The apple cookies get their delicious flavor from apple butter. They are soft, delicious, and the perfect cookie for fall.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/3 cup apple butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
For Rolling the Cookies
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and half a teaspoon of cinnamon. Beat until well combined.
In a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and apple butter together. Add 1 1/2 cups of sugar and beat until fluffy, about three minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and bottom. Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time. Beat until incorporated, scraping the sides once in the middle.
With the mixer stopped, add the flour mixture. Turn the mixer at a low speed until the flour is incorporated enough so that it does not fly. Turn the mixer on high for a few seconds until the flour is completely mixed. Be careful not to beat too much.
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Using 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough, remove the dough and put it into the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Turn it over once and then roll it between the palms of your hands to form a ball. The dough will be sticky. If the dough is too sticky to work with, put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Bake two inches apart for 10 to 14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to brown and the center no longer looks mushy. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes, then carefully place them on a cooling rack until they are completely cool. Store them in an airtight container.
Notes
You should be able to stick a finger in the butter easily, but not all the way through. Apple butter is found in the grocery store near the jelly.