Turkish Apple Filled Cookies By Aysenur Altan

These apple-filled cookies are one of my favorite cookies of all. It is a traditional Turkish cookie kind in the modern Turkish Kitchen. But the dough recipes and shapes may vary.

This special dough with butter, yogurt, and baking soda mixed with lemon juice really makes a difference in making the most beautiful flaky cookie dough for your apple fillings. With the same dough, you can make apple lattice pie or little tartlets too. I showed both methods to you. I hope you try it as soon as you can and like it. Please let me know with comments and likes

Ingredients for the Apple Cookies:

• For the Apple Filling: 4 big or 5 medium-size sweet apples (preferable red ones)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups granulated sugar (depends on your taste)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (you can also add cinnamon sticks and as a different touch 2-3 cloves)
• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
• For the Cookie Dough: 200gr. butter (at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 heaped tbsp yogurt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda + 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar (you can cut it to 1/2 cup if you prefer less sugar)
• about 3-4 cups all-purpose flour (add 3+1/2 cups first then add more gradually to make a somewhat soft pliable dough)

Here is the Tea Menu I cooked for my guests including the same apple cookies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v1H7KemJyM

Instructions:

Make the Apple filling:

• Peel the apples and grate with the big side of the grater. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and cook on low medium heat stirring from time to time until the juice of the apples evaporated and thickened.
• Add coarsely chopped walnuts, stir and turn off the heat. Let it cool

Check These Cookie Recipes too:
Turkish Delight Filled Cookies
Orange Nut Cookies – Stays Fresh & Freezer Friendly!
Turkish Tea Time Menu

Prepare The Dough:

1. In a big mixing bowl add 200gr. butter at room temperature, yogurt, 3/4 sugar, 1/3 cup vegetable or olive oil.
2. Add 3+1/2 cups all-purpose flour and over the flour add baking soda. Pour 5-6 drops lemon juice over the baking soda. It will begin to get foamy. Mix everything without squeezing the dough too much until it comes together and forms a dough. You can add 2-4 tbsp more flour if needed to have a playable soft dough.

Shaping The Cookies

There are many ways to shape apple-filled cookies. Traditionally you can simply get a walnut-size piece of dough and open it with the help of your palm, place tsp full from the apple filling to one side and fold the other side over and seal. But the most appealing, easy shape I found is this:

1. Separate the dough in half or 3 for better handling and shape into disks.
2. Dust the countertop lightly with flour and roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 1/2 cm thick.
3. Cut medium size rounds with cookie cutters. You can make it bigger or smaller, it’s up to you. Add generously frim the apple filling to one side and fold the other without sealing it and transfer to the baking tray.
4. Continue to shape the dough until it is finished. You can bring together the leftover pieces with the other half of the dough and roll it again.
5. Alternately you can use mini tart pans and use some of the dough to make mini apple pies. Please watch the video for the details on how to shape it.
6. Bake the cookies at 170C preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until golden color. Let it cool and transfer it to a serving plate sifting powdered sugar on top if preferred.