Description
Soft, pillowy spiced apple cider cookies coated in cinnamon sugar, sandwiched with your choice of brown sugar cream cheese icing or caramel buttercream — a nostalgic fall treat inspired by apple cider doughnuts.
Ingredients
2 cups apple cider, reduced down to about ¼ cup
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided (6 Tbsp at room temperature for batter + 2 Tbsp melted for brushing/coating)
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup + 2 tsp light or dark brown sugar, packed
¼ cup apple butter or unsweetened applesauce
2 large eggs, room temperature
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups (about 190–200 g) all‑purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon (plus extra for coating)
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
For the cinnamon‑sugar coating:
2 Tbsp melted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing (primary fill):
4½ oz (about 125 g) cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
2 cups (≈240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Optional alternate filling – Caramel Buttercream:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼–1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
approx. 2 Tbsp caramel sauce, cooled
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
In a small saucepan, bring apple cider to a boil, then simmer until reduced to about ¼ cup (roughly 30–35 min). Let cool to room temperature.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a medium bowl; whisk to blend.
In a separate bowl or mixer, beat 6 Tbsp softened butter with both sugars until creamy. Scrape sides, then add vanilla and eggs; beat until incorporated. Add cooled cider and apple butter/applesauce; mix.
Gradually mix in dry ingredients until just combined—do not overmix.
Scoop dough in 1½‑Tbsp portions onto parchment‑lined baking sheets, spacing ~3 in apart. Bake 11–13 min, until slightly puffed and set.
After baking, brush warm cookies with 2 Tbsp melted butter and sprinkle or roll tops in cinnamon‑sugar coating. Cool completely.
Prepare filling:
For cream cheese icing, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add brown sugar, vanilla, salt; gradually beat in powdered sugar until fluffy.
Or make caramel buttercream by creaming butter, powdered sugar and caramel until silky.
Spread or pipe desired filling onto flat side of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches. Chill 30 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus 30–35 min cider reduction)
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
