Every autumn, my mom and I have a tradition of going to our favorite local orchard and picking all the apples we can carry. We never leave without some apple cider and doughnuts, before heading home to cook up some applesauce or baked treats. This year, we’re highlighting the apple pie filling that often gets overlooked by the pumpkin takeover. To make these apple pie bites, we used Sweet Loren’s Sugar Cookie dough, which is plant-based, vegan, gluten- and dairy-free, and free of peanuts and tree nuts. You can find the recipe at sweetlorens.com/apple-pie-cookie-cups/. 

To make the shells, the recipe calls for cutting each pre-portioned cookie in half, rolling in a ball, and putting in a mini muffin tin. I was worried this method wouldn’t leave much room for the filling. Baking is all about experimenting and creativity, so I played around with my own technique. 

When I prepped the first batch, I wasn’t sure if leaving them as a ball would give me the shape I was after. I flattened them and pushed the dough up the sides, which didn’t work. I made sure to spray liberally with cooking spray before baking, but only two came out of the molds in one piece. 

For the second batch, I tried more of a molding process. Using the reverse side of the tin, I made a cup shape with the dough. This worked to a degree, but also had some issues. The dough was soft and fragile when I rolled it out (with flour), making it hard to transfer to the pan. The ones that made it to the pan cracked as I shaped them, but I was able to seal the cracks with dough. I wasn’t sure if this technique would cause the dough to spread, so I separated them on every other well of the tin. They came off the tin easily, but the shape was still off. I didn’t cut the cookie dough in half, which I think ended up being too much dough. 

I went back to the original method for a third bake, but didn't press them down. These came out of the mold much more easily. Overall, both methods could work with a little trial and error. I like the back of the tin method, as it allows you to fill the shells with more apples. But if you’re looking for something more photo-worthy, the other method looked neater.

Either way, I made sure I was generous with the filling. I loved the use of coconut sugar instead of white. The filling for these treats was easy to make, combining everything in one pot on the stove. You can also top these delights with a dollop of whipped cream if you prefer. 

This is a sweet way to wow your friends at your next holiday get together. They’ll be begging for more!