Home › Recipes › Desserts

Apple Cookies (Scones)

Snejana Andreeva - 1

By Snejana Andreeva

on Nov 08, 2021, Updated Feb 03, 2026

Add as a preferred source on Google - 2

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!

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Snejana Andreeva (@themodernnonna)

A hand holds a powdered sugar-dusted Apple Cookie (Scone) above a plate of similar treats, with a warm, blurred fireplace in the background, creating a cozy atmosphere. - 3

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.

  • Key Takeaways

  • Why You’ll Love Apple Cookies (Scones)

  • Ingredients

  • Nonna’s Tip 🍎

  • Variations and Substitutions for Apple Cookies (Scones)

  • Similar Recipes

  • Best Served With

  • Common Questions

  • Apple Cookies (Scones) Recipe

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 B ean P aste : 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.

Close-up of several golden Apple Cookies (Scones) sprinkled with powdered sugar, arranged on a decorative plate with a colorful pattern in the corner. The cookies have a chunky texture and visible pieces of apple. - 4

Variations and Substitutions for Apple Cookies (Scones)

  1. Adding ground spices like cinnamon , nutmeg, or allspice enhances the flavor of the apples. Add about 1 teaspoon to the batter.
  2. You can also add chopped nuts 🌰, like walnuts or pecans (about 1/4 cup), or whole pine nuts.
  3. Additionally, raisins (about 1/4 cup) add extra texture and flavor.
  4. Istead of apples, you can also use firm pears 🍐.

Similar Recipes

A pile of golden baked pastry balls on a wooden board, drizzled with honey using a honey dipper and sprinkled with crushed nuts, evokes the delightful look of Honey Almond Cookies, with a white cloth in the background. - 5 A pile of golden baked pastry balls on a wooden board, drizzled with honey using a honey dipper and sprinkled with crushed nuts, evokes the delightful look of Honey Almond Cookies, with a white cloth in the background. - 6

Honey Almond Cookies

30 mins

A close-up of several round, white cookies coated in powdered sugar, arranged in a brown paper liner inside a red bowl. Perfect for any Apple Cookies Recipe, with a decorative red string visible in the upper left corner. - 7 A close-up of several round, white cookies coated in powdered sugar, arranged in a brown paper liner inside a red bowl. Perfect for any Apple Cookies Recipe, with a decorative red string visible in the upper left corner. - 8

Snowball Cookies

30 mins

A plate of Shortbread Butter Cookies topped with red, white, and green sprinkles, surrounded by small holiday gift boxes and pinecones on a white surface. - 9 A plate of Shortbread Butter Cookies topped with red, white, and green sprinkles, surrounded by small holiday gift boxes and pinecones on a white surface. - 10

Shortbread Butter Cookies

27 mins

A plate of chocolate chip cookies topped with pastel-colored candy-coated chocolates, made using our Apple Cookies Recipe, sits beside a glass of milk in the background. - 11 A plate of chocolate chip cookies topped with pastel-colored candy-coated chocolates, made using our Apple Cookies Recipe, sits beside a glass of milk in the background. - 12

Cadbury Chocolate Chip Cookies

22 mins

A stack of three powdered almond cookies on a wooden surface. The top cookie has a bite taken out, revealing a soft interior. Whole almonds are scattered around, with more cookies blurred in the background. - 13 A stack of three powdered almond cookies on a wooden surface. The top cookie has a bite taken out, revealing a soft interior. Whole almonds are scattered around, with more cookies blurred in the background. - 14

Italian Amaretti Cookies

25 mins

A plate of Easy Gingerbread Cookies shaped like people, adorned with white icing details, red and green candy buttons, cinnamon sticks, and colorful candies, set on a white surface with a red ribbon and white cloth. - 15 A plate of Easy Gingerbread Cookies shaped like people, adorned with white icing details, red and green candy buttons, cinnamon sticks, and colorful candies, set on a white surface with a red ribbon and white cloth. - 16

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.

A New Recipe Card!!

  1. Check off each step in instructions!
  2. Add ingredients to your shopping list!

Video

Equipment

  • ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • ▢ Nakiri Knife
  • ▢ Cutting Board
  • ▢ Mixing Bowls
  • ▢ Baking Sheet
  • ▢ Parchment Paper
  • ▢ Stand Mixer
  • ▢ Cordless Mixer

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.

Apple Cookies (Scones)

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups + Spoons
  • Nakiri Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Baking Sheet
  • Parchment Paper
  • Stand Mixer
  • Cordless Mixer

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!

Video

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.”

Nutrition

Apple Cookies (Scones) https://themodernnonna.com/apple-cookies/ November 8, 2021