Description
Brown Butter Apple Pie Cookies combine the rich, nutty flavor of brown butter with spiced tender apple filling wrapped in a flaky, buttery pastry lattice. These charming handheld treats capture the essence of classic apple pie in cookie form, perfect for dessert or a special snack.
Ingredients
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
- Buttermilk (or milk or cream), for brushing
- 1/4 cup Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse the flours, sugar, salt, and cayenne to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse until pea-sized pieces form. Combine the vinegar and ice water, and slowly drizzle in half while pulsing until a shaggy dough forms. Test by squeezing clumps; add more liquid if crumbly. Divide dough into two parts, shape one into a rectangle and wrap tightly, shape the other into a disk for later use. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes or up to 3 days.
- Prepare the filling: Melt butter in a heavy 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook until it turns honey-colored and smells nutty (about 5 minutes) while swirling the pan to prevent burning.
- Prep apples: Peel, halve, core, and slice apples into ¼-inch-thick slices while butter browns.
- Cook apples: Add apple slices to brown butter, tossing to coat. Cook for 2 minutes to pick up browned bits. Stir in cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Add brown sugar and stir. Mix in lemon zest, lemon juice, bitters, and cornstarch. Press apples into an even layer and cook about 5 more minutes until soft but intact. Remove from heat and cool before refrigerating if preparing ahead.
- Roll out dough: Roll dough rectangle to ⅛ inch thick on floured parchment to about 18×11 inches. Chill if dough becomes too soft.
- Cut dough shapes: Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut 12 circles. Place on parchment-lined sheet pan. Reroll scraps into 9×6-inch rectangle and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips. Refrigerate strips.
- Assemble cookies: Divide apple filling evenly onto the 12 circles. Cut strips into 3-inch lengths and form lattice squares on top of each, dabbing overlaps with water to seal. Fold bottom edge to make a border and seal lattice edges.
- Finish preparation: Brush each cookie with buttermilk and sprinkle with Demerara sugar (about ½ teaspoon per cookie).
- Freeze cookies: Freeze for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours before baking.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place cookies spaced apart on parchment-lined sheet pans. Bake for 25 minutes until golden, rotating pans after 15 minutes and covering dark spots with foil if needed.
- Cool and store: Cool cookies on a wire rack to room temperature. Store leftovers wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Freezing cookies before baking helps maintain pastry shape and crispness.
- Demerara sugar adds a crunchy, caramelized topping.
- Refrigerate extra dough disk for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months for future use.
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith for the best balance of sweetness and acidity.
- Brown butter adds deep, nutty flavor enhancing the apple filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
