These Apple Cider Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of cozy fall flavor. Made with reduced apple cider and warm spices, they're rolled in cinnamon sugar and bake up with crisp edges and tender centers. Finished with a sweet apple cider icing, every bite tastes like autumn. Perfect for fall gatherings, holiday cookie trays, or enjoying with a warm mug of cider.
There's nothing quite like a warm cup of apple cider in the fall, and these thick, chewy Apple Cider Cookies capture that same cozy flavor in every bite. Think of all the delicious flavors of an apple cider doughnut, but in cookie form. The secret is reducing apple cider into a thick syrup to maximize the flavor, then mixing it with simple pantry ingredients-no mixer required. These cookies bake up soft and chewy with crisp edges, taste just like they came from the orchard, and are finished with a drizzle of sweet apple cider glaze.
For more cookie recipes try my pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies, brown butter oatmeal cookies or cinnamon crinkle cookies
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Cozy Fall Flavor: Apple cider and spices make these cookies taste like autumn
- Soft and Chewy: The apple cookies have the perfect texture with chewy edges and soft centers.
- Easy to Make: These cookies use simple ingredients and come together quickly without a mixer.
- Great for Sharing: Perfect for cookie swaps, parties, or gifting.
- Freezer-Friendly: Store for later to enjoy apple cider flavor anytime.
Ingredient Notes
- Apple Cider: Use a good quality, real apple cider. We're reducing it by cooking it on the stovetop for about 20 minutes, to concentrate the flavor. You can also use boiled cider to skip the reduction step. Just be sure the only ingredient is apple cider. Do not use apple cider vinegar - this is, as the name implies, vinegar and not the same as the apple cider you'd drink. You can use store bought or fresh apple cider.
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness.
- Brown Sugar: Keeps the cookies soft and chewy while adding warmth.
- Egg yolk: Binds the dough and helps with structure.
- Unsweetened applesauce: Adds moisture to the dough and as well as apple flavor. You can use apple butter as well.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works best for a tender crumb.
- Baking Soda: Gives lift and chewy texture.
- Cream of Tartar: Helps activate the baking soda, adds lift, and gives the cookies a slightly tangy flavor while keeping them soft and chewy. If you don't have cream of tartar, you can substitute an equal amount of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
- Pure vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor the cookies
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Adds cozy warmth that pairs perfectly with apple cider. You can use apple pie spice or even chai spice.
- Ground Ginger: Adds a nice spicy kick to these cookies.
- Cinnamon Sugar: A cinnamon-sugar mixture for rolling the dough before baking.
- Powdered Sugar: Used to make the glaze. Make sure its sifted to prevent any lumps in the icing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here is how to make these apple cider cookies. You can use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with a sturdy whisk.
Step 1. Make Apple Cider Reduction: Simmer 2 cups of apple cider in a small saucepan on medium heat until reduced to about ¼ cup. Let cool. It will thicken as it cools and will resemble thick syrup.
Step 2: Melt the butter. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
Step 3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat melted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until it resembles wet sand. Add egg yolk and vanilla, then mix in cooled reduced apple cider and applesauce.
Step 4. Add Dry Ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
Step 5. Shape & Chill Dough: Using a large cookie scoop, scoop dough into 1.5 (2-3 tablespoons) inch balls.Cover and chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours ( preferably overnight).
Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 6. Coat in cinnamon sugar: Roll the chilled dough balls in cinnamon sugar coating, and place on prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
Step 7. Bake: Bake for 12-14 minutes, until edges of the cookies are set but centers are soft. Keep the remaining cookie dough balls in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Step 8. Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Step 9. Make the apple cider glaze: Whisk together confectioner's sugar and apple cider (not apple cider concentrate) in a small bowl until there are no more lumps.
Step 10. Finish the cookies: Drizzle the apple cider glaze over the tops of the cookies. Allow the glaze to set until hardened before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t Rush the Reduction: Take your time reducing the apple cider. It should be a slow, steady simmer to concentrate the flavor without burning. You’re looking for it to become a thick, syrupy consistency.
- Chill the Dough: Chilling helps prevent spreading and keeps cookies thick and chewy.
- Don't Overbake: Remove cookies when edges are set but centers still look soft-they'll finish on the baking sheet.
- Measure flour carefully. This changes the entire texture of a cookie. Use a kitchen scale for exact measurements, or use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a butter knife. Don't pack the flour down
- Perfect Rounds: Use a large round cookie cutter to scoot the cookies into a uniform shape right after baking.
FAQ's
Yes, but the flavor will be lighter. Apple cider has a deeper, spiced taste that makes the cookies more flavorful.
Yes. Reducing the apple cider is the best way to get the most concentrated cider flavor and prevents the dough from becoming too wet.
This usually happens if the apple cider adds too much liquid. Make sure the cider is reduced properly and measure flour correctly (spoon and level).
Yes the cookies would still be delicious without it.
This usually happens if your butter was too hot, or if you skipped the chilling step. Make sure your ingredients are at the right temperature and always chill the dough for a firmer cookie.
Storage & Freezing
- Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Refrigerator: Keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
- Freezing Dough: Freeze shaped cookie dough balls (without cinnamon sugar coating) for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to bake time.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Fall Baking Recipes You Will Love
Recipe
Chewy Apple Cider Cookies
Equipment
- Large Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tsps apple cider
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar *see notes
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup cinnamon sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Simmer 2 cups of apple cider in a small saucepan on medium heat until reduced to about ¼ cup. Let cool. It will thicken as it cools and will resemble thick syrup.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and ground ginger. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the both sugars and cooled brown butter. It should look like clumpy wet sand.
- Whisk in the egg yolk, reduced apple cider, vanilla extract, and applesauce until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold them into the wet to form a dough.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough into 1.5 (2-3 tablespoons) inch balls. Cover and chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours ( preferably overnight).
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the chilled dough balls in cinnamon sugar coating, and place on prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are darkened and the center looks puffed and slightly underdone. Keep the remaining cookie dough balls in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Allow them to rest on the baking sheet for a couple minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Continue to bake the rest of the cookie dough.
- Whisk together confectioner's sugar and apple cider (not apple cider concentrate) in a small bowl until there are no more lumps.
- Drizzle the apple cider glaze over the tops of the cookies. Allow the glaze to set until hardened before serving.
Notes
- Reduce apple cider before adding to the dough for maximum flavor.
- Always spoon and level your flour to avoid adding too much, which can make cookies cakey.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a rack-they'll finish setting up.
- If your butter is too warm, the cookies will spread way too much. Make sure the butter is cooled to room temperature.
- If you cant find cream of tartar you can skip it. The cookies would still be delicious without it.
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