We’re spicing it up with our very own Apple Cinnamon Warmth black tea that adds just the right amount of "yum" to this apple and nectarine filling that adorns the cookie crust.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Apple Pie Bites
Yes, you heard me right—this recipe is as much about the crust as it is the filling. These snickerdoodle apple pie bites wouldn’t be complete without their counterpart—cookie dough!
You’ve seen this method used in other recipes I’m sure; fruit pizza with its sugar cookie crust, some cheesecake recipes, ice cream cake—the possibilities stretch as far as your imagination.
What I love about this recipe is the soft and chewy texture you get when you bake them in mini muffin tins, immediately followed by a smush to the center to create that perfect indentation for the dynamic coupling of the tea-infused fruit filling.
Did you know the snickerdoodle cookie has been around for quite some time?
An inventive cooking teacher named Cornelia Campbell created these lovely sweet and chewy cookies in 1891. There’s not a whole lot to them, but the simple and nostalgic combination of cinnamon and sugar, followed by more cinnamon and sugar creates such a perfectly crafted cookie with it’s crackled edges and sweet flavor.
How to Make the Filling
One piece of this recipe that I genuinely enjoyed creating was the addition of our Apple Cinnamon Warmth black tea into the filling for these pecan pie bites.
It’s not always the dominant flavor that leaves a person smacking their lips and running their tongue over the roof of their mouth, it’s the flavor profile found in the subtle and hidden parts of recipes that leave you wondering, “What is that?”
I found that by brewing a strong cup of tea and using this in place of water in the recipe portion for the filling, it created more layers of flavor. In my opinion, more layers of flavor equal more fun, so long as they sway and flow in harmony.
You’ll also find a bit of this depth in the cookie, where I decided to add just a dab of anise extract, in conjunction with a favorite, vanilla.
Tea Pairings
Two’s company when matching up these snickerdoodle apple pie bites with a nice hot cuppa.
Of course, go for our Apple Cinnamon Warmth black tea that we use in this recipe. It’s not a sweet cup of tea, but it has such dimension in its flavor that it only continues to draw out the intensity of these dessert cups.
Another great choice would be any one of our chai’s—give Stargazer Caramel Mate Chai or Portland City Rose Chai a try. Both will bring a deep complexity and flavor to your lips, but I especially enjoy the little pop of blackberry and floral that hits your senses when sipping on the Portland City Rose Chai.
Something a little more mellow up your alley? Try the Vanilla Sugar Cookie herbal dessert tea, which is just lightly sweet and lightly spiced. Perfect for this cookie!
Snickerdoodle Apple Pie Bites
Cookie Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon anise extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sugar (set aside)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (set aside)
- 2 medium apples
- 2 nectarines (or peaches)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Apple Cinnamon Warmth black tea
- Water
Direction for Filling:
Boil water for tea.
Steep one teaspoon of Apple Cinnamon Warmth black tea in ½ cup of boiled water. Let steep for 8-10 minutes. Remove tea and set aside.
Slice apples and nectarines (or peaches) into small chunks. *You may remove the apple skin if you’d like, but I find that they soften when I boil this down.
Melt butter and cinnamon over medium heat.
Stir in fruit, sugar, and 3 tablespoons of tea.
Cover and cook stirring occasionally for about five minutes, or until slightly softened.
Combine the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water in a glass.
Add to the pan while stirring continuously and continue to cook until fruit is soft, but not mushy, and the filling has thickened.
Set aside to cool.
Directions for Cookie:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix in the egg, vanilla, and anise extract.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Slowly combine the dry ingredients in the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.
Stir in chopped pecans just until thoroughly incorporated.
In a separate dish mix together your cinnamon and sugar that you’ve set aside *see above [italicize]
Scoop out about 30 tablespoon-size balls of cookie dough and roll each one in the cinnamon and sugar mixture you’ve created.
Place each ball into a greased mini muffin pan.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Immediately after removing from the oven, take a small spoon and create an indentation in the center of each cookie muffin.
Once cool remove from the pan.
Spoon in about 1 tablespoon of fruit filling into each cookie cup, plate, and serve.
May be stored in the fridge in an airtight container—if they make it that long!
![Spring Tea Variety Pack [6-Pack Variety of Flavors]](http://www.plumdeluxe.com/cdn/shop/files/night-blooms-variety.jpg?v=1709167159&width=239)
