Apple Cider Cookies

• In a medium frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Heat the butter until the milk solids separate and turn amber in color. Pour in a separate container. Take out 2 Tablespoons of butter and place in a separate bowl. Cool completely.1 cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Unsalted butter

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 cup apple cider. Cook for 15 minutes. The apple cider should reduce down to ⅓rd cup. Pour ¼th cup of the cider in one bowl (for the cookie dough). The rest will be for the butter or the glaze. Cool completely.1/4 cup Reduced apple cider

• In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.3 cups All-purpose flour,1/2 tsp Baking powder,1/2 tsp Baking soda,1 tsp Salt,1 tsp Ground cinnamon,1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg

• In a large bowl, mix the browned butter, apple cider, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, egg, and apple sauce. Add in the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to mix until just combined.1 1/4 cup Brown sugar,1/4 cup White granulated sugar,1 Large egg,1/4 cup Apple sauce,1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Let the dough rest while the oven preheats.
• Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the dough. Place 6 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet.
• Bake 13-15 minutes. Bake one tray at a time. Cool completely on a cooling rack

Assembly

• Prepare both the apple cider browned butter and the cinnamon sugar. If the butter is solid from cooling, heat in the microwave for 10 seconds.2 TBSP Brown butter,1 TBSP Apple cider,1/2 cup White granulated sugar,2 tsp Ground cinnamon
• Take a pastry brush to brush on the butter on the cookie. Immediately dunk in the cinnamon sugar. (do one cookie at a time). There should be a lot of cinnamon sugar on the cookie.

• In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar and apple cider. It should be thin enough to pour. Drizzle the glaze on top of the cookies.1 cup Powdered sugar,2 1/2 TBSP Apple cider

DECORATING THE COOKIES TIPS

• Brush the cooled cookies with apple cider browned butter while using a pastry brush. If the butter has cooled, melt in the microwave for 10 seconds.
• Immediately dunk the cookies into the cinnamon sugar. Do just the tops of the cookies. Roll the cookie, dab the cookie, and make sure to get the sides. It should be thick layer of cinnamon sugar like these cookies.
• Once they have all been dunked in cinnamon sugar, make the apple cider glaze. It should be thin enough to pour on top of the cookies.
• Place the glaze in a piping bag, ziplock bag, or a squeeze bottle. Drizzle the glaze on top of the cookies

NOTES FOR RECIPE

• Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cookies and cause them not to spread
• High altitude baking- Add an extra 2 tablespoon of flour.
• Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
• To quickly cool the apple cider and brown butter, place them both on a plate (separate plates) and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. 
• The brown butter needs to be melted but room temperature before using.

FAQ

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Soft and chewy apple cider cookies- These cookies are very soft because of the apple cider and the applesauce. Which helps makes them taste more like the donuts!
• Apple cider browned butter- Both inside the cookie dough there is both browned butter and apple cider. Also, the cookies get brushed with both before being dipped in cinnamon sugar.
• Cinnamon sugar cookies- They are dipped in cinnamon sugar has a thick layer just like the donuts.
• Apple cider glaze- The glaze is simple, it is just powdered sugar and apple cider. It gives the cookies an even stronger apple cider flavor.

Can I make these into smaller cookies?

Yes you can. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop 12 cookie dough balls per cookie sheet. Bake for 8-11 minutes.

Does the apple cider need to be reduced?

Yes it does! It will give you a really strong apple cider flavor. A lot stronger than if you used regular apple cider.

What’s the difference between apple cider and apple juice?

Apple cider is essentially apple juice that has been significantly less processed. It still has some of the pulp and is not pasteurized the way apple juice is, so it typically needs to be refrigerated. Apple cider has a much deeper, more concentrated flavor than apple juice. In this recipe, you definitely want to use cider to achieve the full flavor profile.

How should I store these cookies?

Store these cookies, cooled, at room temperature for up to 2 days covered. Any longer and I prefer freezing them.

Can I use apple juice instead?

You can however it might not have the exact same flavor as apple cider. Read more below on the difference. I recommend using apple cider because it has a more pronounced apple flavor, but the recipe will still work the same but the flavor will be less pronounced.