Description
These Brown Butter Apple Pie Cookies combine the flaky richness of a spiced, buttery pastry with a tender, cinnamon-gingered apple filling. With a delicate lattice top and a hint of lemon and bitters, these cookies bring all the cozy flavors of apple pie into a perfectly sized handheld treat, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pastry
- 1 1/2 cup (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (99 grams) spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 cup (8 ounces/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed, frozen for 15 minutes
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup ice water
Filling
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 small crisp, tart apples (such as Braeburn, Stayman Winesap, or Granny Smith)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 3 tablespoon tightly packed brown sugar
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 dash angostura bitters
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Finishing
- Buttermilk (or milk or cream), for brushing
- 1/4 cup Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse flours, sugar, salt, and cayenne to combine. Add frozen cubed butter and pulse until pea-sized pieces form. Slowly drizzle half of combined vinegar and ice water while pulsing until a shaggy dough forms that holds together when squeezed. Divide dough into two portions, shape one into a rectangle wrapped in plastic wrap, refrigerate at least 20 minutes; pat second into a disk and save for another use or freeze.
- Prepare the filling: In a heavy 9-inch skillet over medium heat, melt butter and cook until it turns honey-colored with a nutty aroma (~5 minutes), swirling occasionally to prevent burning.
- Prepare apples: Peel, halve, core apples, and slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces while butter browns.
- Cook the apples: Add apple slices to brown butter, toss to coat and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Add brown sugar and stir. Then add lemon zest, lemon juice, bitters, and cornstarch; stir and press apples into an even layer. Cook for 5 minutes until apples soften but remain intact. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, refrigerate in airtight container. Can be made a day ahead.
- Roll out the dough: Roll chilled dough rectangle to 1/8 inch thick, approximately 18×11 inches, using floured parchment and plastic wrap. Chill if dough becomes too soft.
- Cut dough shapes: Use a 3-inch round cutter to make 12 circles on dough; place on parchment-lined sheet pan. Reroll scraps into roughly 9×6-inch rectangle and cut 1/4-inch wide strips; refrigerate strips separately.
- Assemble cookies – adding filling: Divide apple filling evenly among 12 pastry circles.
- Construct lattice borders: Cut dough strips into 3-inch lengths, lay 4 strips per cookie in a square frame over apples, dabbing ends with water to attach. Roll bottom edge of pastry around border to seal and create a neat edge.
- Finish pastry surfaces: Lightly brush each cookie with buttermilk, then sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon Demerara sugar on top.
- Freeze before baking: Freeze cookies at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours to help maintain shape while baking.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place cookies spaced apart on parchment-lined sheet pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown, rotating pans after 15 minutes. Cover any overly dark areas with foil as needed.
- Cool and store: Remove cookies from oven, cool completely on wire racks. Store wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Freezing the dough and cookies helps maintain structure and ease handling.
- The apple filling can be prepared a day in advance to save time.
- Spelt flour adds a nutty flavor and tender texture but can be substituted with all-purpose flour if unavailable.
- Adjust the amount of sugar and spices in the filling to suit your preferred sweetness and spice level.
- Use tart, crisp apples for best texture and flavor contrast.
- Covering the cookies with foil if they brown too fast prevents burning while allowing the center to cook through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
