighter plate.

Storage Options

• Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Keep them in the fridge for 4 to 5 days if your kitchen runs warm or humid.
• Freeze the baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
• Reheat cookies from room temperature or fridge in a 300°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or in the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes, until warm and slightly crisp on the edges.
• Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature, then warm them briefly in the oven so the apple topping softens again.

Vegan Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

Vegan Apple Pie Cookies taste like tiny handheld slices of cinnamon apple pie with chewy edges and a soft, gooey center, perfect for fall gatherings, bake sales, or quick weeknight dessert cravings.

Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 24

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon non dairy milk (such as oat or almond milk)

• 2 medium apples, peeled and finely diced
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon water

• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling
• 1 pinch extra ground cinnamon for dusting

Method

 

1. Add the diced apples, vegan butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to a small skillet or saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the apples soften slightly and release some juices, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water, then pour the slurry into the apples.
4. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring, until the mixture thickens and looks glossy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, breaking up any clumps. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the softened vegan butter, cane sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Add the applesauce, vanilla extract, and non dairy milk to the butter mixture and mix again until smooth and well combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until the flour disappears and the dough looks thick and soft. Do not overmix.

1. Cover the bowl of dough and chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes so the dough firms up and does not spread too much.
2. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
3. Scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and place the scoops on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them for slight spreading.
4. Use your thumb or the back of a spoon to press a shallow well into the center of each dough ball.
5. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cooled apple topping into each well, keeping the filling neatly in the center.
6. If using, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar and a tiny pinch of cinnamon for extra crunch and flavor.

1. Bake the cookies at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft.
2. If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the pans halfway through the baking time.
3. Remove the trays from the oven and let the cookies sit on the hot pans for 5 minutes to finish setting.
4. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool until just warm or at room temperature. The apple topping will thicken as it cools, making the cookies easier to handle.

Notes

Nutrition Information
Approximate per cookie (1 of 24): 140–160 calories; fat 6–7 g; saturated fat 2–3 g; carbohydrates 22–24 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 12–14 g; protein 1–2 g; sodium 90–110 mg. Values are estimates and will vary based on specific ingredients, brands, and cookie size.

Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for 4 to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes or in an air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes until warm and slightly crisp on the edges.