If you love apple desserts, these apple cider cookies are a must-try. These cookies are full of warm spices, real apple flavor, and a touch of sweetness. They’re easy to make and perfect for any season, especially fall.
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Apple Cider Cookies Recipe
Apple Cider Cookies are a seasonal favorite, capturing the warm, spiced essence of fall in a soft, chewy treat. They feature reduced apple cider for concentrated flavor, along with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and a sugary coating or an apple cider glaze for extra sweetness.
These treats have a buttery, soft interior with a crackly golden-brown top. They often include mix-ins like diced apples, raisins, or nuts for added texture and flavor.
You can enjoy these cookies with drinks like coffee, tea, or warm spiced beverages such as hot apple cider, Mexican hot chocolate, or vanilla chai latte. For adults, try them with amaretto coffee or a maple bourbon smash.
For a richer treat, try these cookies with vanilla, cinnamon, or butter pecan ice cream in sandwiches or sundaes. These combinations add a deliciously indulgent twist to the cozy, spiced flavors.
Here’s how to make apple cider cookies – a popular dessert during autumn holidays.
Apple Cider Cookies
Nutrition
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 egg
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
For topping
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, simmer 1 cup of apple cider until it reduces to 1/2 cup (about 10–15 minutes). Let it cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugars in a bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, vanilla, and cooled cider. Mix until well combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Gradually add dry to wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to portion out the dough. Roll each scoop into a ball with your hands.
- Arrange the dough balls on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
- Let cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Brush the cookies with melted butter, then press them into the sugar-cinnamon mixture
Notes
- Reduce the cider first to intensify the apple flavor.
- Add chopped dried apples or nuts for texture.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
SIMILAR RECIPES:
Variations
You can make other apple cider cookie recipes. Here are some ideas you can try:
- Caramel Apple Cider Cookies incorporate a reduced apple cider and apple butter mixture and brush it on top of the cookies. They are richly spiced and mimic the flavor of apple cider doughnuts.
- Glaze Options drizzle apple cider glaze over the cookies or dip half the cookie. The glaze often combines confectioners’ sugar and apple cider.
- Nuts Addition adds crushed nuts like pecans or macadamia nuts on top of the cookies for added texture and a nutty flavor.
- Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Versions use gluten-free flours and plant-based butters or coconut oil.
- Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies and Trifles include sandwiching cookies with salted caramel or dulce de leche with whipped cream and sautéed apples to make a trifle dessert.
- Spice Variations include spices like allspice, cloves, and apple pie spice blends. Some recipes experiment with cardamom or allspice to vary the warmth and complexity of the flavor profile.
- Apple Inclusions fold in cubed apples into the dough for added moisture and fresh apple flavor.