Bring a taste of the season into your home with these apple cider cookies. The cookies are soft & cakey with plenty of spiced apple flavor. They’re easy to make & absolutely irresistible when spread with our maple frosting.
It’s been temptation heaven in my house this past week with all the chocolaty deliciousness I baked up for Choctoberfest. Well, guess what? I have some more sweet tooth yumminess for you today because it’s time for our monthly Creative Cookie Exchange.
This month we celebrated fall in all its flavors. What do you think of when fall rolls around with its cooler weather, changing leaves and plethora of holidays? My first thought is apples and apple cider, and a close second is pumpkin. Since I’ve done a few pumpkin recipes like Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Streusel Muffins and Pumpkin Chiffon Tart, I thought I would whip up an apple cider cookie and top it with more autumness (is that a word?), maple flavored frosting.
Just the thought of apple cider brings back memories of weekend trips to the cider mill with my Dad. I always looked forward to the drive into the mountains, and enjoying the fall leaves, and once we arrived, the smell of fresh apples, watching the presses create the cider and, of course, the free samples. Now I’ll have to make do with the wonderful apple aromas coming out of my kitchen.
I really wanted to use actual apple cider in the cookie instead of just a flavoring so I adjusted the amount of buttermilk in the recipe to be able to add the cider. The best way to get the most flavor is to reduce the apple cider to a molasses consistency. You don’t have to do this, I didn’t do it this time around, but it does taste absolutely 100% more appley (I’m making up words right & left today) with this method. Check in the note section of the recipe if you want to go all out and use the reduction method.
The cookies came out just like I hoped, soft and cakey with a decided apple spice flavor. And the maple frosting just added the right finishing touch. Don’t forget to check out all the other delicious fall cookies from my favorite cookie bloggers below. Enjoy!
More Fall Magic!
Chocolate Pumpkin Swiss Roll from 2CM
Maple Pecan Sticky Buns from 2CM
Cinnamon Apple Bread with Pecan Streusel from 2CM
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- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup apple cider
- 1 egg
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider
- 2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon pure maple extract optional
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light & fluffy.
- Add buttermilk, cider & egg, blending well.
- In a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients, stir well. Add slowly, mixing well after each addition.
- Using a small cookie scoop, place on ungreased cookie sheets leaving about 2" in-between for spreading.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies should be a very light golden brown.
- Let cool on wire racks.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients.
- Spread generously on cookies and allow to cool completely before storing in airtight container.
You can use 2 teaspoons apple pie spice in place of cinnamon and nutmeg in the cookie. To reduce apple cider: Place 1-1/3 cups in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil, cover and cook for about 2-1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. When it is close to done it will start to look foamy. At this point turn heat down and watch carefully. When done, let cool and pour into jar & store in refrigerator. You'll have approximately 1/3 cup. If you don't use it for this recipe, try it as a sauce over meats, oatmeal or even an ice cream sundae.
One of the best things about fall–in addition to sweaters and football–is all of the delightful seasonal themes that come to mind for baking. Pumpkin, apples, late summer and early fall harvest, Halloween, Thanksgiving…. They are all fun and delicious to play around with, so check out what we have for you this month!
You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:
- Apple Cranberry Crumble Bars from All That’s Left Are The Crumbs
- Pecan Pie Thumbprints from Oven Delights
- Pumpkin Date Bars from What Smells So Good?
- Momofuku Corn Cookies from Food Lust People Love
- Apple Cider Cookies with Maple Frosting from 2 Cookin Mamas
- Maple Cookies from A Baker’s House
- Caramel Apple Shortbread Cookies from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Pecan Butter Cookies from Basic N Delicious
- Caramelized Apple Oatmeal Cookies from A Shaggy Dough Story
- Apple and oat cookies from Flours and frostings
- Spiked Oatmeal Apple Cookies from The Spiced Life
12 Comments
Michele
08/22/2018 at 6:56 amThese cookies are perfect for Fall! That maple frosting on top really takes them over the top. Thank you so much for allowing me to include them in my apple round-up! Have a great day!
Linda Warren
08/23/2018 at 9:08 amThanks for including me! The maple frosting made these cookies for sure.
Felice Geoghegan
10/22/2016 at 5:57 pmI love that you added a maple frosting. I’m going to have to look for some cider here so I can try these.
Linda Warren
10/24/2016 at 11:55 amApples & maple just seemed to go together. I just saw that they sell apple cider syrup – I bet that would make them super apple-y.
Anabel
10/21/2016 at 12:24 amThese look and sound delicious! Definitely a fall cookie!
Linda Warren
10/21/2016 at 3:50 pmThanks Anabel! Don’t you just love all the yummy flavors this time of year.
yummysmells
10/19/2016 at 10:13 pmMmmm definitely have to find some apple cider now
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories
10/18/2016 at 10:01 pmI love all of your made up words! =) I have some boiled cider in my fridge that would work perfectly with these!
Linda Warren
10/19/2016 at 10:17 amlol Thanks Karen! You’ll have to tell me if you try making these using your boiled cider. I think they’ll be awesome!
Holly
10/18/2016 at 3:45 pmI have enough apple cider in the kitchen to make these but need to restock the buttermilk. I have to bake for a teachers’ luncheon this week and these would be a hit!
Linda Warren
10/19/2016 at 10:19 amThese would be great for the luncheon Holly. I know they’ll enjoy them. 🙂