Apple Crisp Cookies with a pie crust bottom, sweetened spiced apples and brown sugar oat topping. Mini apple crumbles perfect for sharing!
This adorable Cookie Recipe combines the best parts of Apple Pie and our Ultimate Apple Crisp into a portable, mini Apple Crisp Pie. Perfect for a holiday cookie tray or a cute gift for neighbors and friends.
Apple Crisp Cookies combine the two most comforting fall apple desserts, Apple Crisp and Classic Apple Pie, in one delicious handheld treat. The best part is? Only a small amount of apples, because everyone knows the best part of a crisp and a pie are the delicious, buttery, crispy shells!
You may have seen some adorable Pinterest photos of Apple Pie Cookies, with the cute crust and everything. They look beautiful, and also like a lot of work. The best part about this recipe is that the topping is as equally easy as it is cute. You don’t have to worry about the cookies looking delicious, the crumble will take care of that for you and the bottoms brown nicely because of the pie crust. The inside is still delicious, chewy, moist and still has a hint of liquid filling.
While the recipe calls for the classic Granny Smith apples, you can use your favorite baking apples. This recipe is especially fun to make in the fall if you’ve been apple picking with the kids. Kids can help with cutting out the pie crusts with a cookie cutter, stirring up the apple mixture, and sprinkling the oat topping on the cookies before baking.
These Apple Crisp Cookies will be right at home on a holiday cookie platter along with our Award Winning Gingerbread Cookies, Crinkly Brownie Cookies, and Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies.
How to Make Apple Crisp Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin tin with baking spray (you’ll use it twice or spray two muffin tins).
- Cut 24 two inch circles out of your pie crust. If you need to, gather your scraps and re-roll them to ¼ inch thickness. Add the pie crust to the muffin tins.
- In a small saucepan add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and cornstarch. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the apples are softened and thickened.
- To make the crisp topping, add the flour, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, salt, oats and butter to a bowl and combine with either a hand mixer or pastry cutter.
- Add one tablespoon of apple filling to each muffin well, then add two tablespoons of the crumble topping on top.
- Optionally, give the tops a quick spray with canola oil to help hold the topping together.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool completely before carefully removing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Granny Smith apples are typically used for baking recipes, because their tartness is a good balance for the cinnamon and sugar you’ll add. You can also use other apple varieties like Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady, or a combination for a variety of flavors and textures.
Absolutely! Use a store-bought pie crust to make this Apple Crisp Cookie recipe even easier. Most frozen pie crust comes in a double package, and you only need one crust for this recipe, so keep the other frozen to use another time.
In addition to cinnamon, try adding a touch of other warm spices like ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and star anise. Or try using this easy Pumpkin Pie Spice or your favorite store bought blend. Try adding extra cinnamon to the oat topping for more spiced flavor, or grate whole nutmeg on top for a beautiful and fragrant finish.
Always use old-fashioned oats when baking. These are also called rolled oats because they are processed by being rolled flat so that they cook in about 10 minutes. Instant oats are rolled and also steamed so they can be cooked in about 1 minute, but this makes them not ideal for baking as they will become mushy instead of crispy on your topping. You need the firmness of the rolled oats to stand up to the baking, the others will disappear into the topping when baked and become mushy.
When giving cookies as a gift, you want to bake them as fresh as possible before wrapping and gifting (see the tips below on preparing the dough in advance). Make sure they are cooled completely, and package them in tissue paper to keep them from cracking. For cookies that can be sticky like these Apple Crisp Cookies, you may want to separate layers of the cookies with parchment paper. If your gift box or tin is not air tight, wrap the entire box in a clear plastic bag and tie with a decorative ribbon. Then your gift wrap also serves to help keep the cookies fresh!
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Key Ingredients in Apple Crisp Cookies
- Pie Crust: Make an easy Homemade Pie Crust or just use a store bought frozen crust and thaw according to the package instructions. The crust on the bottom layer of these cookies makes them look and taste like mini apple pies with a crispy oat topping.
- Apple Filling: Look for medium apples that don’t have any bruises or wrinkling on the skin. When you simmer the peeled and diced apples with sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch, the juices from the apples will combine with the other ingredients to make a delicious sticky apple pie filling for your mini crisp cookies.
- Crisp Topping: The crunchy streusel topping is made with flour, white sugar, brown sugar, salt, oats and butter. Make sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats and not instant oats whenever you are baking.
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Variations on Apple Crisp Cookies
- Crumble Topping: If you’re not a fat of old-fashioned oats, you can leave them out and use this same apple cookie recipe to make apple crumble cookies.
- Caramel: Turn these into Caramel Apple Cookies by drizzling them withSalted Caramel Sauce. You can also add chopped caramel candies or caramel baking chips to the homemade apple filling.
- Chocolate: Stir mini chocolate chips into the apple mixture or drizzle with Chocolate Ganache after they’ve cooled.
- Peanut Butter: Apples and peanut butter are an amazing combination not just for kids. Stir some peanut butter baking chips into the apple filling, or soften peanut butter by warming it in the microwave in 10 second increments and drizzle on top.
- Fruit: Substitute some of the apple for other fresh fruits like diced pear, peaches, or berries for a delicious fruity cookie crisp. You can also mix in dried fruit like cranberries, dates, or raisins.
- Nuts: Add chopped pecans, almonds, walnuts, or peanuts to the crisp topping for an extra nutty crunch.
How to Store Apple Crisp Cookies
- Serve: Apple Crisp Cookies can be enjoyed after cooling and removing from muffin tin.
- Store: In an airtight container, Apple Crisp Cookies will keep at room temperature up to 3 days and in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
- Freeze: Freeze cookies in a sealed plastic freezer bag, separated by parchment paper so they don’t stick, for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
Ingredients
- 1 Pie Crust , (you can make half that recipe)
- 5 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cup rolled oats , (not instant)
- 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter , diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add baking spray or grease regular muffin tin (you’ll use it twice or spray two muffin tins).
- Cut 24 two inch circles out of your pie crust.
- If you need to, gather your scraps and re-roll them to ¼ inch thickness.
- Add the pie crust to the muffin tins.
- In a small saucepan add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and cornstarch.
- Cook for 5-7 minutesuntil the apples are softened and thickened.
- To make the crisp topping, add the flour, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, salt, oats and butter to a bowl and combine with either a hand mixer or pastry cutter.
- Add one tablespoon of apple filling to each muffin well.
- Add two tablespoons of the crumble topping on top.
- I give the tops a quick spray with canola oil, but it is totally up to you. I find it helps hold the topping together.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Let cool completely before carefully removing.
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Photos used in a previous version of this post.
Small apples? Large apples? Would be better to know how many cups of diced apples is required. Making this now so I have to wing it.
Can these be frozen for just a week? (So I can make ahead of time)
Please remove the picture from the post and replace with one that actually looks like the end product. It looks so delicious but was disappointed with the end result, did turn out like your photos at the end of your post 🙁
These cookies sound yummy. I’ll try them the next time I buy apples
YUM
For the Crisp Topping can you delete the granulated sugar and use 1 cup of brown sugar instead?
If you love apple pie, apple crisp, apple anything, these cookies are fabulous. I had to bake a bit longer than recommended to get the bottom to crisp. You will not be able to stop eating these!
Hi, tried this recipe a couple of times. First time, not so much but the second time…amazing. I did make a couple of little changes. First I made these in mini cups and for the topping I melted the butter which made everything come together a little better. And btw… because I had to make a lot ahead of time I did experiment with freezing, and it worked. Bake fully and let cool completely, store in freezer proof containers and when ready to defrost just let them sit out. We tried reheating but they were better at room temp. All in all, I would certainly make these again.
These are my family’s favorite. Thank you for the recipe! One year I had extra apple mixture and crumble so I used the crumble in place of the pie crust and…oh my…delicious. Just in case it happens to any one else.
Thank you Sandy!
Oh my! These are very good, my granddaughter loves apple crisp for her birthday so I made these to send home with her. (If i can keep my husband and out of them!
Really good but more like a tart than a cookie.
They turned out excellent. I was wondering if you can freeze them?
Can you freeze these Apple Crisp Cookies?
A lady above said she froze them and they were fantastic when brought back to room temp.
I followed the recipe exactly as written and these were fabulous!
Yay! Thanks for the 5 stars, Terri.
This receipe is the best one I ever did, it is succulent and easy to make. Merci !
Yay! Thanks for the 5 stars, Diane.
I’ve made these for years! They are soooo good! And sooo easy!! I actually make a caramel sauce and drizzle over the top! So yummy!
That sounds heavenly!
Made a Gluten Free version of pie crust. Apples abound from our tree. Substituted Almond and coconut flours in lieu of APF in crumble. As one rater said, “didn’t look like picture” but they were a hit of the crowd!
What can i use instead of pie crust? GF would be better for me.
You can always make a GF pie crust or buy a premade one.
Just made these today and my husband gives them a thumbs up. They are very good. I told him mine don’t look like the picture and he didn’t care because they were so good. In your pic you can see some apples and everything is nicely caramelized but mine don’t look anything like that. The receipt says 2 tablespoons of topping and it seems to me the topping was to thick for the apples to show through. I baked it an additional 7 minutes and was afraid to go any longer. The top crust was set and they popped out nicely. The appearance isn’t bad it’s just not like the pic.
Mine cooked the same. Didn’t look like the photo at all. Wished they had. Recipe was easy enough.
Has anyone tried instant oats instead of old fashioned? Could I substitute with the instant?
I don’t recommend instant, they won’t be as firm or hold up as well to give you that signature crisp.
This weekend is our local Blueberry Festival and I’m wondering if I could substitute blueberries for the apples?
What a great idea. My gut is telling me it would work, my only concern would be the amount of liquid the blueberries would create. I’d love for you to let me know how they turn out if you try it with blueberries!
SO good! Made the crust the night before. The apples are simple and delish. I just baked until they were nicely browned. Popped right out of the pan easily even warm. Thank you for sharing! These are going to Bible study tonight. I added a photo to Pinterest.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
They were a hit! I’m making them today for a bake sale!
Where is the recipe for the pie crust. I didn’t see a hyperlink. Thanks
So sorr about that. Here’s the link: https://dinnerthendessert.com/apple-slab-pie-with-spiced-glaze/
One word… “AMAZING”!
Thank you so much, Teresa!
Do you think I could follow this recipe except make it as a pie? So instead of cutting circles out of the pie dough, just throw all the ingredients into the pie tin, then add the topping? If so, do you think I’d need 2 pie crusts or just one? Thanks!
If you’re looking for a pie, try this one.
https://dinnerthendessert.com/apple-crisp-pie/
These cookies are DELICIOUS!! Recipe a keeper for sure as a favorite!!
Am in the process of baking and they are not caramelizing like yours did. What did I do wrong? How do I get them to caramelize?
Oh no, I’m just now seeing this. It sounds like maybe they needed to bake longer?
Hello. I just found this recipe and my friend and Iwant to make it. Did anybody try making it in an ait fryer? That’s our aim.
Astrid, I’d love to know how it worked in an AirFryer instead of the oven. Any changes?
Can you use any kind of apple? I’m not a fan of Granny Smith.
Yep, use whatever you like 🙂
Can these be frozen ?
I wouldn’t recommend it. I’m not sure they’ll hold up.
Can they be frozen
I wouldn’t suggest it. I don’t think they’ll hold up well in the process, sorry.
Did you homemade your pie crust? Or did u buy from store
You could do it either way.
Hi. I make pies and crisps alot. I don’t make my crust. The best pie crust is the one by the butter. Soo much better than the frozen one. It’s made by Pillsbury and you get 2 per box. Not expensive.
These were incredibly good. My son says they are his new favorite. They did not turn out like cookies at all though. They were more like little apple tarts that were about an inch thick. They also stuck to the muffin tin even though they were thoroughly greased. Any ideas. I will be making them again and trying to figure out how to make them more like your cookies.
Could be the muffin tin. Sometimes if there is a residue built up it decreases non-stick power. Also, I would even suggest a silicone muffin pan. Those can help you gently remove the cookies/tarts without breaking them. Here is an inexpensive option: Silicon Muffin Tin
I made this cookie for Christmas. Thank you so much, my family love them. I made them your way and I changed them another way by using sugar cookie mix. I used premade dough. I also used a bit more butter in the topping. Everyone loved both ways. I will be making these for years to come. Thank you again. Great recipe!!
You’re welcome! So glad you and your family enjoyed them!
Just made these yesterday, and they are DELICIOUS! The only change I made was adding some roughly chopped roasted salted almonds to the crumble mixture, which…yum! They didn’t look anything like your photos, and I was stressing out about it at first. The crumble didn’t caramelize nearly as much as yours. I even left them in the oven for 45 minutes, then turned the broiler on to get the tops a little more brown. Anyway, it didn’t matter that they didn’t look like yours. The cookies were fantastic and everyone loved them. I think I love them even more this morning with my cup of coffee 🙂 Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Love your addition idea! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Yeah almonds or pecans?
How many cups (approximately) are five Granny Smith apples? It doesn’t say whether they’re large or medium size. Thank you.
I’d say probably about 5 cups once diced. I always get medium sized apples, sorry for not noting it.
What is the best way to store these and for how long will they be tasty?
Single layer in a covered container. If the pie crust bottom seems a bit soft, you can pop it in a toaster oven for just a few minutes on a low setting or in the oven for 5-6 minutes. When it cools the bottoms should be crisp again.
what did I do wrong? My first question is how much flour was I suppose to add? The directions say add flour but it never states how much. Th first batch I did just as it said (guessing for the flour) and there was no way I could get them out. We ate them as pies. The second batch I switched from 1 tbsp filling and 2 tbsp crumble to 1 tsp filling and 1 tsp crumble, plus we lined the muffin tin with cupcake wrappers. They are cooling as we speak but I really want this concept to work for me. Any ideas what I did wrong?
Yikes! So sorry about that, the flour line got deleted somehow. I usually am pretty good at catching when I accidentally delete something but I totally missed it there. I updated the recipe to reflect it. With the updated ingredients list you definitely shouldn’t need the liners anymore. I would still grease the pans though and wait a good ten minutes or so before trying to remove the cookies since you want the crust to cool. Again, so sorry about that mix up, I wish I could deliver you a batch of these cookies to make it up to you!
Where is the updated recipie?
The recipe card was updated 🙂
These need to show up during all my snack times!! 😀
I love apple crisp so much! These cookies are such a great idea.
Thanks, Laura! They came out really tasty!
These muffins look delicious! Your photos made me hungry! 😀
Oh man do these cookies look good! We also have apples on hand so I’ll have to give these a try 🙂
You won’t regret it! Enjoy!
These little cookies are calling my name! I want them all please 🙂
You’ll have to wrestle my husband for them! 🙂
These are too cute! And I’m totally with you on the butter shell being the best part 😀
These cookies are genius! Seriously – such a great twist on a classic!
Thanks, Cathy!
Oh man, my husband would eat the entire batch of these before they even cooled! LOL I can imagine dipping these little gems in ice cream. Or frosting. Or coffee. Or anything!
OMG these sound so flavorful and perfect and I love those green apples!
I agree – green apples are pretty much perfect for baking!
These are so much fun…AAAANNNDDD I have everything to make a batch right now!
Come back and let me know how they turned out!
I’m totally smitten by any thing apple. So you know that these cookies will be on my mind ALL day! These are fantastic!
Thanks, Lora! Come back and let me know how you liked them after you bake them! 😉
Yum! These are so adorable and look so good.
What a delicious looking snack! Be great to munch on all day!
I could only munch on them for a couple hours before my family had devoured the entire batch!
OH MY GOSH I love this idea! apple pie and crisps are some of my favorite summer treats, and in cookie form? genius!
Thanks, Kristina! I was pretty proud of myself for putting this together!