These Apple Crumble Cookie Cups are the perfect way to enjoy the cosy flavours of autumn! They are a golden cookie made with brown sugar and white chocolate chips, baked in a cupcake tin to create the cup shape. They're filled with spiced stewed apples, topped with a crunchy crumble topping and drizzled with a sweet icing. They are the perfect bite size treats!
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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and egg) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I prefer to use unsalted butter for this recipe, but you can also use a baking spread.
- I used white chocolate chips in the cookie cups, you could also use chopped up white chocolate instead.
- I recommend using light brown soft sugar for delicious flavour and a more gooey cookie, but you can replace it with caster sugar if you can't get hold of brown sugar.
- Mixed spice is a British spice blend containing cinnamon, coriander seed, nutmeg, clove, pimento and ginger. If you can't get hold of it, you can use a mix of ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon, or use a Pumpkin Spice mix instead.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Apple Crumble Cookie Cups
Make the stewed apples and crumble topping first so that they can cool down. For the stewed apples, heat the apple, light brown sugar, cornflour, cinnamon and mixed spice in a pan on a low heat until soft. For the crumble topping, mix the ingredients together and spread out on a baking tray, bake until golden.
Start by mixing together the butter, caster sugar and light brown soft sugar. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and mix until combined. Add the plain flour, cinnamon, mixed spice, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix until all of the flour is mixed in. Add the white chocolate chips, mix briefly to evenly distribute them throughout the dough.
Divide the dough into 12 portions and shape them into the cupcake tin. Bake for 12 minutes. When the cookie cups come out of the oven, push down the centres again. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the cookie cups from the tin. Leave to cool fully. To decorate, fill them with the stewed apple and top with the crumble. Make the icing by mixing the ingredients together and drizzling it over the cookie cups.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How should the cookie cups be stored and can they be frozen?
The cookie cups will last for 3-4 days in an airtight container. You can freeze the baked cookie cups too, wrap them well or store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Do you need any electric mixer to make this recipe?
While an electric mixer is helpful in making these cookie cups and will give the best results, you don't need one to make them. You can absolutely make the cookie cups by hand with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease. If you have an electric stand mixer, then you can use the paddle attachment to make these cookie cups.
What kind of apples should you use?
I have used Jazz and Pink Lady apples to make this recipe, but any sweet eating apples will work.
Can this recipe be made gluten free?
For gluten free you can replace the plain flour with a gluten free plain flour blend. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Please check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
Can this recipe be made dairy free?
For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread instead of butter for the cookie cups. I recommend the block style ones, I like Flora Plant. You will also need to use dairy free chocolate chips and a dairy free alternative to cream cheese for the frosting. Please do check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
More tips for making the Apple Crumble Cookie Cups:
- I find it much easier to remove the cookie cups from the tin if you line it with the baking paper strips like. You could also use cake release spray. It is also easier to remove them when they are still slightly warm and haven't fully cooled down.
- The crumble is lovely and crunchy, but it will eventually go soft after being in contact with the stewed apple. So sprinkle it on right before serving, or as close to serving as possible to retain the crunch.
Troubleshooting
My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Electric hand mixer
- Piping bags
- Apple cutter
- Mixed spice
- Cupcake tin
- Stand mixer
- Pastry tamper
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Apple Crumble Cookie Cups
Ingredients
For the stewed apple filling
- 6 Apples medium sized, regular eating apples
- 90 g Light brown soft sugar
- 1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Mixed spice
- 3 tsp Cornflour (cornstarch)
For the crumble topping
- 10 g Butter unsalted
- 2 tsp Light brown soft sugar
- 17 g Plain flour
- ⅛ tsp Cinnamon
For the cookie cups
- 100 g Butter unsalted, softened
- 100 g Caster sugar
- 65 g Light brown soft sugar
- 1 Egg large
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 215 g Plain flour
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Mixed spice
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 200 g White chocolate chips
For the icing
- 3 tbsp Icing sugar
- ½ tsp Sauce from the stewed apples
- ½ tbsp Water add slowly as you may not need it all
Instructions
- To make the apple filling, peel and core the apples, then chop into small chunks. Add to a pan on a low heat along with the light brown sugar, cornflour, cinnamon and mixed spice. Stir everything together
- Cover with a pan lid, and cook the apple for 10-15 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely
- To make the crumble, pre-heat your oven to 180C Fan/Gas Mark 6, and line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the plain flour, light brown soft sugar and cinnamon into a bowl and stir together
- Add the butter and use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles breadcrumbs. You can also use a fork to do this. Spread it out onto a lined baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes until it is golden and feels firmer to the touch (it will firm up more as it cools)
- For the cookie cups, pre-heat the oven to 180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6 and grease a 12 hole cupcake tin with butter or baking spread, then line with strips of baking paper
- Ideally using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter, caster sugar and light brown sugar until fluffy and paler in colour. This will take 3–5 minutes in a stand mixer on a medium speed
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix in
- Add the plain flour, cinnamon, mixed spice, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix them in
- Add the white chocolate chips, and mix briefly until evenly distributed
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions – you can weigh the dough for accuracy. Roll the dough portions into balls using your hands, then place each ball into the holes of the cupcake tin. Use a small cylinder-shaped object, such as the end of a small rolling pin, the base of a small bottle, or ideally a pastry tamper, to shape the dough into the tin. You’re aiming for it to be pressed up the sides and along the base at a similar thickness, with a dip in the middle
- Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden. The cookie cups will rise in the middle, so use the same tool that you used to shape them to push the middles back down as soon as they come out of the oven. Remove them from the tin once they're cool enough to handle, then leave to cool fully on a cooling rack
- Spoon the stewed apples into the cookie cups, then top with the crumble. Mix the icing ingredients together, and pipe or drizzle the icing over the cookie cups
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 3-4 days
Notes
- Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and egg) are at room temperature before you start baking.
- I prefer to use unsalted butter for this recipe, but you can also use a baking spread.
- I used white chocolate chips in the cookie cups, you could also use chopped up white chocolate instead.
- I recommend using light brown soft sugar for delicious flavour and a more gooey cookie, but you can replace it with caster sugar if you can't get hold of brown sugar.
- Mixed spice is a British spice blend containing cinnamon, coriander seed, nutmeg, clove, pimento and ginger. If you can't get hold of it, you can use a mix of ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon, or use a Pumpkin Spice mix instead.
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
Jen
Delicious