If you love cheesecake and apple desserts, then you'll love these Gluten Free Apple Cheesecake Cookies. They are a mashup of delicious cheesecake and apple pie all in cookie form. Plus, they are gluten and dairy free and can be made refined sugar free!
These are such a fun cookie and perfect to bring to any fall get togethers, holiday celebrations, or just for a delicious weekend treat. A soft gluten free cookie base is filled with dairy free creamy cheesecake layer and topped with homemade apple pie filling for all the fall flavors in one bite-sized cookie!
Why You'll Love These Apple Pie Cheesecake Cookies
- Allergy friendly: these delicious apple cookies are gluten free, dairy free, and corn free. They can be made refined sugar free and can also be made nut free depending on the brand of plant based cream cheese you use.
- Made with fresh apples: we make a homemade, healthier apple pie filling to top these cheesecake cookies off. No canned apple filling here filled with junk ingredients. Apples contain lots of fiber, micronutrients, and vitamins so you can feel at least a little bit good about this sweet treat!
- Fall in a bite: both cheesecake and apple pie are a process to make, quite indulgent, and require a plate and fork to eat. These apple cheesecake cookies take both of those delicious desserts and combine them into one bite-sized treat that is easy to make, hold, and share.
Ingredients for Gluten Free Apple Cheesecake Cookies (and Substitutions)
- Dairy free cream cheese: I love the Miyoko's brand vegan cream cheese, but you can use your favorite variety or even classic cream cheese if you tolerate dairy.
- Powdered sugar: this is for the cheesecake filling. You can make a homemade, refined sugar free variety with coconut sugar, like in this recipe.
- Apples: I prefer to use a mix of apples (both green and red/pink) for a variety of flavor, but feel free to use your favorite variety.
- Coconut sugar: this is the main unrefined sweetener in the cookie base. You can use light brown sugar in a pinch.
- Gluten free flour: be sure to use a 1:1 gluten free all purpose flour blend with xanthan gum for best results.
- Tigernut or almond flour: tigernut flour is a nut free alternative to almond flour for those with an almond allergy, but almond flour works fine if you tolerate it!
- Tapioca starch: you only need a little starch to make the apple pie filling. Arrowroot starch or corn starch will also work.
- Dairy free butter or coconut oil: to keep this recipe dairy free, stick to a plant based butter or coconut oil. I've tested both and they both work.
- Applesauce: be sure to use a no sugar added variety or a cinnamon applesauce for extra cinnamon flavor.
- Eggs: you'll need 1 egg and 1 egg yolk. The egg yolks help yield soft cookies.
- Dairy free milk: any milk will work!
- Cinnamon, lemon juice, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt: feel free to sub the cinnamon for apple pie spice.
How to Make Gluten and Dairy Free Apple Cheesecake Cookies
- Make the cheesecake filling first by beating all ingredients together in a small bowl. Place in the fridge.
- Mix diced apples with other filling ingredients in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Once apples have softened, turn temperature to low and add the starch slurry. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together for the cookies in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter, applesauce, and sugars together in a large bowl on medium speed with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and beat to combine.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Let the batter sit in the fridge while you preheat the oven to 350F.
- Scoop tablespoon sized cookie dough balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Press the back of a tablespoon measuring spoon into each dough ball to create a crater in the middle.
- Fill with cream cheese mixture then scoop some apples on top.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges are golden brown and set.
- Let cookies cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Apple Pie Cheesecake Cookie Variations
- Add a caramel drizzle to the tops of the baked and cooled cookies (try my healthy homemade caramel sauce) or use apple butter.
- Blend a little bit of apple butter into the cream cheese filling. keep in mind, this may make it a bit runny, but that will be okay once baked.
How to Store Gluten Free Apple Cookies
Once done cooling, store cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. They do need to be kept in the fridge or the cheesecake filling will go bad. I suggest letting them come to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
FAQ
I prefer to use a mix of apples to get both the tart and sweet flavor. Mix Granny Smith apples and something like Fuji or Pink Lady. Stick to just one kind of apple if you love a certain variety!
This is up to you! I never peel my apples because I want all the nutrients the skin has to offer, but if you don't love the chewier bite then feel free to peel them before cooking.
In a pinch, yes, but canned apple filling is made with refined sugar and sometimes other preservatives, so it is not the healthiest option.
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 Delicious Fall Apple Recipes
Caramel Apple Crumble Cheesecake (Gluten & Dairy Free)
Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Bread
If you try these cookies, please leave a rating and review. Don't forget to tag me on social media!
Apple Pie Cheesecake Cookies
Ingredients
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz dairy cream cheese
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Apple Topping
- 2 apples, diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch arrowroot or corn starch works too
- 2 tablespoon water
Cookie Base
- 1 ½ cups 1:1 gluten free flour
- ½ cup Tigernut flour or almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup dairy free butter or coconut oil softened/room temp
- ¼ cup applesauce room temp
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 1 egg room temp
- 1 egg yolk room temp
- 2 tablespoon milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon 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 diced 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, scoop tablespoon sized balls of dough onto 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 12-15 minutes, until edges are golden and set.
- Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Enjoy!
Ann Marie Koshuta says
They look amazing!