Apple Cookies (Scones)
on Nov 08, 2021, Updated Nov 26, 2025
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My mom’s Apple Cookies (Scones) 🍎 are heavenly. My mom is so incredibly talented in the kitchen and she (along with my dad and grandmothers) inspires me every day with her simple but delicious comfort foods. In Bulgaria we call these Kourabie 🇧🇬. More like little morsels of cake or scones, these “cookies” are warm, sweet, moist, and best enjoyed fresh. With only 7 ingredients, these come together in a snap!
Key Takeaways
- This Apple Cookies (Scones) recipe is warm, sweet, and moist, made with just 7 ingredients and inspired by family traditions.
- You can easily prepare these cookies in a few simple steps.
- Enhance your Apple Cookies (Scones) with spices like cinnamon or add nuts for texture.
- Baked cookies can be frozen for enjoying later, and you can even make the dough ahead of time.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Apple Cookies (Scones)
You will fall in love with this Apple Cookies Recipe because they are warm and comforting, with a natural sweetness from apples 🍎. Each bite is soft and tender with just the right amount of texture, thanks to the juicy apple chunks that keep the cookies moist and flavorful. The texture is a cross between a cookie and a scone. Requiring just basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, apple these cookies are incredibly easy to make. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or need to use up some excess apples, these are perfect!
Ingredients
🎂 Sugar: I use caster sugar, but pure granulated cane sugar is a totally fine substitute.
🧈Butter: The butter should be softened so it easily mixes with the other ingredients, making a uniform batter.
🥚Eggs: Eggs add structure, density, and richness to these cookies.
🍦Vanilla Bean Paste: Gives these cookies that cozy, classic vanilla scent with vanilla bean paste. You can also use pure vanilla extract.
🌾 All Purpose Flour: Flour makes up the base of this recipe. I have not tried making this with a gluten-free alternative.
🥄 Baking Powder: Two and a half teaspoons may seem like a lot, but plenty of baking powder is what helps these cookies rise and get super fluffy.
🍎 Apple: I like Honeycrisp or Fuji best.
Nonna’s Tip 🍎
Adding ground spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice, enhances the flavor of the apples and make this Apple Cookies recipe even more delicious.
Variations and Substitutions for Apple Cookies (Scones)
- Adding ground spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice enhances the flavor of the apples. Add about 1 teaspoon to the batter.
- You can also add chopped nuts 🌰, like walnuts or pecans (about 1/4 cup), or whole pine nuts.
- Additionally, raisins (about 1/4 cup) add extra texture and flavor.
- Istead of apples, you can also use firm pears 🍐.
Similar Recipes
Honey Almond Cookies
30 mins
Snowball Cookies
30 mins
Shortbread Butter Cookies
27 mins
Italian Amaretti Cookies
25 mins
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
3 hrs 23 mins
Best Served With
- Serve these Apple Cookies with a warm cup of coffee or tea ☕ , or a Pumpkin Spice Latte.
- These are best enjoyed warm from the oven, so be sure to have your beverage ready.
- Serve these as part of a fall-inspired dessert platter alongside my Pumpkin Pie 🎃, Easy Apple Cake, and Pumpkin Spice Donuts.
Common Questions
Firm apples like Honeycrisp or Fuji work well because they hold their shape when baked and provide a nice contrast to the soft cookie dough. You can also use firm pears.
Sifting the flour helps prevent lumps and ensures a lighter, fluffier cookie. If you don’t have a sifter, whisking the flour with a fork or whisk works.
Absolutely! Adding ground spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice enhances the flavor of the apples.
Yes, you can make the dough/batter ahead of time and refrigerate it. If the dough is too firm to scoop after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
Yes, you can freeze the baked cookies. Place them in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag, and they’ll keep well. You can also freeze the cookie dough: scoop into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a container.
I haven’t personally tried it, but I don’t see why not! Let me know in the comments if you have success making these with a gluten-free flour instead.
Apple Cookies (Scones)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter, softened (8 tablespoons)
- ½ cup caster sugar, or granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teapsoon pure vanilla bean paste
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ apples, peeled and diced (such as Honeycrisp)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl or stand mixer, add the softened butter and sugar. With the paddle attachment on the mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter together until smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder with a spoon or whisk. Sift the dry ingredients gradually.
- You should have a sticky dough that holds its shape. If needed, switch to a rubber spatula or use your hands.
- Stir the diced apples into the cookie dough and mix until incorporated. (I like to use my hands for this part.)
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop up the batter. Even out the bottom of the cookies by pressing the scoop against the sides of the bowl. Then transfer the leveled out scoops of dough to the baking sheet. (Our batter made 14 big cookies but you can make them as small or as big as you like.)
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool, then enjoy warm!
Nonna’s Notes
- Don’t Sweat It: When my mom was first developing this recipe, she would put all the ingredients in a bowl at once (besides the apples), and the cookies came out great every time. This recipe is very forgiving, so don’t worry too much about perfecting the method.
- Pour Some Sugar on These: I love the taste and appearance of fresh baked goods dusted in powdered sugar (aka confectioners sugar, aka icing sugar). It’s optional but recommended in this recipe. You can make your own powdered sugar by blending cane sugar in a blender or food processor until powdered.
- Check Your Baking Powder: Always check the expiration date on your baking powder. You can also test if it’s still good by adding some to warm water. It should fizz up right away.
- Bake with Measurements: To translate the cup amounts to grams, underneath the ingredient list, select “Metric.”
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
OMG these were so good! You mom is a genius! 👩🍳
These are HEAVENLY! Like eating a tiny, warm apple pie! Just what I wanted and needed! Highly recommend!