Caramel Apple Pie Cookies (Easy Cake Mix Recipe)

5 from 1 vote

Published Nov 02, 2026

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Soft, chewy graham cracker cookies topped with cinnamon apples and a drizzle of caramel make these apple pie cookies hard to resist. The apples cook down with butter and brown sugar until they’re soft and syrupy, just like the inside of a fresh-baked pie.

Add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, and you’ve got pie à la mode in cookie form. It’s a cozy fall dessert that only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.

Caramel apple pie cookies with vanilla ice cream.

Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients Needed
How to make Apple Pie Cookies with a Cake Mix
Expert Tips
Storage and Freezing
Apple Pie Cookie FAQs
More pie cookie recipes you’ll love:
Easy Apple Pie Cookies Recipe

Welcome to Pie Cookie Week! 🥧 These Apple Pie Cookies are the first of five delicious pie-inspired cookie recipes I’m sharing this week. Every recipe starts with a cake mix, and I’ve even included a couple of bonus treats! Be sure to check out the complete Pie Cookie Week collection so you don’t miss a single one.

Love these cookies? Don’t miss the rest of Pie Cookie Week! Every recipe starts with a cake mix and is inspired by a favorite pie.

Apple Pie Cookies
Key Lime Pie Cookies
Pumpkin Pie Cookies
Pecan Pie Cookies
Chocolate Cream Pie Cookies

I’ll be honest, I love pie, but I don’t always love making one. A whole pie can be a bit of a pain to put together, and it’s messy to serve once you start cutting slices. That’s exactly why I fell in love with pie cookies!

These cookies are like individual apple pies. They’re easy to take to a party, simple to serve, and nobody needs a pie server!

Why This Recipe Works

These apple pie cookies start with a cake mix, so the dough comes together in one bowl with just a handful of ingredients.

Graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar go right into the dough. Shaping each cookie into a thick disc before baking and pressing an indentation into the center while they’re still warm creates the perfect little spot for the apple filling.

The filling cooks on the stovetop in just a few minutes while the cookies cool. Dicing the apples small means they soften quickly and stay in neat little pieces that won’t slide off the cookie.

A drizzle of caramel over the top finishes them off and makes them extra special!

I love apple desserts in the fall, so I’m always making treats like Cake Mix Apple Cobbler, Apple Crisp Skillet, and Apple Crumb Cake. These cookies are a great addition to the line-up!

Ingredients Needed

White Cake Mix: The base of these easy cookies! It gives them a soft, chewy texture and allows the graham cracker flavor to shine through.
Graham Cracker Crumbs: These are what give the cookies their pie crust flavor. You can buy them already in crumbs or put graham crackers in a food processor and make your own!
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar goes into both the cookie dough and the apple filling. It has more flavor than white sugar and goes great with cinnamon.
Granny Smith Apples: Granny Smiths are tart, which keeps the filling from being too sweet once the caramel goes on. They also hold their shape as they cook. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Braeburn apples will work too.
Cinnamon and Cloves: This combo is what makes the filling taste like apple pie. Cloves are strong, so the recipe only uses ¼ teaspoon.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

The Cake Mix I Used

For these cookies, I used a white cake mix. It keeps the cookies light in color and lets the graham cracker flavor come through. If you have an extra box in the pantry, check out my white cake mix collection for more ideas!

I used Betty Crocker cake mix for this recipe, but Duncan Hines and Pillsbury brands would be perfect as well. Whatever you use, just make sure it comes in a 13.25-ounce box.

Can I Use a Different Cake Mix?

Yes! Vanilla cake mix can be substituted for white with no other changes. Yellow cake mix also works, and will give the cookies a more golden color. Spice cake mix could also be a delicious option if you want to add even more warm spice flavor.

And if you love cake mix cookies as much as I do, be sure to check out the rest of my Cake Mix Cookies or grab a copy of my cookbook, Practically Homemade Cookies & Bars!

How to make Apple Pie Cookies with a Cake Mix

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake mix, brown sugar, and graham cracker crumbs.

Step 2: Add the melted butter and eggs, then mix with an electric mixer until you have a thick cookie dough.

Step 3: Use a large cookie scoop to portion the dough. Roll each scoop into a ball, then press it into a thick disc. Place 6 cookies on the baking sheet.

Step 4: Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the cookies are set.

Cooled cookies with an indentation in middle of cookie.

Step 5: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press an indentation into the center of each one. Let them cool, then bake the remaining 6 cookies.

Step 6: While the cookies cool, make the apple filling. Add the diced apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves to a small saucepan.

Step 7: Cook the filling over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the apples soften.

Step 8: Spoon about a tablespoon of the apple filling into the center of each cooled cookie, then top with a small scoop of ice cream if you like, and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Expert Tips

Cake mix cookies are easy to make, but a few little tricks can make them even better. You’ll want to read all my cake mix cookie tips, but here are my best tips for this recipe.

Buy ready-made graham cracker crumbs. You’ll find them in the baking aisle at most grocery stores, and they save you from pulling out the food processor.
Use a tart shaper for the perfect indentation. No tart shaper? The handle of a wooden spoon or the bottom of a spice bottle will also work.
Make the filling ahead. Prepare the apple filling up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Warm it slightly or bring it to room temperature before assembling the cookies.
Warm up the caramel. A few seconds in the microwave thins out jarred caramel sauce so it’s easier to drizzle.

Storage and Freezing

These cookies are best assembled right before serving, especially if you’re adding ice cream.

Store the baked, unfilled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The apple filling can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Heat it briefly before spooning it onto the cookies.

Leftover assembled cookies {without ice cream} can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but the cookies will soften as they sit.

To freeze, place the cooled, unfilled cookies in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before filling.

Can I use canned apple pie filling instead of making my own?

Yes. Canned apple pie filling works in a pinch. Chop the apple slices into smaller pieces so they fit on top of each cookie, and skip the stovetop step.

Do I need to peel the apples?

Peeling is optional. Peeled apples make the filling more like what you’d find in a pie, while leaving the peel on adds a little color.

Can I serve these warm?

Yes! Just make sure the cookies have cooled before you top them. The filling can go on hot from the stove, and if you’re adding ice cream, serve them right away before it melts.