Apple cookies are a wonderful treat any time of the year. The buttery cookies have bits of soft apples all throughout and are absolutely perfect with a warm cup of coffee or cold glass of milk. I love packing them up for a lunch box treat.
Apple cookies are just the thing to make when you need a quick treat. On my parents property, they have numerous apple trees. As I was growing up, we would pick so many apples in the autumn and make all kinds of great things from apples - apple sauce, dried apple chips and Apple Sharlotka. To this day, I still love baking with apples. Whenever the kitchen starts to smell sweet from baked apples, it brings me back to those warm memories of picking apples with my siblings in the crisp and sunny autumn days.
These cookies have such an uncomplicated loveliness - simple and quick to make and taste just as straightforward but enticingly tasty. I found the recipe from a Russian recipe forum and have been making them for years. They aren't too sweet, have a wonderful buttery vanilla flavor and are medium soft. With a dusting of powdered sugar and soft bits of baked apples throughout the cookies, you will find yourself reaching for more than one handful.
Pack them up in your kids' lunchbox, enjoy them both at home and at work and since apples are available all year long, you can enjoy them during the cold and warm seasons.
Ingredients For Apple Cookies:
- eggs - large eggs, make sure they are room temperature
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- butter - melted and slightly cooled
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- apples - any type of apples will work in this recipe
- powdered sugar, to dust the cookies
How To Make Apple Cookies
- Mix the eggs and sugar. In a stand mix with a whisk attachment or using a large bowl and a hand mixer, mix until the eggs are pale yellow and fluffy and the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and butter. The butter should not be too hot. Mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix to combine. The batter will be really thick and stiff.
- Chop the apples into small pieces. (If you chop the apples too big, they will be harder to mix into the dough and won't bake through all the way in the cookies.) Using a large wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, mix the apples into the batter. They will be harder to mix at first, but as the apples get interspersed in the batter, the batter will get softer and you'll be able to mix it all in evenly.
- Drop the cookies by heaping Tablespoon amounts onto a parchment lined baking sheet. A cookie scoop is perfect for this. Flatten them out slightly on top.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes in the preheated (375 degrees Fahrenheit oven). They will still look really pale on top and will be golden on the bottom. Don't over bake the cookies.
Serving and Storing the Cookies
Dust the cookies with powdered sugar when they have cooled off. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days, although they will taste the best and have the best texture the first 1-2 days. You can leave them uncovered the first day and then store in a paper bag or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or container.
Just like most cookies, you can also freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Want More Apple Desserts?
- The classic apple pie, with some tart cranberries - Apple Cranberry Pie
- A favorite in the Slavic country - Apple Sharlotka (Russian Apple Cake) (This is my personal favorite.)
- These cookies are dainty bite sized Apple Pies. Super addicting, you will love the juicy filled treats - Apple Pie Cookies
- Homemade Applesauce - super easy to make and such a wonderful treat.
- Yeast bread Russian rolls with an apple filling - Apple Bulochki
Apple Cookies
Simple apple cookies that are such a treat any time of the year. They are wonderful to enjoy with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk. Buttery, not too sweet and with bits of soft apple throughout the cookies, these cookies are great to enjoy at home or to pack in a lunchbox.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 55 cookies 1x
- Category: Sweets
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- ¾ - 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 oz. (1 cup) butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about 3 cups of finely chopped apples)
- Powdered sugar, to dust the cookies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, mix the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and butter. Mix to combine.
- Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, then add to the dough just until incorporated. The batter will be stiff.
- Cut the apples into very small cubes right before adding to the dough to prevent browning as much as possible. Add the apples and mix with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to combine.
- Place heaping tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets. (A cookie scoop is great to use for shaping the cookie batter and dropping onto the baking sheet.)
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until just beginning to brown around the edges. They will still be pale on top.
- Dust with powdered sugar. Store at room temperature for about 5 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
This is an updated version of the Apple Cookies recipe that was published originally on May 14, 2012. The recipe is the same; I updated the photos and clarified the instructions
These were good but definitely adding more sure next time per my kids and the neighbor kids. I would use 1 1/4 C (maybe even up to 1 1/2C). I also switched the powder sugar to powered sugar with cinnamon and I think it gave it that extra flavor.
I'm glad you enjoyed the cookies, SD:).
Hi Olga. My husband loved the combination of apple and cinnamon, how much cinnamon should I add to this recipe? Thanks
These were wonderful! My husbands coworkers loved them as well!
Hello Olga,
Do you think it would be OK to use coconut oil in place of butter? (love the recipe, but need it to be dairy free). Thanks a lot in advance.
I have never tried it, but I don't think it will work. Coconut oil will most likely give these cookies a completely different texture and flavor. I would recommend trying vegan butter instead. It usually works much better in baking recipes if you need to substitute. Butter is a pretty significant ingredient in this recipe, so that's what I would start with, although I haven't tried it myself.
my husband who is not a fan of baked apples ate 3 huge cookies. This recipe is a keeper! Highly recommend to try it.
I did 2 tbs of honey instead of the sugar and did 3 cups of oat flour instead of the white flour. Family LOVED it!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Zhanna.
Hi Olga! What did you mean by two sticks pf butter? How much in gramms please?
8 oz total, about 113 grams
Olga! These cookies were perfect, thank you for sharing! We will call them печенье шарлотка 🙂 My husband dislikes cinnamon, so it is hard for me to find apple recipes that do not include cinnamon. This was easy to make, and I actually prefer this with tea, more so than Charlotka.
Hi, Olga! Thank you very much for this easy and delicious recipe. My family loves these apple cookies!
I'm so happy to hear that, Inna! Thank you for taking the time to write.
Hi Olga, I just had some Russian Apple Jam from a Russian Military Ration; and it was amazing. I've been curious about eating and trying some ancestral food from Russia, so got some Rations, and it was amazing. Where can I find the Apple Jam in the United States? I've been searching, but haven't found it yet. Bought some Apple Butter and love that stuff. If you can let me know, that will be a great help.
I'm not sure where you can find the Apple Jam, Andrew. I have never seen it. Maybe look in a Russian store. They might have it.
Hi Olga! These cookies are delicious and soft and easy to make it. Everyone loved them. Just baked them about 30 minutes. Thank you for wonderful recipe.
Can these apples cookies be frozen?
I'm not sure, Maria, since I've never frozen these cookies myself for sure. I usually freeze the cookie dough, which works GREAT, but have never tried freezing the baked cookies. If you try it, please let me know if it works:).
We loved these cookies! The only problem is that with our oven it took several check and over 20 minutes of baking in total. For some reason it just takes longer to bake anything.
I know this is an old recipe, so you probably already heard it, but just in case - I've read somewhere that you can sprinkle cut apples with lemon to prevent browning. I tried it once, works pretty well.
Hi Olga! My son is getting married to a wonderful Russian girl and I wanted to represent her country at the cookie table. What cookies would you suggest and do they freeze well; I'm sure we will have to make some ahead of time because of time restraints!
Thanks!
I made these a few times already and they come out perfectly every time! these cookies are always a big hit!
That's awesome, Vika! I just love these simple cookies.