I Never Throw Away My Pie Crust Scraps, I Make These Cookies Instead

Growing up, my mom would often make pies for family gatherings, church potlucks, or to say "thank you" to someone for lending a helping hand. There was often something baking away in the oven, but it rarely remained in our house.

This sometimes made me a bitter child. Just as the intoxicating aroma of a sweet treat would reach my bedroom and draw me into the kitchen, I’d watch my mom swoop it out the door.

Fortunately, having a prolific baker for a mother still had its benefits. Whenever she made baked goods, and I was smart enough to hang around the kitchen, there would often be extra of something I could indulge in. Sometimes that was licking batter off a beater, sometimes it was an extra Christmas cookie, and sometimes it was my favorite treat of all: pie dough scraps.

That might not sound very exciting, but trust me. When you make a pie, especially a double-crust pie, you end up with extra scraps of dough. Forever frugal, my mom was not about to waste some extra pie dough, especially since it’s the best part. She’d gather the pie scraps in an extra pie tin, brush them with egg wash if she had it, and sprinkle them with sugar. Into the oven they went alongside the pie, and a few minutes later, we’d have a sweet, buttery snack to hold us over until the main attraction.

How I Make Pie Dough Cookies

The good news is that you can make pie dough cookies whether or not you make a homemade pie dough, and whether or not you’re making a pie in the first place. My mom learned that we loved them so much, she’d use the second crust in a store-bought pack of two to make these cookies.

If you’re using scraps, simply gather them together on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you’re in it just for the cookies, use a cookie cutter to make them look cute. Brush with egg wash or heavy cream, then sprinkle generously with sugar. For a little extra flavor, use cinnamon sugar—we made it with a quarter cup of sugar and two teaspoons of cinnamon.

The oven temperature is adjustable based on the temperature your pie is baking. At 350°F, they’ll take 15 to 20 minutes, and at 400°F, they’ll take about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they’re golden brown and let them cool for a few minutes before enjoying them warm.

They’re the perfect chef snack, especially since pies take a notoriously long time to cool. Treat yourself!