Gluten Free Apple Pie Cookies

DIRECTIONS:

Make the pie filling. Wash, peel, and core apples. Chop them into 1/2-inch chunks.

Add chopped apples to a large bowl and add lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Place a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat and add apple juice, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

Bring to a boil while stirring often, and boil for about 5 minutes.

Add the apples, reduce heat to low, cover saucepan with a lid and let the apples simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until apples have softened, but are not mushy. Stir often. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water, stir into the apple mixture and cook for 2 minutes to thicken.

Remove from heat and fully cool before using.

Make the cookies. Preheat the oven to 325F.

Combine the dry ingredients and whisk to blend. Add the wet ingredients and mix well.

Use a cookie scoop and roll dough into balls. Drop the dough into the sugar and roll it around.

Use the bottom of a round tablespoon measure to press into the center of each cookie. Drop in a tablespoon of pie filling.

Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove and cool on a cooling rack.