These soft apple spice cookies get their incredible flavor from boiled apple cider and a warm apple spice mix, plus an apple spice glaze to take them over the top. They'll be your new favorite Fall cookies!
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Why this recipe works
- These tasty cookies get their intense apple flavor from boiled apple cider and a mix of warm baking spices
- The apple glaze also benefits from the boiled cider and apple spice mix
- Soft and chewy, apple spice cookies showcase the best of Fall baking!
When I think about Fall-inspired cookies, recipes that feature the warm baking spices of cinnamon and cloves comes to mind. Molasses Cookies and Snickerdoodles are two of my favorite Fall cookie recipes to bake (along with Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies), but I think it's time to broaden our Autumn cookie choices.
As we slip into the Fall baking season (and before pumpkin spice everything takes over, although I make an exception for Pumpkin Biscotti), desserts featuring apples are especially popular when apples are at their peak. And apples and spice go hand in hand in Autumn baking recipes.
Apple pies may be the most popular apple dessert there is, especially at Thanksgiving time, followed by apple tarts and apple crisps (aka apple crumble in the UK). But let's not forget that cookies can have an apple treatment as well. Simple Apple Spice Cookies showcase the best of what Fall offers, and making them couldn't be easier!
With their fresh apple taste and soft texture, apple spice cookies bring Fall flavor into focus. Bring them to a Fall bake sale or cookie exchange, and watch them fly off the plate. Since the recipe doubles easily, you might want to make extras!
And to add to the fun, you can turn these cookies into Apple Spice Whoopie Pies! Just sandwich two cookies together with an apple cider-flavored buttercream filling (make a vanilla buttercream frosting flavored with boiled cider and apple spice mix to your taste). Fall cookie fun!
Step aside snickerdoodles and pumpkin spice, and let apple spice cookies showcase their flavor. They'll become your new favorite Fall cookie!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They are like little individual apple cakes. YUM.
- Wendy
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this sourdough pizza dough recipe:
Ingredient Notes
An apple spice cookie recipe needs a couple of important ingredients. Neither are hard to get, and they're crucial for the cookie's flavor profile.
Boiled apple cider: The intense apple flavor from boiled apple cider cannot be overemphasized - it elevates every apple dish it's used in! From this pretty lattice-topped apple pie to a rustic apple galette, boiled cider takes the flavor over the top.
You can use homemade or store bought boiled apple cider (I have quick instructions on how to make boiled apple cider below). As a substitute for boiled cider, use frozen apple juice concentrate, adding ½ teaspoon lemon juice because the concentrate isn't nearly as flavorful as boiled cider.
Apple spice mix: A flavorful blend of warm autumn spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, apple spice mix is often used to flavor apple pies, apple crisps, and other recipes using apples. You can use a homemade or store bought mix - see the FAQs below for instructions on how to make apple spice mix at home.
See recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make boiled apple cider
For this apple cookie recipe, boiled cider is made by reducing 2 cups (480 grams) of apple cider (not apple juice) to ½ cup. Make sure your boiled cider is pourable (like honey) so that it will mix well into the cookie batter. If needed, warm gently before using. For more information, check out my more detailed instructions on making boiled cider.
How to make apple spice cookies
Making an apple cookies recipe is very easy - mix the dry ingredients, cream together the wet ingredients, and bring everything together.
Step 1: Make the batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, apple spice mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (photo 1). Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on Medium-High speed until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes (photo 2).
Add the canola oil, applesauce, egg, and vanilla and beat at Medium-High until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes (photo 3). The mixture may look curdled, but that's ok. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again for another minute.
Blend in the boiled apple cider, then stir in the flour mixture, mixing on Low speed until the batter is completely combined (photo 4). The mixture will be thick and creamy.
Step 2: Bake the cookies
Line two half sheet baking pans with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper.
Using a medium cookie scoop, portion 2 tablespoons of the batter onto the prepared baking pans 3-inches apart, about 8 to 10 per baking pan. For smaller cookies, use a small cookie scoop to measure 1 tablespoon of batter for each cookie.
Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes (1 minute less for smaller cookies) or until the tops spring back when touched and the edges are lightly browned (photo 5).
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3: Glaze the cookies
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and salt.
Add the boiled cider and 1 teaspoon of milk into the powdered sugar mixture and stir until the mixture is smooth (photo 6).
The mixture will be thick, but should still drizzle from a spoon (like the consistency of molasses). Adjust the glaze's consistency with additional milk (if it's too thick) or powdered sugar (if it's too thin) in ½ teaspoon increments as needed (photo 7).
The glaze will resist drying at room temperature if it's too loose, so it's best to drizzle a bit on a plate or wax paper and see if it sets after about 10 minutes or so (photo 8). If it doesn't dry, add in a little more powdered sugar to the icing.
Place the glaze in a disposable pastry bag and snip a small opening at the bottom (or use a small ziplock bag and snip the corner). Drizzle the glaze onto the cookies, letting it set for about 10 minutes (photo 9).
Storage and make-ahead instructions
Storage instructions: Apple spice cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can also freeze the baked cookies (without glaze) for up to 3 months, placed in an airtight freezer container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Drizzle the glaze on, letting it set for a few minutes before serving.
Make-ahead instructions: You can prepare the cookie batter 1 day ahead and the apple spice glaze a few days ahead, both covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator. Let both the batter and the glaze come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
You can also freeze the cookie dough mounds after portioning them. Lay them on a baking pan (I line the pan with waxed paper first) and place in the freezer until firm (about 45 minutes). Remove the now-frozen dough to a freezer-safe ziplock bag until ready to use. They'll keep for several months. To bake cookies from frozen, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake about 2 to 4 minutes longer than normal. Follow the instructions for cooling and glazing.
Yield Notes
You'll get about 1½ dozen cookies.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
Commercially made apple pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice or cloves, and it's easy to make your own. Just whisk together the following ingredients (alter the spices and amounts to your preference). Makes about 2 tablespoons:
Apple spice mix
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon allspice or cloves
½ teaspoon cardamom
Boiled cider isn't the same as apple cider, it's made from apple cider (that is, the cider is boiled down to a syrup). The consistency of boiled cider will be more like runny honey than a free-flowing liquid. See my Boiled Apple Cider post for more details on how to make it.
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I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L'chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
More recipes featuring fruit to try
Recipe
Apple Spice Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon apple spice mix, homemade or store bought, see Recipe Notes
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, light or dark, packed
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ⅓ cup applesauce, unsweetened, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup boiled apple cider, homemade or store bought, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
For the apple spice glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted, or more as needed
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon apple spice mix, homemade or store bought, see Recipe Notes
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon boiled apple cider, homemade or store bought, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- 2 to 3 teaspoons milk, half and half, or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two half sheet baking pans with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon apple spice mix, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat together ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and ¼ cup brown sugar on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the 2 tablespoons canola oil, ⅓ cup applesauce, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and beat at medium-high until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture may look curdled, but that's ok. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again for another minute.
- Blend in the ¼ cup boiled apple cider, then stir in the flour mixture, mixing on low speed until the batter is completely combined (it will be thick and creamy).
- Using a medium cookie scoop, portion 2 tablespoons of the batter onto the prepared baking pans 3-inches apart, about 8 to 10 per baking pan.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched and the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the apple spice glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted), ¼ to ½ teaspoon apple spice mix (to taste, and a pinch kosher salt.
- Add 1 tablespoon boiled apple cider and 2 to 3 teaspoons milk (starting with the lesser amount) into the powdered sugar mixture and stir until smooth. The mixture will be thick, but should still drizzle from a spoon (like the consistency of molasses). Adjust the glaze's consistency with additional milk or powdered sugar in ½ teaspoon increments as needed.
- The glaze will resist drying at room temperature if it's too loose, so it's best to drizzle a bit on a plate or wax paper and see if it sets after about 10 minutes or so. If it doesn't dry, add in a little more powdered sugar to the icing.
- Place the glaze in a disposable pastry bag and snip a small opening at the bottom (or use a small ziplock bag and snip the corner). Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies, letting it set for about 10 minutes. Serve & enjoy!
- Storage instructions: Apple spice cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- You can also freeze the baked cookies (without glaze) for up to 3 months, placed in an airtight freezer container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Drizzle the glaze on, letting it set for a few minutes before serving.
- Make-ahead instructions: You can prepare the cookie batter 1 day ahead and the apple spice glaze a few days ahead, both covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator. Let both the batter and the glaze come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.
- You can also freeze the cookie dough mounds after portioning them. Lay them on a baking pan (I line the pan with waxed paper first) and place in the freezer until firm (about 45 minutes). Remove the now-frozen dough to a freezer-safe ziplock bag until ready to use. They'll keep for several months. To bake cookies from frozen, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake about 2 to 4 minutes longer than normal. Follow the instructions for cooling and glazing.
Notes
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon allspice or cloves
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
Wendy Klik says
They are like little individual apple cakes. YUM.
Tammy Spencer says
I’m glad you like them, Wendy! Thanks for sharing 🙂