Although the summer is passing by slowly but surely, the thought of autumn treats, the smell of cinnamon and other aromatic spices which spread through the house while the cake with apple or pumpkin is baking in the oven is very comforting. These Apple Pie Cookies with gooey caramel loaded with the cinnamon flavor are the real comfort food for cold and rainy autumn days which are coming.
If you have the time for baking, you mix the crust, peel the apple and make the filling. But, also if you are in a hurry, it doesn’t mean that you can’t treat yourself with warm, juicy mini pies because the store bought ingredients really make the job easier. Coat one crust with caramel, spread the apple pie filling, cut the second pie crust into strips and cover the filling, cut the cookies, sprinkle it with cinnamon-sugar and your mini pies are ready for the oven. After half an hour, you can pour yourself a cup of milk and enjoy your home made Apple Pie Cookies.
Ingredients
For Apple Pie Filling :
3 apples (about 1 lbs.)-peeled and sliced into 8 slices each
1-2 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoon white sugar
3 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
A dash of nutmeg
3/4 cup water
For Pie Crust :
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter cut into cubes-chilled
2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup ice water
(or you can use 1 package Refrigerated Pie Crust (2 crusts))
Filling and Topping:
1 and 3/4 cups apple pie filling-chopped into small pieces
1 cup caramel sauce
1 egg -lightly beaten
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
To make Apple Pie Filling:
Toss sliced apples with lemon juice and set aside.
In a saucepan or a pot combine cornstarch, sugar, browned sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium-high heat whisking constantly. Let it boil 2 minutes until thick, then stir in apple slices.
Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and let it simmer about 10 minutes. Apples should be soft but not mushy (cooking time depend on sort of apples). Remove apples from heat and leave them covered to soften and cooled.
When it’s cooled take out the apples from the sauce and chop into small pieces, set aside.
To make Pie Crust:
In a large mixing bowl place flour, salt and sugar and mix to combine.
Using a pastry blender incorporate chilled butter cubes into the flour mixture(the mixture should resemble coarse meal)
Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and blend, repeat with another 2 tablespoons water. When you squeeze the dough it should holds together (you may have to add more water if the dough crumbles, add 1 tablespoon at a time)
Divide the dough into two equal pieces, flatten and form two disc, pack each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
Lightly dust working surface with flour, place chilled dough, dust the dough and the rolling pin, too. Turn the dough as you rolling to prevent it from sticking. Roll it out 1/8-inch thick.
Repeat the process with the other disc.
Assembling the Apple Pie Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350 F, line cookie sheet with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray and set aside.
Spread the caramel sauce onto one pie crust.
Spread chopped apple pie filling over caramel and gently tap the filling with your palms.
Cut second pie crust into 1/2 inch strips and create a lattice top over the filling.
Using round cookie cutter (about 2.5 inch) cut out the cookies and place them onto baking sheet.
Beat the egg with a fork and brush the top of cookies.
Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle the cookies generously.
Bake 20-30 minutes (until golden brown).
