Apple pie cookies

The apple filling needs to be cool and thick before it goes into the dough. I make these with either an egg or milk and baking powder, depending on who is eating them.

Method

1. Cook the diced apple with the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cornflour, and lemon juice over medium heat until the apple is tender and the juices are thick, about 6–8 minutes. Cool completely.
2. Beat the dough butter and sugars until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and either the egg or the milk. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt; for the eggless version, add the baking powder here too. Mix just until combined, then chill for 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 175°C and line two baking trays. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Flatten each piece, add about 2 teaspoons of cold apple filling, and pinch the dough closed around it.
4. Place seam side down with plenty of space between cookies. Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden. Let them firm up on the tray for 10 minutes before moving them.

Egg and eggless versions

Use the egg or the milk and baking powder for a batch, never both. If the eggless dough feels soft, chill the shaped cookies for 15 minutes before baking.