Not Sure What to Do with Leftover Pie Dough? Make Pie Scrap Cookies.

If you’ve ever made your own pie crust (and it’s very worth doing), you know that no matter how careful you are, there will always be some leftover scraps of dough that just don’t make it into the pan. If you’re making several pies (say, for a big family gathering at the end of November), then pie scraps can be a problem.

Fortunately, the solution is delicious: You can make the most wonderful pie crust byproduct, something beloved by professional bakers worldwide: pie scrap cookies. Professional bakeries don’t let dough go to waste. They collect it, re-roll it, and turn it into a snack that you can’t resist.

In fact, you might not even want to wait to have scraps of dough on hand to make them. They’re great for a post-pie-making snack, but can be pretty enough to serve as a festive holiday party h’ors d’oeuvre.

Kitchn’s November Cookbook Club pick is Sister Pie by Detroit baker Lisa Ludwinski. She has a recipe for filled pie scrap cookies that she calls “Pie Cookies.” But the basic idea is pretty simple: Re-roll any pie dough trimmings you have, cut them into evenly sized shapes, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake. The re-rolled dough puffs up just like puff pastry (with less fuss) and becomes buttery and crisp. Yes, you could fill them with frosting as Ludwinski does, but they are delicious as a stand-alone too.

The real ingenious part of pie scrap cookies is that you don’t have to wait for pie scraps to make them. Mix up your favorite pie crust (the All-Butter version from Sister Pie is a very, very good place to start), roll it out, and cut it into any shape you like. Circles feel like classic cookies, stars are beautiful for a cookie swap, or you can cut diamonds or squares with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Want to have even more fun with that pie dough? Fold in your favorite spices or some grated cheese and you’ve got a decidedly savory snack that you can easily call a pie scrap cracker. These make great party appetizers and after-school snacks too.

Here’s how I make honest-to-goodness pie scrap cookies in my own kitchen: Every time I make a pie, I load the trimmings into a zip-top bag and put it in my freezer. Before long I have a whole pound of pie dough scraps, and I move it to the fridge, to thaw. When I’m ready, I roll out the dough and fold in cheese, like in the squares pictured above. If I’m not in a savory mood, I simply brush the dough with egg wash, sprinkle on sugar, and cut out rounds.

I move the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them at 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re puffed and golden. You can serve the cookies warm or at room temperature. I imagine pulling a tray of cookies from the oven and serving them after dinner with drinks. It’s the kind of party trick that will make us all want to keep some pie dough on hand.