Fall is just such a cozy time of year and apple is one of the most comforting of all the fall flavors. That was my inspiration for these Award-Winning Toffee Apple Pie Cookies. If you are looking for fall baking ideas, look no further! They are the perfect way to enjoy those apples.
A unique and tasty dessert; these are not your traditional apple pie cookies. These award-winning Apple Pie Cookies combine apple pie and toffee flavors with a fresh lemon glaze. They won Grand Prize in the Home Baking Cookie Category at "Canada’s Baking and Sweets Show 2015". They are like a toffee apple pie in cookie form.
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These toffee apple cookies embody the essence of autumn; they are crisp, but make you feel all warm inside. The lemon adds the perfect balance of tart to the sweetness of the apple pie and the toffee, well, the toffee bits make them sing!
🥘 Ingredients
For this apple pie cookie recipe you will need:
- fresh apple *you can use any type of apple
- cinnamon
- brown sugar
- granulated white sugar
- salt
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- apple sauce
- milk *I use 1% milk or skim milk
- vanilla extract
- fresh lemons
- cream cheese
- whipped cream (not whipping cream)
- egg
- pecans
- toffee bits *I use Skor
- powdered sugar/icing sugar
*see recipe card for quantities
💭 Top tip
For best results, glaze should be thick, yet pourable. You can add more or less sugar or lemon juice to achieve desired consistency. Once cookies are cooled, drizzle glaze over cookies using a spoon (or put glaze in a Ziplock bag and snip off a small corner then drizzle.)
🍽Equipment
You'll need mixing bowls, spoons, a baking sheet, a wire rack, sharp knife, cutting board, an electric mixer and a whisk (affiliate links) for this toffee apple pie cookies recipe.
👪 Serving Size
This easy recipe makes 24 servings. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
💭 Difference between Toffee, Caramel and Butterscotch
Caramel and Toffee are very similar in taste, as is butterscotch so I also consider these caramel apple pie cookies. Toffee is simply the hard candy version of butterscotch (butterscotch that's cooked longer). And the only difference between butterscotch and caramel is that butterscotch is made with brown sugar and caramel is made with white sugar. You can read more about the differences between butterscotch, toffee and caramel HERE.
🌡️Storing
Storing: The best way to store these apple cookies is in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can be made in advance and frozen.
Freezing: You can add the glaze and lemon zest in advance (prior to freezing), but I don't recommend that. Instead, add the glaze once they are completely defrosted, just prior to serving.
These delicious cookies combine apple pie and toffee flavors with a fresh lemon glaze. But it's the whipped cream that's my secret weapon in this easy apple cookies recipe. I always use whipped cream in my classic apple pie (shown below), so I thought I'd give it a try in these easy apple pie cookies. Well, it really worked!
So, if you're looking for fall cookie recipes, apple desserts, or an award-winning cookie that tastes like caramel and captures the taste of fall in a delicious and unique way, give these Toffee Apple Pie Cookies a try. They're the perfect fall dessert!
Happy fall baking!
If you LOVE apple pie, then give my award-winning Deluxe Apple Pie (award-winning) a try! *You can also make it into mini apple pies.
And be sure to check out my other cookies recipes!
📋 Toffee Apple Pie Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces about 1 cup
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup apple sauce
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup whipped cream not whipping cream, it has to be whipped- you can use the spray can of 'real whipped cream'
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 egg
- ⅔ cup toffee bits
- ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
Fresh Lemon glaze:
- 2 cups powdered/icing sugar
- 4 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350° F/175 degrees C. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper.
- Mix cinnamon, ¼ cup of the brown sugar and white granulated sugar together. Set aside.
- Cook apples in butter in microwave on high for 1 minute. Combine apple mixture with sugar and cinnamon sugar mixture until coated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- With electric mixer, beat cream cheese and remaining ½ cup brown sugar together until smooth, then add apple sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, vanilla and whipped cream and milk. Beat for 30 seconds longer. Add egg and mix until incorporated.
- Gradually add half the flour mixture, then fold in chopped pecans, toffee bits and apple/sugar mixture. Add the remaining flour mixture and stir until incorporated.
- Drop cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheet with cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon sized).
- Bake cookies in prepared oven for 20 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown (these cookies will not brown on top like typical cookies). Cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling rack and let cool for another 5 minutes.
Glaze: Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Glaze should be thick, yet pourable. (Add more or less sugar or lemon juice to achieve desired consistency).
- Once cookies are cooled, drizzle glaze over cookies using a spoon (or put glaze in a ziplock bag and snip off a small corner then drizzle.)
Sue Slaght
I can't get through this without drooling. Not great for my keyboard but very positive feedback for this delicious recipe!
Food Meanderings
Thank you, Sue! I appreciate the drool-worthy seal of approval 🙂
Linda
Looks sooo delicious!
Food Meanderings
Thank you!