When I saw the pin for these Apple Pie Cookies from Passion For Savings I know I wanted to make a healthy version. They are just so cute. My 'Apple' Pie Cookies don't actually contain apples and they are low carb, keto, gluten-free, and sugar-free. Keep reading to find out my secret...
I was a bit nervous subbing zucchini for apples in a dessert. I have very sensitive taste buds. I could taste that my faux apple filling was really zucchini a tiny bit after I sauteed it and a tiny bit less in the cookies. Even being able to taste that it is zucchini instead of apple wasn't unpleasant. Zucchini has such a mild flavor it works well in baked goods.
The real test with my ten-year-old son. Apples have been one of his favorite fruit since he was a baby. I handed him one of these apple pie cookies yesterday.
Son: "What is it?"
Me: "An apple pie cookie."
Son sniffs it. Looks at me. Takes a bite. "Pretty good". Eats the whole thing.
Me: "So what did you think?"
Son: "I'd like it better if it was more like apple crisp."
He prefers crumb topping to pie crust just like his dad. But the take away from this conversation was the fact he had no idea this was zucchini. And I'm not going to tell him. I'm just going to chuckle under my breathe and keep my healthy mom secrets.
'Apple' Filling Ingredients:
1 medium zucchini, peeled and diced
1 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp Trim Healthy Mama Gentle Sweet (or my sweetener blend)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp gluccomannan
Crust Ingredients:
1 ⅓ cup almond flour
2 tsp coconut flour
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp Trim Healthy Mama Gentle Sweet (or my sweetener blend)
1 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp gelatin
Here are some other great recipes that use zucchini in place of apples:
Mapple Caramel Pie from Chrissy Benoit in Love
Apple Dumpling Cake from Wonderfully Made and Dearly Loved
Mock Apple Crisp from Low Carb Yum
Fried "Apples" from Maria Mind Body Health
And for a change try my jicama-based Keto Apple Crisp! Or go crazy and try my Keto Apple Cake that does use real apples!
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Ingredients
'Apple' Filling Ingredients:
- 1 medium zucchini peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp gluccomannan
Crust Ingredients:
- 1 ⅓ cup almond flour
- 2 tsp coconut flour
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 1 tbsp gelatin
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute zucchini until softened. Add the sweetener and cinnamon and cook a couple more minutes. Sprinkle the gluccomannan on top and mix well. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a dough forms. Roll it out into a large rectangle about ¼ inch thick and cut out 16 1.5-2 inch circles. I used an upside down sippy cup. Reroll the scraps and cut thin strips of dough. Make a criss cross pattern on top of the cookies.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for more fall flavors? Check out these:
Anna says
Instead of zucchini, jicama would work great!
Taryn says
Trying jicama as an apple sub is on my top do list.
Min says
Hi Taryn!
Could you use Xanthan Gum instead of gluccomannan? I don't have gluccomannan in my pantry but I have plenty of xanthan gum.
Thanks!
Taryn says
Yes, xanthan should work.
Lorna says
thank you for sharing this recipe,, it looks amazing,,,, could you tell me what you mean by "per serving" is each cookie a serving or are there several per serving
Taryn says
One cookie per serving. I just edited the nutrition facts to clarify.
Carol Kennedy says
Hi Taryn, These cookies sure do look good. Re: zucchini- Could you be more specific. What is approx. weight of a medium zucchini or how much does this equal in cups. Thank you
Taryn says
I'll weigh one soon. It was about a 7 or 8 inch zucchini. I did end up with a little extra zucchini filling so for this recipe it doesn't matter that much.