Apple Cider Cookies
These apple cider cookies taste just like apple cider donuts! These cookies are made with reduced apple cider, brown butter, and cinnamon. They are dipped in browned butter apple cider and rolled in cinnamon sugar. To take the cookies to the next level, they are drizzled with apple cider glaze.
When I was recipe testing these apple cider cookies, I wanted the cookies to taste just like the donuts but in cookie form. I didn’t want them to just be snickerdoodle cookies, but to taste like apple cider with a strong apple flavor. I found that reducing the apple cider gives them a very strong apple cider flavor. They taste just like fall!
I have tips and tricks and process photos to easily help you make this recipe! If you love apple cider desserts, you have to try my apple cider muffins.
Tips for making the cookies
Here are my tips, so yours turns out like this recipe! See my post for how to brown butter for more tips.
- Tip 1: First, brown the butter. Heat the butter until the milk deposits separate and turn amber in color.
- Tip 2: Reduce the apple cider for the cookie dough to 1/4 cup. The apple cider for the butter and the glaze doesn’t use the reduced apple cider.
- Tip 3: Make sure the flour is spooned and leveled. If you stick the measuring cup in the flour, the cookies may not spread.
- Tip 4: After the cookies are done baking and cooled, brush the cookies with brown butter and apple cider combo. Then, dip them in cinnamon sugar. For extra apple cider flavor, top with the apple cider glaze.
For more apple cider recipes, try my apple cider cheesecake and apple cider donuts.
Make sure to leave a star review if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
Recipe Video
Apple Cider Cookies
These apple cider cookies taste just like apple cider donuts you would get from a farm! These cookies are made using brown butter apple cider, apple sauce, and a lot of cinnamon. They are brushed in apple cider brown butter and dipped in cinnamon sugar and topped with apple cider glaze.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Plus 4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter, browned
- 1/4 cup Reduced apple cider, Start with 1 cup of apple cider
- 1 1/4 cup Brown sugar, packed light or dark
- 1/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1 Large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Apple sauce, unsweetened
- 2 3/4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
Apple Cider Butter
- 2 TBSP Brown butter, use from the butter you browned for the dough
- 1 TBSP Apple cider, regular apple cider not reduced.
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/2 cup White granulated sugar
- 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
Apple Cider Glaze
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 TBSP Apple cider, regular apple cider not reduced.
Instructions
Apple Cider Cookies
- In a medium frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Heat the butter until the milk solids separate and turn amber in color. Pour in a separate container. Take out 2 Tablespoons of butter and place in a separate bowl. Cool completely. You will have 1 cup total of brown butter for the cookie dough.1 cup Plus 4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 cup apple cider. Cook for 15 minutes. The apple cider should reduce down to 1/4th cup.1/4 cup Reduced apple cider
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.2 3/4 cups All-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
- In a large bowl, mix the browned butter, apple cider, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, egg, and apple sauce. Add in the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to mix until just combined.1 1/4 cup Brown sugar, 1/4 cup White granulated sugar, 1 Large egg, 1/4 cup Apple sauce, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Let the dough rest while the oven preheats.
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the dough. Place 6 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet.
- Bake 13-15 minutes. Bake one tray at a time. Cool completely on a cooling rack.
Assembly
- In a small bowl, mix the brown butter and apple cider. If the butter is solid from cooling, heat in the microwave for 10 seconds. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon.2 TBSP Brown butter, 1 TBSP Apple cider, 1/2 cup White granulated sugar, 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- Take a pastry brush to brush on the butter on the cookie. Immediately dunk in the cinnamon sugar. (do one cookie at a time). There should be a lot of cinnamon sugar on the cookie.
- In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and apple cider. It should be thin enough to pour. Drizzle the glaze on top of the cookies.1 cup Powdered sugar, 2 1/2 TBSP Apple cider
Notes
Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cookies and cause them not to spread
High altitude baking- Add an extra 2 TBSP of flour.
Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
To quickly cool the apple cider and brown butter, place them both on a plate (separate plates) and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
The brown butter needs to be melted but room temperature before using.
Calories: 311kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 43mg, Sodium: 218mg, Potassium: 70mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 396IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!
These are AMAZING. Easily in my top five cookies now. They sound more labor intensive than they actually are, but that little bit of extra work is 100% worth it. SO GOOD.
So good for fall and makes the house smell amazing!!
I just made these, they have an incredible taste but were much more soft than I thought they would be. Also, I know it’s a dessert but I’m not used to putting that amount of sugar into a dessert. Have you experimented with less brown sugar in the recipe?
Omg, these are incredible! A little labor intensive but definitely worth the end result. I even loved the cookie dough before it was even baked, it was so flavorful. If you want to impress friends with your baking skills, make these bad boys.
What kind of apple cider did you use ?
I used apple cider juice, don’t use apple cider vinegar!
Delicious flavor and texture! My whole apartment smelled like fall.
I creamed the butter, sugar, and eggs together for 7-8 minutes until fluffy and then alternated rest of wet ingredients with dry ingredients. I also chilled the portioned cookies for an hour before baking to help maintain shape.
Came out great! Delicious! Definitely recommend!
A perfect autumn recipe!
I love the soft, cake-like texture of these cookies!
I dipped some of them in a cinnamon/sugar mixture instead of the glace, and they were so good!
I made these as smaller cookies and they turned out great! With the smaller cookies I ended up needing a little more browned butter and reduced cider for the cinnamon-sugar dip, so I’ll know to make a little extra next time- but definitely will make again. Perfect fall cookie!
My new favorite cookie! These were so easy to make and truly remind me of apple cider donuts. I’m excited to make these again and share them with friends and family.
Probably the best cookie I’ve ever had. Made it a second time with a cream cheese frosting and it was delicious as well. Making for a third time today for a new mom! Perfect recipe.
Just made these and they are the perfect cookie for fall. I knew they would be delish when I tasted the batter. I used a smaller scoop and ended up with 30 3 inch cookies. I ran out of time for the last step with the glaze, but they tasted amazing with just the cinnamon sugar topping. Will definitely be making another batch real soon.
I made these yesterday and brought them to my friends. They were a big hit!!! So yummy, thank you for sharing!
Have you made these with an egg substitute and if you have, what did you use?
Thank you!
I have not. However, I would do 1/2 cup total of apple sauce to replace the egg. (1/4 cup to replace the egg and 1/4 cup already in the recipe.)
The doubled and tripled recipe calls for the same amount of apple cider. It’s a bit confusing
I just answered this question that someone just asked in the comments.
Not very good at baking, still pulled this one off! Incredibly delish desert and fairly easy to make!
The apple cider is the same amount for the doubled and tripled recipe? It’s a bit confusing
The part where it says start start with 1 cup is under that ingredients description, so it won’t double or triple that part. However, for 2x the recipe it is 2 cups of apple cider. 3x is 3 cups.
These were a huge hit amongst my friends! What are the freezing instructions if I wanted to make these ahead of time? Frozen dough balls? And then bake, sugar and glaze?
Yes I would freeze the cookie dough balls! Then, let come to room temp before baking.