These apple butter cookies are warm, chewy, comforting, and perfectly spiced! Best of all these cookies are made with NO EGG, made in ONE BOWL, are NO CHILL, and made in LESS THAN 30 minutes! Not to mention these apple cookies are perfectly chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside with swirls of real apple butter! These cookies are sure to be a hit at your next party, family event, or holiday!
These apple butter cookies are the hit of every party, barbeque, holiday, and family get-together! This is such a FULL PROOF and EASY recipe that the WHOLE family will enjoy! Especially the cookie dough! This sugar cookie dough on it’s own is SO delicious!
These cookies also travel really well in an air-tight container and make the perfect addition to your holiday cookie box!
The other best part about these cookies is you can make the dough ahead of time, store them in the freezer, and defrost the cookies to bake as needed! Perfect quick treat to prepare when you have unexpected guests or for those late night cookie cravings!
For other delicious cookie recipes, see my vegan oatmeal raisin cookies, molten chocolate lava cookies, and homemade oatmeal cream pies!
Apple Butter Cookie Ingredients
To make this delicious, egg-free, one-bowl, apple butter cookie recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Butter-unsalted and softened butter is preferred for this recipe but you can also substitute for vegan unsalted butter sticks as well.
- Sugar-I recommend granulated white sugar for this recipe to get that nostalgic sugar cookie experience.
- Flaxseed-Ground flaxseed makes creating flax eggs super easy! Just combine 2 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 4 tablespoon of water and allow to sit for 5 minutes to thicken. If you prefer to use eggs, you would use 2 room temperature large eggs for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract-Vanilla extract, powder, or paste will work in this recipe.
- All-purpose flour-All purpose flour is the preferred flour for this recipe but you can also substitute for a 1:1 gluten free flour mix as well.
- Baking soda/Baking powder-Both are required for this recipe, please do not skip these ingredients.
- Salt-You can use any salt here but I used sea salt and was delicious!
- Cinnamon-Use your preferred cinnamon powder on hand, and mix with sugar to make cinnamon sugar for rolling your cookies!
- Apple butter– You can use store bought, or homemade apple butter for this recipe.
See recipe card for additional details and quantities.
Tip: Be sure to roll the cookies in a mixture of sugar and extra cinnamon to compliment these festive, and delicious, apple butter cookies!
Apple Cookie Instructions
For the full instructions and measurements for how to make this delicious recipe, please skip down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Use the following step-by-step instructions for how to make this delicious apple butter cookie recipe:
Use a stand mixer, or hand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream together the softened butter, and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until well combined and fluffy.
Then add the flax eggs, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix on medium speed until combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt to the cookie mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined. Then fold in the apple butter, or use your stand mixer, slowly until just combined.
Then take 2 tablespoon of the sugar cookie dough, roll in your hands into a ball, and then roll in cinnamon sugar.
Arrange 6 cookie dough balls per baking sheet. Flatten the cookie dough balls with your hands. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Enjoy!
Hint: For this recipe, avoid over mixing the batter. Mix until just combined and no flour or dry ingredients are visualized and the apple butter just swirled into the mixture.
Apple Butter Cookie Substitutions
While this recipe is super delicious, and perfect already, these cookies are extremely versatile and have substitutions to easily make this recipe gluten-free, or vegan, or non-vegan!
- Gluten-free – instead of using all purpose flour for this recipe, feel free to use 1:1 gluten free flour mixture.
- Vegan – use vegan unsalted butter sticks for this recipe.
- Egg – the flax eggs are a substitute to make this recipe egg-free, however you can use two large room temperature eggs instead if you prefer.
Note: if you do use eggs for this cookie dough, be sure to half the baking soda and baking powder ingredients.
Cookie Variations
There are a wide variety of topping variations that you can use for this fall-inspired, cinnamon-spiced, apple butter cookie recipe, in addition to the cinnamon sugar:
- Frosting
- Vanilla Glaze
- Oats
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Marshmallow topping
Tip: Serve these delicious cookies with your favorite milk substitute, coffee, espresso, or tea! Delicious and so comforting!
Equipment
For this recipe, you will need a few pieces of equipment. You will need a stand mixer, or hand mixer, one small bowl, and at least 1 large baking sheet! That is it! Three pieces of equipment!
For the stand mixer, or hand mixer, ensure that you use a paddle attachment for the cookie dough. A stand mixer is optional, you can mix by hand, just ensure that you do not over mix the batter.
Storage
You can store your baked apple butter cookies in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week! You can also store your baked cookies in the freezer for 3-4 months. Consuming your cookies sooner rather than later will ensure more freshness!
The other best part about these cookies is you can make the dough ahead of time, store them in the freezer, and defrost the cookies to bake as needed so that you can have freshly baked cookies on demand!
Top tips
- Ensure that you flatten the cookie dough balls with your hands slightly before placing in the oven for the perfect cookie shape!
- Be sure to also roll the cookies in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon to make a truly festive cookie!
- For this recipe, avoid over mixing the batter. Mix until just combined and no flour or dry ingredients are visualized, and the apple butter just swirled in.
- Serve these delicious cookies with your favorite milk substitute, coffee, espresso, or tea! Delicious and so comforting!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you have lots of apples, you can make applesauce or even apple butter! Add apple butter to toast, biscuits, or add to cookies for extra flavor.
When adding apple butter to cookies, the key is to swirl the apple butter into the cookies and to not add too much apple butter to your dough. If you add too much apple butter to your cookie dough, the sugars will caramelize too quickly and you could risk burning your cookies.
The key to the perfect cookie dough is to properly combine the butter and sugar together until whipped and fluffy. Lastly, avoid overmixing your cookie dough batter.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with apple butter cookies:
Apple Butter Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Parchment-lined baking sheet
- 1 Small bowl For cinnamon sugar
Ingredients
Apple Butter Cookies
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter Room temperature and softened
- 1 1/2 Cup Granulated sugar Plus more for rolling
- 2 Tbsp Ground flaxseed 2 Flax eggs (2 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 4 tablespoon water) OR 2 large eggs
- 2 Tsp Vanilla extract
- 3 Cups All-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten free flour
- 1 Tsp Baking soda
- 1 Tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 Cup Apple butter Homemade or store bought
Instructions
Apple Butter Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Parchment line a baking sheet. Prep your flax eggs by mixing together the ground flaxseed and water. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Use a stand mixer, or hand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream together the softened butter, and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until well combined and fluffy.
- Then add the flax eggs, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix on medium speed until just combined.
- Then add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the cookie mixture. Then mix on low speed until just combined (avoid overmixing the batter).
- Add 1/4 cup of apple butter to the cookie mixture and combine using a spatula, OR your stand mixer on low speed with a paddle attachment, slowly until just combined.
- Then take 2 tablespoon of the sugar cookie dough, roll in your hands into a ball, and then roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place on a baking sheet. Continue this process until you have the desired amount of cookies.
- Arrange 6 cookie dough balls per baking sheet. Flatten the cookie dough balls with your hands slightly. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Then enjoy!
Amazing recipe! Easy to make and its a great way to use left over apple butter! 10/10 highly reccomend!!!