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4.90 from 37 votes

Apple Cider Cookies

These soft and chewy Apple Cider Cookies are studded with apples and frosted with a delicious apple cider icing. Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, this recipe makes the perfect easy fall cookie! Plus, they freeze beautifully so you can have a stash on hand for every craving.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 28 cookies
Calories: 235kcal

Equipment

  • Tools: cookie sheets, parchment paper, mixing bowl, electric mixer

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 grams) unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup (99 grams) granulated white sugar
  • ¾ cup (160 grams) light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) apple cider
  • 1 apple peeled and diced

For the icing:

  • 2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat and prepare cookie sheets. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly.
  • Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
  • Cream butter and sugars. In a second mixing bowl, with an electric mixer cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add egg and cider. Add egg and mix just until combined. Add cider and combine. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  • Add in dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture and mix at low to medium speed until mixture is evenly moistened. Stir in chopped apple.
  • Scoop the cookies. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the cookies into 1 ½-inch balls. Place onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake and cool the cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges and centers are set. Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to finish cooling completely.
  • Make icing. In a small bowl, whisk together icing ingredients. Spread or drizzle over each cooled cookie.

Notes

  • Storage: Store cooled cookies, covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. 
  • Freezing: You can freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Cool baked cookies thoroughly, then freeze until solid. Store in an air-tight zipper bag or container. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for a few seconds to re-warm. Make and scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Freeze the cookies on the sheet until solid, then store in an air-tight zipper bag or container. Bake straight from frozen, just add 1-3 minutes of extra baking time. 
  • Cookie trouble shooting: 
    • Cookies spread too much: If your cookies spread or got very flat, it is likely due to one of these 8 reasons. Try reading through the list to pinpoint the problem. For this recipe in particular, it is important to start with room temperature butter (not too soft! See the notes in the recipe) and to measure the flour correctly to prevent flat cookies. You could also try refrigerating the dough a bit before baking if your cookies usually spread.
    • Cookies didn't spread at all: This probably means you measured your flour wrong. If you add too much flour these cookies won't spread at all. I recommend measuring your flour by weight using a scale. But if you do measure by volume, then you want to make sure to stir up your flour first, then spoon into your cup and level it off with a knife. Do NOT pack it into the cup or scoop directly from the bag.
    • Cookies aren't soft and chewy: If your cookies got hard instead of soft and chewy, you may have overbaked them. Make sure to bake them until they are set, but not past that. They will continue to cook as they start to cool on the hot pan. Your oven temperature may also be too high. I recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is running at the correct temperature. Click here to read more about using your oven properly when baking. You may have also added too much flour. Using a kitchen scale is best for accuracy!
  • Apple cider: There's really no substitution here! You can try apple juice but it won't give you the same spiced apple flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 224IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg