Apple Butter Cookies

Indulge in fall’s warm, cozy flavors with these apple butter cookies, a delightful fusion of snickerdoodles and sugar cookies. The addition of apple butter brings a unique sweetness and a hint of spice to the dough, making each bite rich in flavor and perfect for the season. With their soft and chewy texture, these cookies are an irresistible autumn treat.

Apple butter is made by slowly cooking apples with apple juice or water until the sugars in the apples caramelize, giving it a deep brown color and intense flavor. It’s thicker and richer than applesauce, making it the ideal ingredient for adding depth to these cookies.

These soft, spiced apple butter snickerdoodles stay moist for days, making them a seasonal favorite you’ll want to enjoy again and again. Whether you’re baking them for a gathering or just to enjoy at home, these cookies are sure to capture the essence of fall in every bite.

Ingredients to Make Apple Butter Cookie Recipe

• BUTTER – Butter adds richness, flavor, and tenderness to the cookies. It also helps create a soft texture and gives the cookies that classic buttery cookie flavor.
• APPLE BUTTER – Apple butter adds concentrated apple flavor, natural sweetness, and moisture. Its thick texture works better than applesauce because it gives you strong apple flavor without making the dough too wet.
• SUGAR – Sugar sweetens the cookies and helps them spread and brown as they bake. It also makes the cinnamon-sugar coating.
• EGG – The egg binds the dough and adds structure, richness, and moisture.
• VANILLA – Vanilla adds warm sweetness and helps round out the apple and cinnamon flavors.
• CINNAMON – Cinnamon brings warm fall flavor to the cookies and pairs naturally with the apple butter. It is also used in the coating for a snickerdoodle-style finish.
• FLOUR – All-purpose flour provides the structure for the cookies and helps balance the moisture from the apple butter.
• BAKING SODA – Baking soda helps the cookies rise and spread while contributing to a soft, chewy texture.
• CREAM OF TARTAR – Cream of tartar works with the baking soda to give the cookies lift and a tender, slightly chewy texture. It also adds the subtle tang that gives snickerdoodle-style cookies their characteristic flavor.

How to Make Apple Butter Cookies

Begin by creaming together butter, apple butter, and sugar in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, and continue mixing until fully combined and smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and cream of tartar. This step ensures that the spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix.

Once the dough is mixed, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Chilling the dough helps the flavors meld and makes it easier to handle when shaping the cookies.

Prepare the Cookies for Baking

After the dough chills, use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion it into small balls. Roll each dough ball between your hands into a smooth sphere, then roll it in a cinnamon-sugar mixture to give the cookies their signature sweet, spiced coating.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the rolled cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden and set around the edges. They will fill your kitchen with the irresistible aroma of cinnamon and fall spices!

Once the cookies are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. These soft, spiced apple butter cookies are perfect with a cup of hot apple cider or your favorite warm beverage. Enjoy the flavors of fall in every bite!

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store apple butter cookies?
Store apple butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or refrigerate them to keep them fresh for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months; just thaw them at room temperature before serving.

Can I add other spices or ingredients to the dough?
Absolutely! You can enhance the flavor by adding spices like nutmeg or cloves. Some people also enjoy adding chopped nuts or raisins for additional texture and flavor.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?
Yes, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Be sure to choose a blend that contains xanthan gum or add it separately to help the cookies maintain their structure.

Tips and Tricks

• Don’t skip chilling the dough. The dough needs at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. This makes the sticky dough easier to handle and also helps keep the cookies from spreading too much as they bake.
• Use a thick apple butter. Apple butter is thicker and more concentrated than applesauce, which gives these cookies their rich apple flavor without adding too much moisture.
• Use a cookie scoop for even cookies. Portioning the dough with a cookie scoop helps keep all the cookies close to the same size so they bake evenly. The dough will be sticky, so a scoop also makes it much easier to work with.
• Coat the dough generously in cinnamon sugar. Rolling each dough ball well in the cinnamon-sugar mixture gives the cookies that snickerdoodle-style finish and adds extra sweetness and spice to every bite.
• Don’t overbake them. Bake just until the cookies are set and lightly golden around the edges, about 13–15 minutes. They will continue to set as they cool, which helps keep the centers soft and chewy.

FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS, TRY:

• Apple Butter Waffles with Cinnamon Syrup
• Apple Butter Monkey Bread
• Easy Apple Butter Pancakes
• Autumn Grilled Ham and Cheese

This recipe is adapted from Dixie Sugar Crystals.