Soft, doughy thumbprint cookies with a heavenly apple cinnamon scent and taste! Vegan, gluten-free, and only sweetened with fruit. These cookies are like bite-sized apple pies!
The only ONLY thing I don’t mind about summer coming to an end is that some of my favorite produce comes back into season.
We’re talking…
Winter squash
Beets
Cauliflower
Brussel Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Pears
And of course….APPLES!
More specifically apple PIE season. 😉
I know it’s not technically fall yet, but ‘Back to School’ season always makes it feel more Fall-ish to me….which means it’s perfectly acceptable to start doing some early season apple picking! I’ve already started seeing tons of local apples in my local co-op and I am so pumped for all my favorite varieties to come into season.
I really don’t discriminate when it comes to apples (except Red Delicious…I think I’ve been scarred from eating those so often in my middle school days with cafeteria lunches!) but I do have a few favorite varieties. Right now, I’m loving Crispins (which are sweet alternative to green apples but just as crunchy!) and HoneyCrisps but I am anxiously awaiting more fresh Fujis, Jazz, Green Dragons, and Empires to come out.
In the meantime I’ll keep munching my Crispins and snacking on Apple Pie Thumbprint Cookies.
Oh wait! Did I forget to mention these cookies? 😉Well, let me give you the low-down…
APPLE PIE THUMBPRINT COOKIES 😮
They’re like apple pie in bite-sized form and what better time to share them than at the beginning of apple season so you can make them over and over again.
I sort of just stumbled upon this recipe as I was trying to use up some leftover oat flour the other day and I couldn’t be more happy with how it turned out. In fact the dough is so good on its own that I think I need to try to make some other cookie varieties with it. A true winner in my opinion! 🙌🏻
These cookies are so sweet and full of apple-cinnamon deliciousness! The texture is soft, doughy, and almost cake-like. Each bite is full of that apple filling flavor you know and love from the perfect dollop of apple butter that tops each cookie.
Vegan, gluten-free, and no added sugar…but you honestly wouldn’t believe these are GOOD for you upon first bite! They taste that delicious. And they’re full of protein too from a secret ingredient. 🤩
But don’t take my word for it….try them for yourself! It’s almost apple safter allterall.
PrintApple Pie Blossom Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 12 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
- 100 grams chickpeas (about a ½ cup), rinsed and drained
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ tsp vanilla bean powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup gluten-free oat flour (100 grams)
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 6 tsp unsweetened apple butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, combine applesauce, vanilla, and chickpeas. Blend until smooth. In a separate bowl combine oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and coconut flour. Mix wet and dry ingredients together until a ball of dough is formed (it may be slightly sticky). Roll dough into 12 evenly sized balls with your hands and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press down on the cookies with your finger or thumb to create a slight indent in the middle of them. Fill each well with ½ tsp of apple butter. Bake cookies for 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on a wire rack before serving.
Keywords: cookies, apple, dessert, treat, vegan, gluten-free, snacks, sweet snacks, kid-friendly
Apple pie in bite-sized cookie form…who would’ve thought? Well, I’m glad I did because these cookies are my NEW favorites. I still have a few left but you better believe I’ll be making more as soon as they’re gone!
I actually like freezing the leftovers because it allows me to heat them up in the microwave so they get all warm, gooey, and soft…just like fresh apple pie! 😋
And if you’re not an apple fan (GASP!), feel free to use any type of filling in the thumbprint that you desire! I’ve been loving strawberry or blackberry jam lately. Hmmm, maybe those will be my next cookie experiments? 🤔
Are you a fan of apple pie?
What’s your favorite variety of apple?
Have you ever made thumbprint cookies before? So fun!
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What is it about thumbprint cookies? They are just so precious! Love the flavors you used here!
★★★★★
Right?! Almost too cute to eat! But these are so delicious you won’t be able to resist!
Yay for chickpeas! These look so so delicious!
I have an insane amount of apples to use up at the moment (we went apple picking a few weeks back and Jesse insisted on picking 17 LBS (I kid you not) of apples for just the two of us to eat. I definitely need to make some apple butter – and then make this!
Haha! I want to come over! I looooove having fresh apples in the house after a big picking haul!
My dad loves apple crumble so that’s the dessert in my house every tuesday. I love pink lady apples! Have you tried lemonade apples? Those are amazing.
Woah I love how you used chickpeas in these cookies, you would never be able to tell! They look DELISH!
You’ll love these Rachel!
Yum! I love that these are oil- and sugar-free, too! 🙂
Thanks Courtney!
I 100% agree that you can eat apples ALL the time, and I’m so thankful that they are pretty much always in season. When we were in Europe, we ate apples that were HUGE. You should get some apples when you are in Europe. They are DELICIOUS! That’s so neat that you made these with chickpeas.
BIG HUGE apples are the best! So delicious and sweet!
YUM!! I never thought about apple in a thumbprint-type cookie. I also like the idea of a softer, cake-like cookie. I can’t wait to give these a try. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy them!
Lol. National apple pie day? It seems too early in the year for that! Haha. I normally am not much of a fan of apple pie, unless it is my aunt’s. She makes THE BEST apple pie. Yum.
Right?! That’s what I thought too! But according to the site I always go to for food holidays…today is the day!
HI Kaila,
Wow these cookies sound so yummy & healthy. What a healthy snack they would make. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted!
★★★★
Thank you Marla!
I love thumbprint cookies and apples, but never thought to use apple butter in em’! This is an awesome idea! ;D
Thank you so much Farrah! Let me know if you try them!!
Apples are an any season fruit to me, and cookies are definitely a year round affair too 🙂 Cripsins, I don’t think I’ve ever tried those. I’ve been all over the Fujis and Ambrosias lately, like 4 a day sometimes lol! These little cookies are the cutest, and I adore the ingredients!
Ooooh ambrosias are new to me! I’ll have to keep an eye out for them!
I am a HUGE fan of apple. And just the name of these cookies sounds unbelievable! They also sound like they will fill the house up with a wonderful smell! My favorite form of apple has to be a fresh crisp organic apple…with peanut butter! I know it may sound boring, but I could eat that every single day! Maybe even two times a day!
★★★★
Apples with peanut butter is the ultimate combo! So simple and delish!
Oh my this looks good- love that it’s vegan and gluten free!
I think these are actually safe for you to eat too! Finally one of my recipes you can try! 🙂
These cookies look so yummy. Can’t wait to make them. Thanks for the recipe.
So welcome! Enjoy!
I want to make these. Now. Kaila the cookies look delicious. Pinning for menu planning.
Yay! Thank you so much! A few people have already tried them and really enjoyed them!
Hey Kaila!
Just made these 🙂 they were pretty good, but I was basically out of oats, so I had to use 1/2 c oats, the 1/4 c each buckwheat mix and chickpea flour. I don’t if it was because of the chickpea flour but I had to adD 4 tsp of liquid and bake them about 4 minutes longer.
Next time I would also add more spice and maybe a tbsp of apple butter inside, but they were still good and I’d make them again! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
★★★★
Awww thank you so much for trying them!! I definitely think the chickpea flour would make it so that you needed more liquid…so that seems right! Thanks for the tip on the spices! Glad you enjoyed them! Take a pic if you can and tag me on Instagram…I’d love to see them! 🙂
[…] GET THE RECIPE […]
And now I want a cookie! Thanks for sharing at the “What’s for Dinner” party!
Thanks for hosting!
oh yum! Thanks for joining us for meatless Monday
So welcome!
Very cute cookie and another recipe to pass to my daughter who eats gluten free. Thank you
★★★★★
Thanks Pamela! Let me know if you try them!
Hi Kaila, these sound delicious. Dessert that is good for you, love it! I would like to invite you to come share on the new Share the Love Blog party. Open thru Thursday. Hope you can join us. http://homecookingrecipebox.blogspot.com/
★★★★★
I will stop by!!! Thanks!
Yummy, Looks so good . Thanks for sharing
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Thanks Chris!
Thumbprint cookies/all cookies are a weakness of mine!
I hope you’ll share this at Thoughts of Home on Thursday.
Just stop by my blog Thursday to join in.
We would love to have you!
Laura
http://www.whitespraypaintblog.com
I’ll check it out! Thanks!
I love cake-like cookies! These sound perfect for this time of year and look so cute too – I’m sure I would need to eat a few!
Haha! Yes! They are too good to stop at just one!
These sound lovely! I love baking with chickpeas too. Thanks for adding to #CookBlogShare
Thanks for stopping by!
Such a fun cookie! I bet my kiddos would love these. Thanks for sharing this with us at Savoring Saturdays linky party!
Certainly would!
These sound amazing, and look adorable – can’t wait to try them 🙂
Let me know how you LOVE them!
These cookies look like a great healthy alternative!!! Thank you for sharing at Funtastic Friday!
So welcome!
These look so delicious. I have not had homemade cookies since going gluten-free, and I’m thinking it’s about time. I love the apple filling in the center, and you’re right you could do so many different things with this recipe. The black cherry preserves is sounding pretty doggone good too.
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Yes! Black cherry filling would be awesome too!
[…] I need to try it out. Chickpeas. You read that right. Healthy Helper Blog has this amazing looking Apple Pie Blossom Cookie recipe and the main ingredient is chickpeas. I’ve got to try […]
Thank you for sharing these precious and pretty thumbprint cookies with us at TOHOT.
We are so happy that you joined us!
Jemma
So welcome!
[…] Apple Pie Blossom Cookies from The Healthy Helper Blog […]
What a great healthy snack!! I love the addition of the apple butter in the thumbprint!! Yum!! Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday! Hope to see you again tomorrow!! Pinned!
So welcome! Enjoy them!
Perfectly healthy! Wouldn’t even know I was eating a cookie!
Thank you!
What a tasty sounding cookie – we go apple picking every fall to get enough to make pies and LOTS of applesauce. I’ve never found a cookie that I could make with them, but now I have! 😉 Thanks for sharing at #HappinessIsHomemade!
Let me know if you try these!
[…] Get the recipe from Healthy Helper […]
[…] the R4TC, I made this Paleo Skillet Carrot Cake from the Athletic Avocado & these Apple Cookies (added sautéed apples on top!) from Healthy Helper. […]
Congrats -This fun post is the Highest CLIMBer on Butterfly in the Attic & is being featured on my blog today:
http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/2016/06/featuring-june-2016-highest-climbers.html
Thanks again (this was your second feature – still one more to come)
Angie
Thank you!
[…] Apple Pie Blossom Cookies {Gluten Free + Vegan} from Kaila at Healthy Helper Blog. […]
[…] Apple Pie Blossom Cookies from Healthy Helper Blog […]
[…] Apple Pie Blossom Cookies […]
I don’t know anything about different kinds of apples, but I do know that I love thumbprint cookies! They remind me of when I was a kid and my mom would bake (which was rare 🙂 )
Your mom had good taste! 🙂
A great version of a classic cookie! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! Have a great weekend!