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–+ servings
Apple spice cookies stacked on a plate with a green flowed edge and two apples behind.

Apple Spice Cookies

By Tammy Spencer
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!
5 from 8 votes
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time14 minutes
Cooling Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 4 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Calories: 144kcal

Special Equipment

Ingredients

For the cookies

  • 1½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) apple spice mix, homemade or store bought, see Recipe Notes
  • ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) kosher salt
  • ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (55 grams) brown sugar, light or dark, packed
  • 2 tablespoons (57 grams) canola oil
  • ⅓ cup (75 grams) applesauce, unsweetened, at room temperature
  • 1 (1) large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (59 grams) boiled apple cider, homemade or store bought, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes

For the apple spice glaze

  • 1 cup (113 grams) powdered sugar, sifted, or more as needed
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) apple spice mix, homemade or store bought, see Recipe Notes
  • pinch (pinch) kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) boiled apple cider, homemade or store bought, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons (10 grams) 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.

Recipe Notes

It's easy to make your own homemade apple spice mix. Just whisk together the following ingredients (alter the spices and amounts to your preference). Makes about 2 tablespoons:
  • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon allspice or cloves
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom
 
Boiled apple 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. 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.
This recipe doubles easily. For smaller cookies, use a small cookie scoop to measure 1 tablespoon of batter for each cookie. Bake about 1 minute less than above.
Apple Spice Whoopie Pies: 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 fun!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg