This apple cider cookie recipe has quickly become one of my favorite fall treats. They’re thick, chewy, and coated in a homemade apple pie spice coating (and can be drizzled with homemade caramel sauce, too).

These chewy apple cider cookies taste just like an apple cider doughnut that you’d get at an apple orchard! This is truly one of my favorite apple recipes out there – and I’m sure it’ll be yours, too.

Why you’ll love these apple cider cookies

They’re perfect for fall. The reduced apple cider, homemade apple pie spice coating, and spices found within these cookies screams fall.

They’ll last longer than apple cider donuts! Listen, I love me some apple cider donuts but they don’t really last more than a day or two! These chewy apple cider cookies last for a week on the counter and even longer if stored in an airtight container in the fridge!

Can be topped with homemade caramel sauce. Because the only thing better than apple cider cookies… are caramel apple cider cookies.

Ingredients

To make these apple cider cookies, you’ll need:

• Apple cider – More specifically, you’ll need reduced apple cider. It’s so easy to make and is a little different than apple cider glaze.
• Flour – I used all purpose flour for these apple cider cookies.
• Butter – If you want to control the sodium in this recipe, use some unsalted butter! Otherwise, salted butter works just as well.
• Sugar – The granulated sugar helps to give these cookies their crispy, golden edges.
• Light brown sugar – Brown sugar helps the cookies stay moist and soft in the center!
• Eggs – Two eggs are needed for these apple cider cookies.
• Cream of tartar – Makes your apple cider cookies chewier.
• Baking soda – Helps your apple cider cookies rise a bit more. Make sure you don’t accidentally grab baking powder!
• Salt – For flavor – feel free to omit if using salted butter.

But wait, there’s more! Let’s take these apple cider cookies a step further and make a sort of apple pie spiced coating to roll them in before they bake. To make this spiced coating, you’ll need:

• Sugar – You don’t need much sugar, but you need enough to coat a good amount of cookies. Check the recipe card below for the proper measurements!
• Spices – I wanted to replicate an apple pie spice blend, so I used cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger.

Listen, the apple pie spiced coating is totally optional… but TBH, you’re going to want to try it at least once! And yes, I would 100% recommend making this instead of using your typical cinnamon sugar mixture (as you get more of an apple flavor with a makeshift apple pie spice)!

Make sure you use apple cider and not apple juice, too. While apple juice is tasty, you won’t get the same spiced flavors as you will using apple cider.

Hear me out…

I’ve seen a few recipes for apple cider cookies where it’s literally just sugar cookie dough mixed with an apple cider mix. I’m here to tell you that while I’m sure they’re good, there is nothing better than a homemade apple cider cookie.

How to make apple cider cookies

The first thing you have to do is reduce the apple cider. To do that, heat 1 cup of apple cider in a saucepan over medium low heat and simmer until it’s reduced to 2 TBSP. This should take 15-20 minutes.

Tip – Let the reduced apple cider cool for about 20 minutes before you start making the cookies!

Once the apple cider has cooled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. If you’re looking for a good silicone mat, I highly recommend this one.

Beat the melted butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and the reduced apple cider, then beat until well incorporated. You may need to use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides as you do this!

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Slowly add into the wet ingredients and fold until incorporated. Set the apple cider cookie dough to the side and make your apple pie coating.

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and spices. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, form balls with your cookie dough. Roll them in the apple pie spice mix coating, and then place the cookie dough balls on your prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them them to a wire rack. Enjoy!

Frequently asked questions

Why do I have to reduce the apple cider?

It helps give you that apple cider flavor you’re after!

If you don’t want to spend the 15-20 minutes that it takes to make this yourself (as well as the 20 minutes needed for it to cool) you can buy boiled apple cider and use that instead. It’s pricy, but it is available year round and lasts a long time… so worth it in my mind!

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

Apple cider isn’t as processed as apple juice. It has a much more concentrated flavor than apple juice!

How long will my apple cider cookies last?

If stored on the counter in an airtight container, up to a week. Up to two weeks in the fridge, and they can be frozen for up to two months!

Make sure you don’t cover them with homemade caramel sauce if you plan on freezing them, use that when you’re ready to eat!

Can I use apple cider vinegar in place of the apple cider?

I definitely wouldn’t! Apple cider vinegar and apple cider are two very different things.

You can maybe substitute the apple cider with apple butter – but I’ve never tried it and can’t be too sure how it’ll taste!

Apple Cider Cookies

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What’s better than an apple cider donut? An apple cider cookie, of course! These cookies scream “fall” and they’re some of the best spiced cookies I’ve ever had.

• Author: Kayla
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Time Spent Reducing + Cooling: 40 Minutes
• Cook Time: 10 Minutes
• Total Time: 1 Hour
• Yield: About 18 Cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the cookies

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup apple cider, reduced
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 TSP cream of tarter
• 1 TSP baking soda
• 1/2 TSP salt

Optional apple pie spiced coating:

• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1 TSP cinnamon
• 1/2 TSP ground ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom

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Instructions

1. First, reduce the apple cider. To do that, heat 1 cup of apple cider in a saucepan over medium low heat and simmer until it’s reduced to 2 TBSP. This should take 15-20 minutes. Let the reduced apple cider cool for 20 minutes.
2. Once the apple cider has cooled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
3. Beat the melted butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and the reduced apple cider, then beat until well incorporated scraping down the sides as needed.
4. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Slowly add into the wet ingredients and fold until incorporated. Set the apple cider cookie dough to the side and make your apple pie coating.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and spices. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, form balls with your cookie dough. Roll them in the apple pie spice mix coating, and then place each ball on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 10 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them them to a wire rack. Enjoy alone or with some homemade salted caramel sauce!

Notes

* Keep in mind, if you choose to buy boiled apple cider, you won’t have to wait the 20 minutes for it to reduce + the 20 minutes it needs to cool off! You’d cut your time in half!