Turkish Apple Cinnamon Cookies are a true classic and packed with fall flavors. These are slightly crispy on the outside and melting in your mouth on the inside. The apple filling gives you the feeling of bite size apple pie.
Apple Cinnamon Cookies are always great sweet treats when paired with Turkish Chai, but they are even better in fall since there are various fresh apples at bazaars in this season. My favorite is always green sourish ones, but these rolls are made with sweet apples, you decide the color. I saw some organic apples at our local bazaar last week and used them in this recipe, you know organic foods have better tastes and these apple cinnamon cookies became divine with that distinctive flavor of apple.
You can find these in many pastry shops in Turkey and they are called elmali kurabiye –cookies stuffed with apples. The shape of them might change though. Some of them are so thin and small, some are thick, some have little filling, some have a generous amount, so you are free to make such changes when you make it at home. The filling is always the same though, a mixture of cinnamon, walnut and apple. This is one of my favorite combinations in sweet treats. The flavor of cinnamon couldn’t go better with another fruit! Plus, walnut gives a nice nutty flavor to this mixture.
The dough of these apple cinnamon cookies is as important as the filling. It must be melting in your mouth, and you can eat as many as you like.I used all purpose flour for this recipe, but I sometimes make it with whole wheat flour and I love the brownish color more. Also, unlike the traditional one, it gets a little crispy that way and I love it too!
Traditional apple cinnamon cookies don’t have lemon zest in the dough, but I love its refreshing flavor in it. I think it complements the combination of flavors in the filling.
Other Apple Dessert Recipes You Might Like
- Easy Apple Compote
- Cinnamon Dried Apples
- Baked Apples Recipe
- Apple And Cinnamon Bread
- Apple Muffins Healthy
More Turkish Sweet Snacks
PrintCinnamon Walnut and Apple Rolls
Cookies filled with apple, cinnamon and walnut.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients
Filling:
- 3 apples, peeled and grated
- ½ cup walnut, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dough:
- 3 cups flour
- ¾ cup wheat starch
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 125g butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar to coat cookies
Instructions
- To make the filling, heat a skillet and cook grated apple and sugar in it until it absorbs the juice.
- Add in cinnamon and walnuts and cook for a few minutes. Remove from heat.
- Let it cool.
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and put it aside.
- To make the dough, combine all the ingredients just until it holds together.
- Give it a big log shape and cut it into 10.
- Using a rolling pin, roll them out, giving a circular shape and cut into 8 equal pieces (just like slicing a pizza).
- Put some filling on the large side of these pieces, roll them up and place on the prepared sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until slightly golden and let it cool.
- Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Keywords: apple cookies, Turkish cookies
This post was originally published in 2013 and we're updating it today with new pictures and additional info.
Jen says
Am I correct that this will make 80 pieces?
10 discs each cut into 8 triangles.....
Vivian says
I ate this once in my friend's house in Turkey and fell in love with it, thanks for the recipe! I just made them this morning and they taste heavenly. Saw you mentioning whole wheat flour - do you also use 3 cups for it or less? I feel like trying the next time I made them
★★★★★
Zerrin says
Hi Vivian,
Glad you like the recipe. They make perfect quick breakfast, don't they?
I don't remember exactly, but I guess I use the same amount of whole wheat flour. It's always better to add the flour gradually to understand the right amount. Hope this helps.
Kelly Mahan says
These sure look delicious! And the best part is there are so many different (and delicious!) ways to make them that we'll never get sick of eating them!
Makos(@thehungrybites) says
Hey, Zerrin!
This dough looks really tender and crumbly! Your cookies must be amazing!
Zerrin says
Hi Makos! Thanks a lot! These are literally melting in your mouth. And the apple filling inside is like icing on the cake!
susan maltby says
what is wheat starch?
Zerrin says
You can use corn starch if you can't find wheat starch.
Cecilia says
They look yummy! What apples do you suggest?
Zerrin says
Thank you Ceilia! You can use any sweet apples.
cathy james says
How much butter what temp?
Zerrin says
Hi Cathy, thanks for asking this question! How come I forgot to write the oven degree? Bake it at 350F. And 1 stick of butter will be enough. Hope I'm not too late to reply your questions.
Ilke says
I love apple and those pastries. Used to have them from the bakery a lot in Istanbul...And all that powdered sugar on top! 🙂
Once it is fall-like again here, I will try your recipe. I miss it a lot!