Apple Butter Snickerdoodles

Apple Butter Snickerdoodles are your classic snickerdoodles, but made with apple butter and warming cinnamon. They’re soft, chewy, and the perfect fall cookie recipe. You can enjoy them with a cup of warm spiced apple cider or a pumpkin spice latte. 

Be careful when you jump in to making these apple butter snickerdoodles because they’re addicting. I was already obsessed with snickerdoodles as it was and then I go and add apple butter to the mix and can’t get enough. Someone needs to come take these away from me or I’m going to add on the holiday 15 before the holidays even get here. 

While you’re falling in love with these apple butter snickerdoodles, go ahead and fall head over heels for these snickerdoodle blondies and pumpkin snickerdoodle cupcakes. Just make it a snickerdoodle themed baking day and go to town. I apologize now for your new and inevitable addiction. Actually, I don’t, ENJOY!

How Do You Make Snickerdoodles from Scratch?

1. Make the dough - Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and cream the butter and sugar in a separate bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla, apple butter, and cinnamon to the butter bowl.
2. Chill - Mix the dry and wet ingredients together and chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Prep - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and mix together the cinnamon and sugar.
4. Bake  - Make balls out of the dough, roll in the sugar mixture, and bake for up to 15 minutes.
5. Enjoy - Let rest for 5 minutes and gobble them up!

Tips and Variations

• Let the cookies rest - It’s important to let your snickerdoodle cookies rest when they come out of the oven. If not, they will most likely fall apart easily.
• Don’t cook until brown - Cookies continue to cook and set-up once pulled from the oven. So, it’s best to not let the cookies turn a golden brown before pulling them out as this means they’re overcooked. You want to remove them when they look like they’re almost done. 
• Flat or fluffy cookies - If you want your cookies to turn out a bit flatter, don’t chill the dough. If you want them a little thicker or fluffier, follow through with the chilling step. 
• Give the cookies space - When placing the cookies on the baking sheet, give them some space as they will want to spread a little bit during the baking process. 

Common Questions About Apple Butter Snickerdoodles

Do You Need Cream of Tartar for Snickerdoodles?

Technically, cream of tartar is what helps give snickerdoodles that slightly tart aftertaste. It’s basically what makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle. Without it, it’s a cinnamon sugar cookie, which is still delicious. If you’re not a fan of that classic, tart snickerdoodle taste, you can leave it out. The cookies will be delicious either way. 

Should Snickerdoodles Be Flat?

If you want them flat, you can flatten them a bit before cooking. However, no, they won’t automatically turn out flat without a little help to do so. Here’s the deal though, some cookies have a classic look they’re equated with, like peanut butter cookies with the fork marks. It’s common to see snickerdoodles in many forms, but they’re most commonly associated with a flatter or thinner appearance. I don’t really care for the flatter version and let them do their own thing. 

Please feel free to share your experience with making these Apple Butter Snickerdoodles in the comments below or on social media!

More Cookie Recipes You’re Sure to Love:

• Snickers Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
• Lemon Bar Cookies
• Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt
• Apple Pie Sugar Cookie Bars

Print

Apple Butter Snickerdoodles

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

12 mins

Chilling Time

30 mins

 

Apple Butter Snickerdoodles are your classic snickerdoodles but made with apple butter and warming cinnamon. They are soft, chewy and the perfect fall cookie recipe. The apple butter is more of an underlying flavor but gives these cookies so much depth. You can enjoy them with a cup of warm spiced apple cider or a pumpkin spice latte.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple butter recipes, what to bake with apple butter

Servings: 30 cookies

Author: Jackie

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter slightly softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ cup apple butter homemade or store bought
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
2. Cream the butter with the sugar with a mixer for 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, apple butter and cinnamon. Mix until well combined.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Chill your dough for at least 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. In a small bowl mix the sugar with the cinnamon.
6. Scoop balls of cookie dough using a spoon or an ice cream scoop and roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
7. Place the balls onto the baking sheet leaving some space in between each cookie dough ball, about 2 inches.
8. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes. The cookies should look slightly undercooked in the middle and crispy around the edges.
9. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooking rack to cool completely.

Recipe Notes

The dough must be chilled for at least 30 minutes but preferably for a few hours. If you bake the warm dough it will result in flat cookies.

How to store snickerdoodles and for how long?
You can store the cookies (once completely cooled down) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.