These 4-Ingredient Cookies Are So Much Easier Than Apple Pie

Add this recipe to your fall baking rotation.

By
Jessica Furniss
Jessica Furniss
Jessica Furniss
Jessica's food writing and photography have appeared in Food & Wine, MyRecipes, and on billboards. Currently, she specializes in creating how-to articles on baking and creative charcuterie boards for Simply Recipes, Allrecipes, and Southern Living. 
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published October 15, 2025
Jessica Furniss
Baked cookies with an apple topping placed on a cooling rack

Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

I blame my love of all things apple cinnamon on my mom. I can’t even tell you how many hours the two of us spent perusing boutique holiday stores in my childhood, and every single one of them seemed to have a giant, shiny silver carafe of warm apple cider at the ready. I would fill tiny paper cup after tiny paper cup with the warm, spiced liquid until my tummy hurt, but it was always worth it.

Anytime I smell the scent of apples and cinnamon, all those lovely holiday feelings come rushing back. That’s why I love these apple pie cookies—they’re like taking a bite of nostalgic holiday memories.

A plate of apple pie cookies with icing and filling

Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

Why You’ll Love These Fall-Inspired Cookies

These cookies only require four ingredients: store-bought sugar cookie mix, butter, an egg, and canned apple pie filling. They’re also ready in just 30 minutes. To make them, you’ll place the cookies on the baking sheet, par-bake them, then add a divot to the center. You dollop the apple pie filling inside of each indentation, then pop the cookies back in the oven to finish baking.

I love these warm, buttery cookies just as they are, but an optional cinnamon glaze really takes them to the next level. They’re best served warm, with their crispy edges and gooey apple topping reminiscent of a freshly baked apple pie.

Tips for Making My Apple Pie Cookies

  • Measure and roll: I like to use a tablespoon measuring spoon to portion the dough to be sure each cookie is roughly the same size. And if I want my cookies to be more perfectly round, I will take the extra time to roll each tablespoon into a ball before placing it onto the baking sheet. 
  • Work quickly: Since these cookies are par-baked, topped with the apple pie filling, and then baked again, it’s important to work quickly through these steps. The apple pie filling needs to be added to the hot cookies and placed straight back into the oven with no time to cool. This allows the cookies to continue baking with no interruptions that could potentially cause an uneven bake.
  • Keep the glaze thick: The recipe for the optional cinnamon glaze creates a thick, textured glaze. Since it will be added to warm cookies, it will melt some when it’s drizzled onto them. A thicker texture will allow most of the glaze to stay on top of the cookies instead of melting off and pooling around the bottom. (Although some pooling is totally okay!)
Apple pie cookies on a marble surface and cooling rack

Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

Easy Tweaks

You can change up this cookie recipe by swapping out the apple pie filling for another flavor. Cherry or peach pie filling works great for summer, while blueberry or strawberry are both delicious in the spring.

Serving Suggestions

These apple pie cookies are fantastic on their own, but they really shine when you add the cinnamon sugar drizzle. If I’m serving them as a formal dessert, I like to top them with vanilla ice cream and candied pecans for a cookie sundae. They’re also amazing with homemade or store-bought caramel drizzled on top.

If you have a little apple pie filling left over after topping the cookies, I love to serve it on a nice stack of pancakes.

4-Ingredient Apple Pie Cookies

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 20 to 24 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

For the cookies

For the cinnamon glaze (optional)

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons whole milk, plus more as needed

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Dice the pie filling:

    Pour the contents of the can of apple pie filling onto a cutting board and roughly chop the apple slices into small bite-sized chunks. Use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the pie filling into a bowl and set aside.

  3. Make the cookie dough:

    In a large bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix, softened butter, and egg. Mix according to the package directions until a dough forms.

  4. Portion the dough:

    Use a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out the dough into heaping 1-tablespoon portions. To form more perfectly round cookies, roll each tablespoon of dough into a ball before placing it on a cookie sheet. Place the cookies roughly 1 inch apart on two cookie sheets.

  5. Par-bake:

    Bake the cookies on the upper-middle and lower-middle racks until partially set, about 8 minutes, then remove them from the oven. 

    Simple Tip!

    Move to the next step immediately and work quickly so the cookies don’t get the chance to cool in between steps.

  6. Add a divot and top with pie filling:

    While the cookies are still hot from the oven, use a spoon to create a small well in the center of each cookie. Then, add 1 teaspoon of the apple pie filling to each divot. Immediately place the cookies back in the oven.

    Cookies on a baking tray being shaped with a spoon by a hand

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss
    A tray of cookies being topped with apple filling using a spoon

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss
  7. Finish baking:

    Bake the cookies until the edges turn golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

  8. Add the glaze (optional):

    Optionally, once the cookies have cooled for 2 to 3 minutes, make your glaze. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and cinnamon. Stir to create a thick glaze, adding an extra 1/2 tablespoon of milk to thin only if necessary. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the warm cookies.

    Apple pieinspired cookies with topping on a cooling rack

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss
  9. Serve:

    Serve the cookies warm.

    Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, store in a single layer in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw any frozen cookies on the counter for 1 hour before serving.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
159 Calories
9g Fat
19g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20 to 24
Amount per serving
Calories 159
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 88mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 47mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.