Loaf Pan Snickerdoodle Apple Pie

This Loaf Pan Snickerdoodle Apple Pie is for anyone who wants apple pie on the Thanksgiving table without rolling out a single crust. You sauté finely diced Honeycrisp apples with maple syrup and cinnamon, press a whole package of snickerdoodle cookie dough right on top, and bake it in a loaf pan for about 13 minutes. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a pinch of flaky salt while it’s warm, and Thanksgiving dessert is handled.

A glass bowl filled with warm apple crisp topped with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream, held by a hand using a spoon.

Friends, who actually has time to make a pie from scratch the week of Thanksgiving? Like, yes, grandma’s homemade pie is delish and nostalgic, and I love that for grandma. But most of us want something easier, especially when the turkey is hogging the oven and there are still three sides to finish. This pie has no crust to roll out and no lattice to weave, and the bake time is THIRTEEN minutes.

The apples cook on the stovetop first with avocado oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon until they’re soft and cinnamon-y, which takes about 8 to 9 minutes. Then they go into a loaf pan, you press the cookie dough right into the apples, and the oven does the rest. A quick minute under the broiler at the end gives you a golden brown, crispy top with soft, warm apples underneath.

If you’ve made my Deconstructed Healthy Apple Pie, you already know I’m firmly in the camp that the top is the only part of the crust that matters. This one runs with that idea, except the top is basically one big, soft-baked snickerdoodle. Then the vanilla ice cream melts down into all those warm apples. Make this and you win Thanksgiving!

Whole and sliced red apples, small cubes of apple, a dish of honey, and small round cookies arranged on a wooden board next to a rectangular baking pan. — *To make this, you’ll need honey crisp apples, avocado oil, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, snickerdoodle cookie dough, flaky salt, and vanilla ice cream.*

Diced apples cooking in a frying pan with a teal spatula, alongside a plate of cookies and a bottle of oil. — *To make this, you’ll need honey crisp apples, avocado oil, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, snickerdoodle cookie dough, flaky salt, and vanilla ice cream.*

What You Need to Make This Easy Snickerdoodle Apple Pie

Honeycrisp Apples: They’re sweet with a little tartness and hold their shape as they cook, so you get tender bites of apple instead of mush (dicing them small also helps them soften faster). If you can’t find Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or Fuji work too.
Avocado Oil: Keeps the apples from sticking to the pan.
Maple Syrup: Sweetens the apples and cooks down into a light glaze as they soften.
Ground Cinnamon: Between that and the warm spice in the cookie dough, you get snickerdoodle flavor from the top of the pan all the way to the bottom.
Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough: I used one package of Sweet Loren’s Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough. It’s gluten-free and vegan and comes pre-portioned, so all you do is press the pieces into the apples. Any store-bought snickerdoodle dough works, or use your cookie dough of choice. Can’t find snickerdoodle? Sugar cookie dough with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top gets you close.
Flaky Salt: A pinch of flaky sea salt right before serving balances out the sweetness from the maple, apples, and cookie dough.
Vanilla Ice Cream: Warm apple pie needs something cold and creamy on top, and vanilla ice cream is the move.

A green spatula transfers diced apples tossed in cinnamon from a skillet into a rectangular baking dish on a wooden cutting board. — *Take the skillet off the heat and transfer the apple mixture to a standard loaf pan or pie dish.*

A white rectangular baking dish filled with cubed apples topped with unbaked biscuit dough, sitting on a wooden board. — *Take the skillet off the heat and transfer the apple mixture to a standard loaf pan or pie dish.*

How to Make This Easy Snickerdoodle Apple Pie

Start by preheating your oven to 325 F. While it heats up, finely dice (peeled or unpeeled is fine) the apples and add them to a large bowl.

Next, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the avocado oil. Once the pan is hot, add the apples, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Sauté for about 8 to 9 minutes, stirring every so often, until the apples have softened.

Take the skillet off the heat and transfer the apple mixture to a standard loaf pan or pie dish. Press the cookie dough pieces down into the apples so they cover as much of the top as possible. They’ll spread as they bake.

Bake according to the cookie dough package instructions (for me, that was 13 minutes). Then broil for 1 minute to get that golden brown, crispy top. Stay close to the oven during this part, because broilers go from golden to burnt fast.

Remove the pie from the oven, top it with vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of flaky salt, and serve it warm. Enjoy!

A rectangular baking dish filled with a baked apple cobbler topped with biscuits, served with two scoops of vanilla ice cream on the side. — *Bake according to the cookie dough package instructions (for me, that was 13 minutes).*

A gold spoon scoops apple cobbler into a clear glass bowl, with a baking dish and a small bowl of salt nearby. — *Bake according to the cookie dough package instructions (for me, that was 13 minutes).*

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this Snickerdoodle Apple Pie ahead of time?

Yes! The apple filling is the part to make ahead. Sauté the apples up to 2 days in advance, let them cool, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, warm them in the skillet for a couple of minutes and move them to your pan. Add the cookie dough right before it goes in the oven so it doesn’t sit on the apples and get soggy.

Can I use a pie dish instead of a loaf pan?

Yep, a standard pie dish works too. The cookie layer will be a little thinner since it’s spread over more surface area. Because you finish it under the broiler, double-check that your dish is broiler-safe (a lot of glass baking dishes aren’t).

What kind of cookie dough can I use?

I used Sweet Loren’s Snickerdoodle, but any store-bought cookie dough works. Sugar cookie dough with cinnamon sugar on top is the closest swap. Bake times vary by brand, so follow the package and pull it when the top is golden.

Is this Snickerdoodle Apple Pie gluten-free?

It can be! The apple filling is naturally gluten-free, and Sweet Loren’s cookie dough is gluten-free and vegan. If you use another brand, check the label. For a dessert that’s fully dairy-free and vegan, top it with dairy-free vanilla ice cream.

How do I store leftovers?

Let it cool, then cover the pan or move the leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rewarm portions in the microwave or in a 325 F oven for a few minutes, then add the ice cream. The cookie top softens as it sits, so a few minutes in the oven helps crisp it back up.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!