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Apple crisp cookies are like a classic apple crisp but in cookie form. They have a brown sugar cookie base topped with cinnamon apple filling and a crunchy buttery oat topping. They are the best fall cookie!
I actually don’t know where my love for apple crisp began, it certainly wasn’t in my own home for my Mom hates cooked apples. And I don’t know when it began because I don’t remember a time in my life that I didn’t love hot apple crisp with that brown sugar oat crumble on top.
Pause this conversation for a sidebar.
I do not want a few dry oats, nor do I want a soggy oat topping on my apple crisp. I want to practically feel like I’m devouring both apple pie and a warm oatmeal cookie when I dig in. Restaurant apple crisp disappoints me 9/10.
But back to my meanderings. Apple crisp feels like the perfect dessert no matter the time of year. It’s warm for those bundle up, freezing cold months and it’s All-American for summertime BBQs. But it’s also one of those desserts that’s a little hard to take to a big gathering, so after making a batch last fall I suddenly had the thought- this should be a cookie!!
And that my friends is why you’re here today. Because not only did I do exactly what I thought, but oh my goodness, this is the best cookie ever!!!
What Do I Need to Make Apple Crisp Cookies?
I’m going to give you a quick overview of what ingredients you will need for each part of this recipe, but there is quite a bit of overlap between the components. So the list of ingredients really isn’t as long as it appears! Here is what you will need…
- Crisp Topping: Flour, Old Fashioned Oatmeal, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Salt and Unsalted Butter
- Cookie Base: Unsalted Butter, Cream Cheese, Brown Sugar, White Sugar, Egg, Vanilla, Flour, Cornstarch, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt
- Apple Filling: Apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), Sugar, Water, Ground Cinnamon, Salt and Cornstarch
- Glaze (optional): Unsalted Butter, Powdered Sugar, Vanilla Extract and Milk
Keep scrolling to the end of this post to see the measurements of each ingredient.
How to Make Apple Crisp Cookies
There are four different components to these apple pie cookies, and I’ll walk you through the steps for each one. These cookies take a little more work than say an average chocolate chip cookie, but believe me, they are worth the effort! Here is what to expect:
- Crisp Topping
- Combine all the ingredients, except the butter, in a large bowl and then cut in the butter. Use your hands to incorporate everything. The mixture will be like a thick dough.
- Spread onto a baking sheet and bake until crunchy. Let it cool and then crumble it up.
- Apple Filling
- Prep the apples and then combine with the sugar, salt and cinnamon in a small saucepan and heat them up.
- Cover the pot let them cook until softened.
- Combine the cornstarch and water and then add to the apples and cook until thickened. Let it cool.
- Cookie Base
- Preheat the oven and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream the butter and then add the cream cheese and cream again.
- Add in the sugars and mix until smooth. Then add the vanilla and eggs and combine.
- Whisk together all the dry ingredients and then add them to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
- Scoop out 8-10 large cookies and roll into a ball then roll in cinnamon sugar. Place them on the baking sheets and refrigerate if you have the time.
- Using the back of the cookie scoop or a tablespoon, make a well in the middle of each ball then bake the cookies.
- When they are done baking, use the back of tablespoon or scoop again to indent the center again.
- Bake a couple minutes longer if needed. Indent them one more time. You want a good well for the filling but make sure you aren’t making them too thin. Let them cool completely.
- Once cooled, add some apple filling to each cookie and top with the oat crumble and the vanilla glaze if desired.
- Glaze
- Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat and then pour into a bowl.
- Whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Then add milk a needed to get it the consistency you desire.
- Drizzle over the top the cookies.
All of these instructions in complete detail can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. PRO TIP: Every component can be made up to two days ahead of time, so if doing everything on the same day is a little overwhelming, you can totally space the steps out.
What Apples to Use for Apple Crisp Cookies
I love the flavor of Granny Smith apples in desserts because the apple flavor is so strong and tart. And of course you can never go wrong with honeycrisp!
Tips for Making the Best Apple Crisp Cookies
- Dice the apples into similar sizes so that they cook evenly.
- Because apples hold a lot of moisture, these cookies won’t keep well for too long before they will start to get soggy. So eat up!
- The vanilla glaze is totally optional, but the taste just takes it over the top for me!
Storage Tips
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will only keep for about a day. They also don’t freeze well. This recipe only yields 8-10 cookies, so give one to each member of the fam and then share the rest with neighbors!
Now listen, I took our key lime cookie and thought, that could make a killer peach crisp cookie which then made me think about an apple crisp cookie and that’s my give a mouse a cookie story because THESE APPLE CRISP COOKIES ARE TO DIE FOR!!!!!! So stinking good!!!
More Apple Desserts to Try:
- Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting
- Apple Brown Betty
- Easy Apple Dumplings with Sprite
- Apple Pie Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
- Mini Dutch Apple Cheesecakes
- Apple Pie Bombs al la Mode
- Caramel Apple Sweet Rolls
- Apple Pie Pull-Apart Bread
- Apple Cider Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting
- Apple Pie Fried Ice Cream
Watch How These Cookies are Made…
Apple Crisp Cookies
Ingredients
Crisp Topping
- 1/2 Cup Flour
- 3/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal
- 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- Dash of Salt
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cut into small cubes
Cookie Base
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened, not warm
- 2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/3 Cup White Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 3/4 Cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Apple Filling
- 3 Granny Smith or Honeycrisp Apples, peeled and diced small
- 1/3 Cup Sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons Water
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Optional Glaze
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoons Milk, or half and half
Instructions
Crisp Topping
- In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, seasonings and oatmeal.1/2 Cup Flour, 3/4 Cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal, 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon, Dash of Salt
- Stir everything together.
- Add the butter cubes and using a pastry cutter begin to cut in the butter. As the butter begins to be incorporated into the mixture, switch to using your hands and squeeze and mix everything together until it is like a very thick dough and no flour remains.6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool then crumble in small chunks.
Apple Filling
- Peel, core, and dice the apples.3 Granny Smith or Honeycrisp Apples
- Over medium heat, stir in apples, sugar, salt and cinnamon.1/3 Cup Sugar, 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, Pinch of Salt
- Cover and cook stirring occasionally for 4-6 minutes or until very slightly softened.
- In a small dish combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Add to the pan while stirring and continue to cook until apples are soft and filling is thickened. Set aside to cool.1-2 Tablespoons Water, 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Cookie
- Preheat oven to 350 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream the butter until smooth then add in the cream cheese and cream again.1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, 2 Tablespoons Cream Cheese
- Add in sugars and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, 1/3 Cup White Sugar
- Scrape the sides of the bowl down and mix in the vanilla and egg.1 Large Egg, 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the mixer and mix until 1/2 the flour is incorporated then switch to a wooden spoon and gently fold together.1 3/4 Cups Flour, 1 teaspoon Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Salt
- Using a large cookie scoop, scoop out 8-10 large cookies then roll into a ball.
- Roll the dough in cinnamon sugar then place 4 at a time on a baking sheet. We like to refrigerate covered with plastic wrap at this point so they will spread as little as possible but it is not necessary. The dough not being baked should, however be refrigerated until use.
- Make a well using a tablespoon in the center of each ball.
- Bake 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately press using a small glass or measuring cup to indent the center for the filling one more time.
- Bake an additional minute or two or until the center does not appear shiny and doughy.
- Set aside to cool completely, pressing with the glass a final time if needed.
- Once everything is cool, add the filling, top with a little crumble and a drizzle of glaze if desired.
Glaze
- In a saucepan, brown the butter over medium heat then pour off into a bowl. Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla, adding a little milk if needed.2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1 Tablespoons Milk
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made these today and they were scrumptious and a huge hit!!!
Thank you so much Paula!! So glad you enjoyed them!