Description
These Apple Butter Cookies are soft, flavorful treats that combine the warm spices of cinnamon with the sweet, rich taste of apple butter. Perfectly tender with a lightly crisp edge, they’re an ideal autumn snack or dessert that’s quick to prepare and sure to please the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup apple butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar using a mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. This creates a smooth base for the cookie dough.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, apple butter, and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture until smooth and fully incorporated, ensuring an even flavor and moisture distribution.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which helps keep the cookies tender.
- Form Cookies: Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and set while the centers remain soft.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on it for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, which prevents breakage.
Notes
- For chewier cookies, slightly underbake by removing them at 10 minutes.
- Apple butter can vary in sweetness – adjust sugar levels if your apple butter is very sweet.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh for up to 5 days.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
