Apple butter snickerdoodles— a deliciously cozy twist on classic snickerdoodles. Soft, chewy, coated in cinnamon sugar, and filled with spiced apple butter, they are perfect for fall!
As a former pastry chef, I love elevating classic desserts. These apple butter snickerdoodles are a twist on a classic snickerdoodle cookie- like my chewy pumpkin snickerdoodles or brown butter snickerdoodles, except these cookies are filled with apple butter!
Infused with the warm, spiced flavor of apple butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar, they are a cozy treat that’s perfect for fall. Soft, chewy, and packed with apple flavor, they’re perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself)! They’re just as easy to make as my apple pie cookies– just one bowl and no chill time!
Table of Contents
Tips for the Best Cookies
Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is my #1 baking tip! If your cookies aren’t spreading or are dry and crumbly, it’s almost always due to using too much flour!
Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop. This tool ensures uniform size and shape, promotes even baking, and creates professional-looking, bakery-style cookies with ease.
Use cold cream cheese. Cold cream cheese makes the dough less sticky and easier to handle, shape, and portion, leading to more consistent cookie sizes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Apple butter: I tested this recipe with a few different brands of apple butter (both with and without sugar). For the best results, I recommend using Musselman’s apple butter, which is superior in quality and flavor! It’s a key ingredient in these snickerdoodles, as well as in my apple cinnamon rolls, where it packs in the most apple flavor!
Molasses: Just a touch of molasses deepens the flavor with a rich, caramel-like sweetness and creates a chewier texture. I recommend unsulphured molasses, like Grandma’s.
Cream cheese: This special ingredient adds a subtle tanginess, enhances the cookie’s richness, and contributes to a soft, chewy texture! There is no substitute for it.
Cream of tartar: Like in my chocolate snickerdoodles, it gives the cookie that classic tangy snickerdoodle flavor. You can use lemon juice or white vinegar in a pinch, but it won’t have quite the same flavor.
Find the full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions in the recipe card below!
Recipe Instructions
1
Cream the butter and sugars. Cream the butter, cream cheese, sugars, and molasses with a stand mixer on low speed until light and fluffy.
2
Mix in the eggs. Mix in the egg, extra egg yolk, and vanilla paste or extract. Make sure to scrape down the bowl!
3
Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined.
4
Roll in cinnamon sugar. Use a cookie scoop to release the dough into the bowl of cinnamon sugar. Toss the dough ball in the sugar to coat it, then place it on the baking sheet.
5
Fill with apple butter. Use the back of a round tablespoon to indent the middle of each cookie, then fill the center with apple butter and sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar.
6
Bake the cookies. Bake the apple cookies until the edges are set. Let the pan cool on a wire rack, then remove and enjoy!
Storage and Freezing
Storage: Once baked, store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Freezing: If you want to freeze the cookie dough, do not fill or roll it. Instead, indent the center of the dough, then freeze until solid. Once solid, store them in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, roll them in cinnamon sugar, fill the centers with apple butter, and add 1-3 minutes to the bake time.
FAQs
You can find it in the jams/jelly aisle in any grocery store. If your store doesn’t have any, I bought a jar of Musselman’s on Amazon!
Yes! Once assembled, wrap the baking tray with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge overnight. The cookies can be baked the next day straight from the fridge.
Yes. Ensure it has a thick, spreadable consistency similar to store-bought versions.
The cookies are done when they are set around the edges. They will continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet!
Check that your butter is not too soft when you start mixing the dough. It should be a cool room temperature, between 64-68°F.
More Apple Recipes
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cool room temperature
- 3.5 ounces cold full-fat cream cheese
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, *see notes below for measuring*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup cane granulated sugar, for rolling
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, for rolling
- 3/4 cup Musselman’s Apple Butter
- 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, and molasses for 3 minutes on low speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl.7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter, 3.5 ounces (100 g) cold full-fat cream cheese, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar, 2 tablespoons (34 g) unsulphured molasses
- Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl.1 (50 g) large egg, 1 (18 g) large egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mix in the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt until just combined.2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Scoop a 2 tablespoon-sized ball of the cookie dough into the bowl of cinnamon sugar, rolling it around until it’s completely covered. Then, place it on the baking sheet and use the back of a round tablespoon to indent the center. Fill the center with 1/2 tablespoon of apple butter, then sprinkle the center with turbinado sugar.1/3 cup (67 g) cane granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 3/4 cup Musselman’s Apple Butter, 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- Bake the cookies spaced 2-3 inches apart for 8-12 minutes or until the edges are set. Let the tray cool completely on a wire cooling rack, and then enjoy!
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
These are just wonderful. My daughter and I made a double batch and needed more. Everyone loved them. Thank you!!!
Aw that makes me so happy! They are so addicting 😍
Tasted like apple pie! So worth it!
These are so good! I subbed the molasses for dark brown sugar melted with some syrup and they turned out great! The snickerdoodle part alone is so good and the apple butter makes them a perfect fall dessert
YAY! So happy to hear that, thanks so much for coming back to leave a review!
Can I make the dough and roll them the day before? Then shape them, add the apple butter, and bake them the following day.
Yes! I would assemble them completely and then just bake them the next day 🙂