The apple heart cookies are delicious shortbread cookies filled with sautéed apples flavored with lemon and cinnamon, they are absolutely irresistible. The recipe is very simple, for the base I used my soft shortcrust pastry without resting perfect for pies and cookies, for the filling I sautéed two not overly ripe golden apples with sugar, lemon, and cinnamon.
As with all desserts, you can vary the spices in the apple-filled cookies and if you want to make them even richer, you can add raisins, almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts; however you make them, they will be special!
A few weeks ago I published the soft apple cookies, you loved them right away and tried them in many ways, today I am giving you a delicious cookie with a soft heart and a crunchy shell, try them and let me know what you think, I am sure you will like them.
I always have plenty of apples at home, here is what I have made in recent weeks:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12 cookies
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 236.55 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 41.47 (g) of which sugars 20.57 (g)
- Proteins 4.28 (g)
- Fat 6.72 (g) of which saturated 4.10 (g)of which unsaturated 2.38 (g)
- Fibers 1.52 (g)
- Sodium 9.68 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Apple Heart Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg (medium)
- 3 1/2 tbsp butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 tbsp milk (use if needed for dough)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Half tsp lemon zest (grated)
- 2 Golden apples (not too ripe)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder (leveled)
- 1 tbsp butter
Tools
- 1 Board
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Pan
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Cutter scalloped round 2.75 inches
Procedure
Put the butter in the small bowl and melt it in the microwave or a saucepan and let it cool.
Pour the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest on the board and make the classic well, into which you add the beaten eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.
Knead everything until the ingredients are well combined, if needed add two or three tablespoons of milk.
The consistency is the same as classic shortcrust but the result will be completely different, I assure you that this shortcrust is special; you need to form a smooth dough that does not stick to your fingers.
The shortcrust pastry is ready to be used immediately.
Wash the apples, peel them and remove the core then cut them into small cubes, about 1/2 inch.
In a pan, melt the butter, add the apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and sauté over medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes so they lose the cooking liquid, stirring often. Turn off the heat and let cool.
Lightly flour the board and roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch, keep in mind that they will double in thickness when cooked.
With a 2.75-inch round cutter, cut out 24 discs.
Fill 12 discs with a generous teaspoon of apples and cover with the other circles of dough, pressing along the edges to seal them well.
In some, I made small cuts in the center, vaguely reminiscent of American apple pies, they are so cute! If you like, you can do it too.
Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for 12 minutes or until lightly golden.
Remove from the oven, transfer them to a rack to cool, and dust with powdered sugar. The apple heart cookies are ready to be served.
Advice
Storage
The apple heart cookies can be stored for 3 days at room temperature.
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