Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Muffin Pan

Start by heating your oven to 375º F (190º C). While the oven is warming up, grease a mini muffin pan thoroughly with cooking spray. This ensures the cookies don’t stick and makes it easier to pop them out once they’ve cooled down. Be generous with the spray, especially if your muffin pan tends to stick to baked goods.

Step 2: Mix the Cookie Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cookie mix, butter, and egg. Stir the ingredients together until a dough forms. You can use a hand mixer, stand mixer, or simply mix by hand with a spoon. If necessary, you can use your hands to knead the dough until it comes together smoothly. If the dough feels too sticky, you can add a little more flour to adjust the consistency. It should be firm enough to hold its shape when you roll it into balls but soft enough to press into the muffin pan.

Step 3: Roll the Dough in Cinnamon-Sugar

Take the cinnamon/sugar mixture that comes with the cookie mix and pour it into a small bowl. Using a tablespoon cookie scoop (or your hands), scoop out about 24 small balls of dough. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, making sure it’s well-coated. This will give your Snickerdoodle Apple Pie Bites that classic snickerdoodle flavor and a sweet, cinnamon crust. If you like extra cinnamon, feel free to add a bit more to the mixture.

Step 4: Bake the Cookie Cups

Place each dough ball into the prepared mini muffin pan. Press them down gently to form a base for the apple filling. Bake the bites in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie cups are slightly golden brown. The cookies should feel soft to the touch but firm up as they cool. Keep an eye on them to avoid overbaking—if they’re left in the oven too long, they might become too crispy and lose their soft, chewy texture.

Step 5: Make an Indentation in the Cookie Cups

Once you remove the cookie cups from the oven, use the back of a tablespoon to gently press into the center of each cookie to form an indentation. This step creates the perfect little “cup” to hold the apple pie filling. If you find the tablespoon too big for this task, feel free to use a smaller spoon, such as a ½ or ¾ tablespoon. Be careful not to press too hard—just a gentle push is enough to create the indentation.

Step 6: Cool and Pop Out the Cookie Cups

Allow the cookie cups to cool for 3-5 minutes in the muffin pan. During this time, the cookies will firm up and hold their shape. After that, gently use a knife to loosen each cookie cup and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This will help prevent the cookie cups from becoming soggy once the apple pie filling is added.

Step 7: Fill with Apple Pie Filling

While the cookie cups are cooling, prepare the apple pie filling. Open the can of filling and use a knife to chop the apples into small, bite-sized pieces. Then, scoop a tablespoon of the pie filling into each cookie cup, filling the indentation to the top. This will create a perfect balance between the sweet apple filling and the cinnamon-sugar cookie cup.

Step 8: Top with Cinnamon-Sugar and Caramel

For an extra touch, sprinkle a bit of the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture over the apple pie filling. Drizzle each mini pie with caramel ice cream topping for that rich, indulgent finish. The caramel adds an extra layer of sweetness and a smooth, velvety texture that perfectly complements the cinnamon-sugar crust and the soft apple filling.