Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and full of cinnamon flavor. Apple Cider Snickerdoodles combine the two delicious flavors of apple and cinnamon.
Apple Cider Snickerdoodles
The classic snickerdoodle gets a flavor enhancement with the addition of syrupy reduced apple cider. The craggy cookie tops are perfect for capturing the cinnamon sugar.
What is a snickerdoodle?
The traditional snickerdoodle cookie is a favorite of many people. Similar to a sugar cookie, the defining characteristic of a snickerdoodle is cinnamon sugar coating. Either Dutch or German in origin, the cookies are an American recipe that has been around for over 100 years. The cookie grew in popularity after being published in 1891 by Cornelia Campbell Bedford in a local newspaper.
These won't last long.
What is cream of tartar?
The recipe for snickerdoodles is basically flour, sugar, fat, and some warm and toasty spices. However, baking soda and cream of tartar are added for leavening. But what is cream of tartar? It is an acidic by-product from the fermentation of wine. Depending on the recipe it can play many different roles. Add to egg whites while whipping to help stabilize a meringue. It prevents sugar crystals from forming so that the interior of a snickerdoodle is chewy. Taste a little tanginess when you take a bite of a snickerdoodle? That is cream of tartar which gives this cookie a signature flavor.
Reduced Apple Cider
Reduced apple cider is a great ingredient to have on hand this time of year. It only requires boiling the cider until it reaches a syrupy consistency.
Reduced Apple Cider
A flavor and texture enhancer, reducing intensifies the sweet-tart apple cider flavor. It complements cinnamon well adding a depth of flavor to many recipes. Use it as a drizzle on ice cream or desserts. Making barbeque sauce - add a splash for a fruity zing. Here is another recipe using reduced apple cider - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/apple-cider-coffee-cake/
Apple Cider Snickerdoodle Ingredients
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- apple cider
- all-purpose flour
- cream of tartar
- baking soda
- cinnamon
- kosher salt
- granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- egg
- reduced apple cider
How To Make Apple Cider Snickerdoodles
Reduce Apple Cider
- Add 1 cup of apple cider to a small saucepan. Over medium-high heat, let the apple cider start to boil. It may rise in the pan as it boils. Be careful it doesn't boil over.
- As it reduces, the apple cider will have thicker bubbles.
- Keep an eye on the cider so that it doesn’t burn. It will take about 20-25 minutes for the cider to reduce to ½ cup and will be thicker and similar in consistency to maple syrup. Let cool to room temperature before using.
Prepare Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Combine granulated sugar with cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Whisk together to remove any lumps.
Mix dry ingredients.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and light brown sugar with a paddle attachment at high speed for 5 minutes until fluffy.
Cream butter and light brown sugar.
- Add the egg to the creamed butter and mix thoroughly. Scrape the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add 1 egg and mix.
- Add 3 tablespoons of the reduced cider to the butter and mix until combined.
Add 3 tablespoons of reduced apple cider.
- Spoon the flour mixture into the butter and mix for 1 minute until the cookie batter is combined.
Finished dough ready to scoop.
- If the cookie dough is too warm, put the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 - 15 minutes to chill.
Scoop Cookies
- Line each sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, place round dough balls on the prepared baking sheets. Place the cookies at least 2½-inches apart. They spread and if too close you will have a pan cookie.
Round scoops of dough.
- Sprinkle each cookie with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Don't be stingy with the sugar. It gives the cookies a crunchy exterior.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove them from the sheet pan after cooling for 1 minute.
Just out of the oven.
Tips
- Refrigerate the dough after mixing if it is getting warm. This will help stop the spread of the cookies while they are baking.
- Remove the cookies 1 minute after taking them out of the oven and place them on a wire rack. This is to stop the bottoms of the cookies from continuing to bake on the hot sheet pan.
- These delicious cookies will keep for three days if stored in an airtight container.
Easy Snickerdoodle Recipe
This classic cookie, generously flavored with cinnamon and enhanced with reduced apple cider, is an easy holiday cookie recipe. Have a Christmas cookie exchange? This cookie will stand out for its buttery flavor, chewy centers, and craggy surface piled high with a blend of cinnamon sugar.
Crunchy and chewy!
But make a few extra Apple Cider Snickerdoodles to keep at home for your own holiday cookie tray!
Recipe
Apple Cider Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- 1 Mixer
- 1 mixing bowl
- 2 sheet pans or cookie sheets
- 2 sheets of parchment paper
- 1 small bowl
- 1 wire rack
- 1 cookie scoop (A 1½-inch scoop that holds 1½ tablespoons will make 3-inch cookies.)
- 1 metal spatula
- 1 rubber spatula
Ingredients
Reduced Apple Cider
- 1 cup apple cider (8 ounces/237 ml)
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (6.9 ounces/195 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (2 ounces/54 grams)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed (5.7 ounces/160 grams)
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons reduced apple cider
Cinnamon Sugar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Reduce Apple Cider
- Add 1 cup of apple cider to a small saucepan. Over medium-high heat, let the apple cider start to boil. It may rise in the pan as it boils. Be careful it doesn't boil over. As it reduces, the apple cider will have thicker bubbles.
- Keep an eye on the cider so that it doesn’t burn. It will take about 20-25 minutes for the cider to reduce to ½ cup and will be thicker and similar in consistency to maple syrup. Let cool to room temperature before using.
Prepare Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Combine granulated sugar with cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Whisk together to remove any lumps.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and light brown sugar with a paddle attachment at high speed for 5 minutes until fluffy.
- Add the egg to the creamed butter and mix thoroughly. Scrape the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add 3 tablespoons of the reduced apple cider to the butter and mix until combined.
- Spoon the flour mixture into the butter and mix for 1 minute until the cookie batter is combined.
- If the cookie dough is too warm, put the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 - 15 minutes to chill.
Scoop Cookies
- Line each sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, place round dough balls on the prepared baking sheets. Place the cookies at least 2½-inches apart. They spread and if too close you will have a pan cookie.
- Sprinkle each cookie with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Don't be stingy with the sugar. It gives the cookies a crunchy exterior.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove them from the sheet pan after cooling for 1 minute.
Notes
Tips
- Refrigerate the dough after mixing if it is getting warm. This will help stop the spread of the cookies while they are baking.
- Remove the cookies 1 minute after taking them out of the oven and place them on a wire rack. This is to stop the bottoms of the cookies from continuing to bake on the hot sheet pan.
- The cookies will keep for three days if stored in an airtight container.
Nutrition
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