Description
Delight in the crisp, buttery goodness of Brown Butter Apple Pie Cookies. These charming treats combine a flaky, spiced pastry with a luscious brown butter apple filling, perfectly capturing the essence of autumn in every bite. Ideal for sharing or enjoying with a warm cup of tea.
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 frozen butter and pulse until pieces are pea-sized. Slowly drizzle in half the mixture of apple cider vinegar and ice water while pulsing until a shaggy dough forms. Test by squeezing a clump—if it holds, the dough is ready; if crumbly, add more liquid gradually. Divide dough into two portions: shape one into a rectangle wrapped in plastic, and the second into a disk for another use. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 3 days; freeze the second disk up to 3 months.
- Prepare the filling: Melt butter in a heavy 9-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook until it becomes honey-colored and smells nutty, about 5 minutes, swirling occasionally to prevent burning.
- Prepare apples: While butter browns, peel, halve, core the apples, and slice into ¼-inch-thick pieces.
- Cook apples: Add apple slices to brown butter, toss to coat, and cook for 2 minutes to absorb browned bits. Stir in cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, angostura bitters, and cornstarch. Press apples into an even layer and cook about 5 minutes until tender but intact. Remove from heat, taste, adjust seasoning, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in an airtight container. This can be done 1 day ahead.
- Roll out dough: Roll dough rectangle to ⅛ inch thick, about 18×11 inches, using floured parchment and plastic wrap. Chill briefly 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 a 9×6 inch rectangle, cut into ¼-inch wide strips, arrange on parchment and refrigerate.
- Assemble cookies: Divide apple filling evenly among 12 circles.
- Add lattice: Cut strips into 3-inch lengths. Arrange 4 lengths per cookie in a square frame, dabbing ends with water to secure. Roll bottom edge of pastry to seal lattice and create a border, enclosing filling.
- Brush and sprinkle: Lightly brush each pastry with buttermilk and sprinkle with Demerara sugar (about ½ teaspoon per cookie).
- Freeze before baking: Freeze cookies for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours to maintain shape when baking.
- Bake cookies: Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a second sheet pan with parchment. Place cookies spaced apart on two sheets. Bake 25 minutes until golden brown, rotating pans after 15 minutes. Use foil strips to cover any overly browned areas if needed.
- Cool and store: Cool cookies completely on wire racks. Store leftovers wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- The second disk of dough can be frozen for up to 3 months for future use.
- The apple filling can be made one day ahead and refrigerated.
- Use tart, crisp apple varieties for best flavor and texture, such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Stayman Winesap.
- Freezing the assembled cookies before baking helps maintain their shape during baking.
- Cover any parts of the pastry that brown too quickly with foil strips during baking to prevent burning.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute butter in pastry and filling with vegan butter alternatives and use alternative milk for brushing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg