Apple Cider Cookies with Maple Frosting

Apples and Baking Just Go Together

I'm looking forward to apple picking in a couple of weeks at our local apple festival and can't wait to fill my home with wonderful apple aromas. I've got a list a mile long but family favorites like Apple Cider Donuts and Apple Cider Pound Cake come first. Now I'm adding these Apple Cider Cookies to the list.

These deliciously soft, cakey apple cookies are easy to make with a strong spiced apple flavor that tastes great just as they are or covered with more autumness (is that a word?), a sweet and flavorful maple frosting.

Why You'll Love These Cookies

Quick & Easy - if boiled apple cider is purchased these cookies take just 15 minutes to prep and only 10 minutes to bake. Total deliciousness in 25 minutes!

Perfect for Fall - nothing tastes like fall more than apple cider and warm spices. Cover these apple spice cookies with maple frosting and sweeten up your afternoon snack.

Wonderfully Soft - There are two types of cookies, crispy and soft and these move to the top of the soft category. They have a tender cakey and pillowy texture that will just melt in your mouth.

Cookies with Real Apple Cider

I wanted to make these apple cider cookies with real apple cider to give them more flavor. My first batch was made with regular apple cider and the flavor was good but very mild. So, I opted for using cider molasses or boiled cider. The apple cider is boiled down to a syrupy consistency and adds all the apple flavor you could ask for! It's like a little taste of fall in every bite!

What is Boiled Cider Syrup

The best way to get the most apple flavor in a recipe is to reduce the apple cider to a molasses consistency. This enables a more intense apple flavor to baked goods without adding extra liquid. This tart and sweet syrup make these apple cookies and other baked goods taste absolutely 100% more appley (I'm making up words right & left today).

You can purchase Boiled Cider or Apple Cider Molasses from online or specialty stores, or if you want to make your own, check in the notes section of the recipe for the how-tos. The syrup can be used in many ways, as a drizzle for cake, oatmeal, or ice cream, as part of a glaze for baked goods, or reconstituted into apple cider.

FAQs about Apple Cider Cookies

Variations

Add ½ cup caramel bits to the dough for caramel apple flavor.

Love crunchy? Add ½ cup chopped nuts to batter or sprinkle over warm frosting.

Want more apple flavor? Add ½ cup diced apple to the dough.

Change out the Maple Frosting for a Bourbon Glaze. Just mix 1 cup confectioners sugar with 1 Tablespoon of bourbon and 1 Tablespoon apple cider.

Ingredients

• Brown Sugar - adds a wonderful hint of molasses flavor that pairs perfectly with cider as well as the slightly chewy, soft and moist texture
• Granulated Sugar- adds the sweetness and moisture to this cakey cookie
• Butter - adds rich flavor and richness. Either salted or unsalted can be used
• Buttermilk - gives a slight tang to these cookies and helps tenderize gluten providing a softer, more tender texture to the finished cookies
• Boiled Apple Cider - boiled down apple cider adds an extra strong apple flavor to the cookies without adding extra liquid. Regular apple cider, not apple juice, can also be used but the flavor will be very mild
• Egg - will add the structure that binds the cookie dough together. Using a room temperature egg will help it mix into the batter more easily and avoid overmixing
• All-Purpose Flour - provides the structure and texture to the cookie
• Cinnamon & Nutmeg- give these cookies a classic fall flavor
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda - are the leavening agents. Both are used to give the cookies a little lift
• Salt - enhances the flavor of the ingredients and helps to balance out the sweetness

Recipe Tips

Before making these frosted apple cider cookies, check out the tips below for the softest, most delicious cookies.

• Be sure to use room temperature butter. The butter should make a slight indent when pressed gently with your fingers. Usually, 30 minutes to one hour at room temperature should soften it sufficiently.
• Use room temperture eggs as well. As they warm, the eggs form an emulsion which traps air. When baking, this trapped air expands and produces a fluffier cookie. Place the eggs on a counter for 30 minutes or place them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
• Measure flour correctly! A must for all baked goods as the amount of flour can change the texture of the final product. Scoop flour into a measuring cup and level off with a straight edge.
• Do not overmix! Overmixing will create a flatter, crisper cookie not the cakey, light cookie you want.

How to Make Frosted Apple Cider Cookies

Apple Cookies

Gather the ingredients to make these delicious fall cookies. The only specialty ingredient needed is boiled apple cider although regular apple cider can be used.

1. Combine butter and both kinds of sugar in a large mixing bowl. Cream until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and the boiled apple cider.
3. Pour in the buttermilk and blend well.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Slowly add to the wet ingredients, stirring until just incorporated.
6. Fluffy cookie dough ready for scooping onto cookie sheets.

7. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Leave about 2" in-between each dough ball for spreading. Bake.

8. Nicely browned and raised baked cookies. While the cookies are baking and cooling make the easy maple frosting.

How to Make Maple Frosting

1. Simple ingredients are all it takes to whip up this frosting - confectioner's sugar, apple cider, maple syrup and butter.

1. Combine all the frosting ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Whisk until well mixed. If the frosting seems to runny, add more confectioners sugar and if the frosting is too stiff, add more apple cider or maple syrup.

Spread the frosting on cooled cookies and let it set before storing in an airtight container. I like to place waxed paper or aluminum foil in-between my layers of cookies to keep each one looking its delectable best.

These Frosted Apple Cider Cookies are hard to resist. The sweet cakey texture is like eating apple cake that just melts in your mouth. And the maple frosting adds just the right finishing touch. Serve with a glass of milk or apple cider and enjoy! Happy Fall!

More Fall Recipes

Chocolate Pumpkin Swiss Roll is a lighter than air chocolate sponge cake rolled around a creamy extra fluffy pumpkin cheesecake filling. This is one irresistible fall, Halloween or Thanksgiving dessert.

Maple Pecan Sticky Buns are soft flaky buns, stuffed with cinnamon sugar & topped with sweet sticky caramel and nuts. They're finger-lickin' good!

Dutch Apple Pie has an easy-to-make flaky crust that is packed full of tasty cinnamon-flavored apples then covered with loads and loads of sugary crumbs. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars from Noshing with the Nolands have a buttery gingersnap crust that explodes with flavor matching perfectly with pumpkin pie spice flavors in the cheesecake swirl! 

Easy Apple Dumplings combine a whole cinnamon sugar flavored apple with a homemade pie crust and baked to warm perfection. And a drizzle of sweet vanilla sauce is a must.

Find lots of fall recipes here on 2CM!