Apple Cookies Recipe - Turkish Elmali Kurabiye

My Apple Cookies Recipe is based on the classic Turkish Elmalı Kurabiye, soft, buttery cookies filled with cinnamon-spiced apples and walnuts. The apple filling is cooked first, cooled, and then wrapped inside a tender cookie dough before baking. The cookies come out light, soft, sweet, and perfect with Turkish Tea - Çay, or coffee.

Jump to:

• What Are Turkish Apple Cookies?
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Best Apples for Apple Cookies
• How to Make Apple Cookies
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• Different Ways to Shape Elmalı Kurabiye
• Storage Instructions
• Can You Freeze Turkish Apple Cookies?
• Serving Ideas
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Apple Cookies Recipe – Turkish Elmalı Kurabiye

I grew up with these Turkish Apple Cookies. My mom used to make them often for us and for guests, and she always called them elmalı pasta. I love how simple they are to make, even though they look and taste like something you’d find in a Turkish bakery.

They also keep well for several days, which makes them great for holiday cookie trays, edible gifts, or making ahead when you want something homemade with apples, cinnamon, and walnuts.

What Are Turkish Apple Cookies?

Turkish apple cookies, known as elmalı kurabiye in Turkish, are soft pastry-style cookies filled with cooked apples, cinnamon, and walnuts. “Elmalı” means “with apple,” and “kurabiye” means “cookie.”

Unlike many American-style apple cookies, the apples are not mixed into the dough. Instead, grated apples are cooked with sugar and cinnamon until soft and jammy, then mixed with walnuts. This filling is wrapped inside the dough before the cookies go into the oven.

You might see them shaped in different ways. Some are rolled into crescents, some are folded into small parcels, and some are shaped like little logs. The dough and filling stay the same, but the shape often changes from one family recipe to another.

Why This Recipe Works?

• The apple filling is cooked before baking, so the cookies do not turn soggy in the oven.

• Cinnamon and walnuts give the filling a lovely flavor without making it too sweet.

• The dough is soft and easy to shape, which makes it great for filled cookies.

• Lemon zest adds a fresh flavor that lifts the buttery dough and works beautifully with the cinnamon apple filling.

• These cookies keep well, so you can make them a day or two ahead.

• They are different from regular apple cookies, which helps them stand out as a proper Turkish apple cookies recipe.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Apples - Firm, slightly tart apples work best for this apple cookies recipe. Granny Smith, Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Honeycrisp are all good options. The apples are grated and cooked until most of their liquid has gone.

• Sugar - A little sugar helps soften the apples and gives the filling a gentle sweetness. You can adjust the amount depending on how sweet your apples are.

• Cinnamon - Cinnamon is what gives these cookies their classic flavor. It pairs beautifully with the apples and walnuts.

• Walnuts - Chopped walnuts add texture and a nutty flavor. You can chop them finely or leave them slightly chunky.

• Butter - Butter gives the dough a soft, rich texture. It should be softened, not melted.

• Yogurt - Plain yogurt keeps the dough soft and easy to shape. You can use store-bought yogurt or make your own with my Homemade Greek Yogurt recipe.

• Powdered sugar - It blends smoothly into the dough and keeps the cookies delicate.

• Lemon zest - It is the yellow outside of its peel without going to the white part, which is bitter and unpleasant. It adds a tangy flavor and a citrusy smell to the cookies.

Best Apples for Apple Cookies

The best apples for cinnamon apple cookies are firm apples that hold some texture after cooking. You do not want apples that turn watery too quickly, as the filling needs to be thick enough to sit inside the dough.

Granny Smith apples are a good choice because they are tart and firm. Pink Lady, Braeburn, and Honeycrisp also work well because they have good flavor and do not collapse too much when cooked.

Avoid very soft apples such as Red Delicious, as they can become mushy and watery. You can still use them in a pinch, but you may need to cook the filling a little longer to remove extra moisture.

The most important part is to cook the grated apples until the liquid has mostly evaporated. The filling should look soft and moist, but not wet. A wet filling can make the dough harder to shape and may cause the cookies to open while baking.

How to Make Apple Cookies

Prepare the Cinnamon Apple Filling

Start by peeling and grating the apples. Place them in a skillet with the sugar and cook over medium heat. Stir now and then as the apples soften and release their juices.

Keep cooking until the liquid has mostly evaporated. The filling should look soft, thick, and slightly jammy. This usually takes around 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how juicy the apples are.

Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the ground cinnamon and chopped walnuts. Let the filling cool completely before using it. This part is important because warm filling can soften the dough and make the cookies difficult to shape.

You can make the apple filling a day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before shaping the cookies, so it is easier to spoon onto the dough.

Make the Cookie Dough

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the softened butter, baking powder, powdered sugar, yogurt, and lemon zest.

Mix everything gently with your fingertips until the ingredients start to come together. Tip the mixture onto your work surface and bring it together into a soft dough.

The dough should feel smooth, buttery, and easy to handle. Try not to knead it too much. You only need to bring it together until it holds its shape.

Roll and Shape the Cookies

Roll the dough into a log and cut it into 5 equal pieces, about 5 oz / 140 g each. Shape each piece into a ball. Lightly flour your work surface. Sprinkle a little flour over one dough ball and roll it into an 8-inch / 20 cm circle, about ⅕ inch / ½ cm thick.

Cut the circle into 8 equal triangles, like you would cut a pizza. Place 1 teaspoon of apple filling on the wide end of each triangle. Roll each triangle from the wide end toward the pointed end to form a small log shape. Place the shaped cookies on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough balls and filling.

Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned. They should not get too dark. Turkish apple cookies are meant to stay pale with just a little color. Once baked, remove them from the oven and sprinkle powdered sugar over the top while they are still warm.

Let them cool before serving. The cookies become more settled as they cool, and the powdered sugar gives them that classic elmalı kurabiye look.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Cook the apple filling until most of the moisture has gone. Let the apple filling cool before adding the walnuts.

• Make sure the butter is at room temperature - not melted. Take it out of the fridge and leave it out on the kitchen top for a couple of hours until you need it.

• Lightly flour the work surface, but avoid adding too much extra flour to the dough.

• Do not overwork the dough. Mix and bring it together only until soft and smooth.

• Let the cookies cool before moving them too much, as they are delicate when hot.

Different Ways to Shape Elmalı Kurabiye

This recipe uses the classic rolled triangle method. The dough is rolled into circles, cut into triangles, filled, and rolled into small logs. It is one of the easiest ways to get neat, even cookies.

You can also shape them as small half-moons by cutting circles from the dough, placing filling on one side, and folding the dough over. Press the edges gently to seal.

Another option is to make small parcels. Flatten a piece of dough, add a little filling in the middle, then fold and seal it. This is a good shape if you want a quicker method.

The shape can change, but the dough and filling stay the same. The rolled triangle version looks lovely on a plate and is very common in Turkish homes and bakeries.

Storage Instructions

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep them in a cool, dry place.

They will soften slightly as they sit because of the apple filling. This is normal and actually makes them nice for tea time the next day.

You can also keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving, as the texture is better when they are not cold.

If needed, dust them with a little more powdered sugar before serving.

Can You Freeze Turkish Apple Cookies?

Yes, these Turkish apple cookies freeze well after baking. Let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw them at room temperature before serving. Once thawed, sprinkle with a little more powdered sugar to freshen them up.

You can also freeze the apple filling on its own. Let it cool fully, place it in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature before using.

Serving Ideas

Serve these apple cookies with Turkish tea, black tea, coffee, or milk. They are lovely as an afternoon sweet and work well on a cookie tray with other small bakes such as Kandil Simidi - Turkish Savory Cookies, Key Lime Cookies with Glaze, or Banana Blueberry Muffins with Yogurt.

They are also great for holidays, family gatherings, and edible gifts. Once cooled and dusted with powdered sugar, they look pretty in a small tin or box.

For a Turkish tea-time spread, serve them with savory pastries such as Acma - Turkish Soft Bread Rings, Cheese Borek - Peynirli Börek, or Poğaça (Turkish Cheese Buns), and a cup of Turkish Coffee.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more scrumptious apple recipes, why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making these apple and cinnamon-filled cookies as much as you enjoy eating them! 🙂