Apple Pie Cookies

For the past six years, I've hosted a Christmas Cookie Exchange party. It's absolutely one of my favorite days of the year and this year was no exception. I am truly blessed to have friends and family who share my love for baking show off their mad skills for a chance to win a couple of prizes.

Each year we have new and exciting cookie creations and old favorites. Some of the more adventurous cookies in past years were baklava, homemade oreos, and lavender infused cookies. Combined create a delicious platter of cookies to be taken home and enjoyed by their friends and family. What better way to spread Christmas Cheer than through sweets?

This year, I decided to challenge myself and venture outside of the "normal" cookie you'd expect at Christmas and try a high altitude version of Smitten Kitchen's Apple Pie Cookies. Instead of an apple pie flavored cookies, these glorious cookies are exactly what they sounds like, mini versions of an apple pie in cookie form.

The pie crust is a high altitude recipe that makes two 9" rounds, perfect for any pie and my go to recipe when a pie crust is required.




Pie Crust
2 sticks unsalted butter cut into 1/4" cubes, very cold
12.5 ounces flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp sour cream
1/3 cup ice water

1. Place cubed butter in freezer for 10 minutes.
2. Process flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined.
3. Add butter, pulse in 1 second intervals until butter is size of large peas (about 10).
4. Combine sour cream and ice water in small bowl.
5. Add 1/2 of the sour cream mixture and pulse for 3, 1 second intervals.
6. Repeat step 5.
7. Pinch dough with fingers making sure there is no dry flour remaining. Add 1-2 tbsp of water to achieve desired consistency.
8. Turn dough out onto work surface. Make two 4" discs.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. 1-2 hours (or up to 2 days)

Filling/Assembly
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
preheat oven to 375 degrees

3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp Apple Pie Spice
1 large egg
coarse sugar for coating

1. Roll out chilled dough to about 1/8" thick. Cut rounds with 2 1/2" biscuit cutter.
2. Thinly slice peeled apples and cut with smaller biscuit cutter, about 1 3/4".
3. In a small bowl, combine sugar and spice. Coat apple in sugar mixture.
4. Add apple slice to one dough round, add top dough round and pinch slides closed. Use a fork to crimp edges and make small slits on top of cookie.
5. In a small bowl, whisk egg with tsp of water to make egg wash. Use pastry brush to apply to top of cookies. Sprinkle with course finishing sugar and add to parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cookies are puffed up and edges are golden brown. Transfer to wire rack. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.