Apple Butter Snickerdoodles

These Apple Butter Cookies stay soft for days, are thick and full of cinnamon-y flavor!

Snickerdoodles are an obsession around here and if you haven’t tried my white chocolate snickerdoodles or pumpkin snickerdoodles you need to try them out ASAP!

After all, it’s peak cookie season and there’s nothing better than freshly baked cookies on a cozy night.

These snickerdoodles are filled with flavorful apple butter (I just used store bought) and are super light and fluffy.

They’re made with cream of tartar so they have that classic snickerdoodle flavor but with an apple butter spin. It’s a hug in a cookie and a fun spin on the classic cookie we all know and love.

Reasons to make apple butter snickerdoodles:

• First of all, do we reaaaallly need a reason?! 😉
• They’re puffy, soft and thick
• Rolled in cinnamon and sugar to guarantee cinnamon-y goodness
• A holiday classic and loved by all
• Freezer friendly
• Did I mention how SOFT they are?!

I hope you love these Apple Butter Cookies!

Ingredient Notes for Apple Butter Cookies

• Apple Butter: A store bought apple butter works perfectly fine here. However if you have some homemade you want to use, go for it! The apple butter flavor isn’t very strong of over-powering it just adds a little flavor and moisture to the cookie
• Flour: A mix of cake flour and all purpose flour is what I love. Be sure to spoon and level the flour so you don’t end up with more flour than needed.
• Butter: cold butter, no need to use softened here.
• Cream of tartar: gives snickerdoodle cookies it’s classic flavor
• Cinnamon: I use 1 1/2 tsp. I’ve found that’s enough especially since the cookie gets rolled in additional cinnamon and sugar, but feel free to use more if you prefer more cinnamon flavor.
• Other basic baking ingredients: sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, eggs, vanilla

Step by Step Directions

See the recipe card below for the full detailed instructions.

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugars together
3. Then add in the apple butter, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and blend until mixed.
4. Gradually add in the flour mixture until ingredients are incorporated.
5. Chill cookie dough for at least 1-2 hours.
6. Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F
7. Scoop ~2 tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into balls (these cookies are a lot smaller than my normal thick cookie). Will make ~24 small cookies.
8. Roll the cookie dough balls in cinnamon sugar mixture.
9. Bake cookies for ~10-12 minutes. *They might look underdone when they come out of the oven, give it some time, they will set up and be soft for days!

Expert Tips

• Chilling the cookie dough is important since we added apple butter, this will help prevent them from spreading. Chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if needed (but all that is needed is 1-2 hours at least), and allow to come to room temperature prior to baking.
• Use a mix of both All-Purpose flour and cake flour: I’ve tested without cake flour and the cookie is more dense. It’s still delicious, but I just love the cake-y center when using a combination of both flours.
• Don’t skip out on the cream of tartar, it’s what sets these cookies apart from basic sugar cookies.
• Use a little flour on your hands if they dough is somewhat sticky. The apple butter makes the cookie dough nice and moist!
• Be careful not to over mix the dry ingredients. Mix just until dry ingredients are combined, over mixing can cause the cookies to collapse in the center.

Apple Butter Cookies FAQ

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Apple Butter Snickerdoodles

Apple Butter meets snickerdoodle cookies and my heart has never been happier! Made with apple butter and rolled in cinnamon and sugar, it's a hug in cookie form. Soft, pillowy, thick cookie deliciousness!

5 from 6 reviews

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 11 minutes

Total Time: 21 minutes

Servings: 24 small cookies

Calories: 199kcal

Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
• ▢ 1 cup cake flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tsp. corn starch
• ▢ 1 tsp. baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp. salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• ▢ 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 1 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 cup butter, unsalted, cold (16 Tbsp.)
• ▢ 2 Tbsp. apple butter* (I used store-bought)
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 large egg yolk
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Cinnamon/Sugar topping

• ▢ 2 Tbsp. sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp. cinnamon

US Customary – Metric

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Instructions

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
• Whisk together the All-purpose flour, cake flour, cream of tartar, cinnamon, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium speed until light and fluffy, ~3-4 minutes.
• Add in apple butter, followed by the egg, egg yolk and vanilla until combined.
• Add in dry ingredients, gradually until ingredients are incorporated. (Do not over mix).
• Chill cookie dough in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours (or longer). This is important to help the cookies from spreading and to look soft and pillowy like the cookies in the photos! 🙂
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Using floured hands and a cookie scoop, scoop ~2 tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into balls (these cookies are a lot smaller than my normal thick cookies). Will make ~24 small cookies. The dough might be a bit sticky due to the apple butter so using lightly floured hands will help.
• Roll in the cinnamon sugar until coated.
• Place on prepared baking sheet & bake cookies for ~10-12 minutes. Ovens vary.
• Let cookies cool for ~10 minutes. They are very soft when they first come out of the oven! Add an additional sprinkle of cinnamon/sugar on top, and enjoy.

Video

Notes

• *I originally tested this recipe with 1/2 cup apple butter and felt it was too much. I’ve scaled it back to 2 Tbsp. Add more if you would like, I feel it produces a thinner cookie, so if that’s your thing go for it! 🤗
• Don’t skip out on the cream of tartar, it’s what sets these cookies apart from basic sugar cookies.
• Use a little flour on your hands if they dough is somewhat sticky. The apple butter makes the cookie dough nice and moist! After chilling the dough, it shouldn’t be too difficult to work with.
• Be careful not to over mix the dry ingredients. Mix just until dry ingredients are combined, over mixing can cause the cookies to collapse in the center.
• If cookies are spreading, trying adding a few extra tablespoons of flour, and be sure to use parchment paper or a Silpat mat on the baking sheet. 
• Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.

Find Kroll’s Korner on Instagram!Mention @krolls_korner or tag #krollskorner

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 261IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Hi, I’m Tawnie!

Welcome to my tiny “korner” on the Internet! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves cookies as much as kale. (OK, maybe I like cookies a little bit more but shh, don’t tell anyone). I am so glad you’re here! Follow along for hassle free, realistic and approachable recipes.

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