I’m kicking off the fall recipes with these Apple Pie Cheesecake Cookies. Yes, they are gluten and dairy free! We’ve got warming cinnamon and delicious apples to bring out all the fall vibes.
Although these cookies have a few steps, they’re pretty simple to make. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to prep the components and bake. I promise it’s worth it!
What Makes Up Apple Pie Cheesecake Cookies?
A gluten free cookie base is stuffed with a dairy free cream cheese filling and topping with an apple pie topping. These cookies are completely gluten free and can be made dairy free and refined sugar free.
The gluten free cookie base for these apple cookies is the perfect chewy texture and cinnamon flavor, reminiscent of pie crust.
The dairy free cheesecake filling is basic and easy to make. Use coconut sugar powdered sugar to keep these cookies refined sugar free.
The apple pie topping is just a mix of apples and spices, bringing cheesecake and apple pie together into one amazing cookie.
Can These Apple Pie Cookies be Made Vegan?
Although these cookies can be made dairy free by using vegan cream cheese and vegan butter, they are not a vegan cookie as they do contain eggs. I have not tested a vegan version.
More Apple Recipes
Apple Pie Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 oz vegan or dairy cream cheese
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Apple Topping
- 2 apples, diced
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp tapioca starch arrowroot or corn starch works too
- 2 Tbsp water
Cookie Base
- 1 1/2 cups 1:1 gluten free flour
- 1/2 cup Tigernut or almond flour*
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter of choice softened/room temp (I used vegan)
- 1/4 cup applesauce room temp
- 1/4 cup brown or coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg room temp
- 1 egg yolk room temp
- 1 Tbsp milk of choice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the cheesecake filling first by beating all ingredients together in a bowl. Place in the fridge while you prep everything else.
- Mix your apples, lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar in a pan on medium heat. While apples cook, mix the starch and water together in a small bowl and set aside. Once apples have softened and released some of their juices, turn temp to low and add the starch slurry. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool as you make the cookies.
- Whisk the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together for the cookies.
- Beat the butter, applesauce, and sugars together on medium for a couple of minutes until more fluffy. If using vegan butter, it may separate some, that’s okay. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat to combine.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix on low until just combined.
- Let the batter sit in the fridge while you preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Once oven is ready, divide dough into ~12 balls (10-14 depending on the size you make them) and flatten slightly on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spray the back of the tablespoon measuring spoon with oil then press into each dough ball to create a crater in the middle.
- Fill each crater with a heaping teaspoon of cheesecake filling then scoop some apples on top (as many as you can fit!).
- Bake for 16-18 minutes, until edges are golden and set.
- Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once donee cooling, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. These cookies taste best the next day once all the flavors have had time to sit.
- Enjoy!
They look amazing!