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Apple Butter Snickerdoodles

Apple butter snickerdoodles bake up crinkled, cinnamon-sugar cookies with golden edges and a soft interior. The apple butter adds caramelized fruit depth while the dough chills briefly for easier rolling.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

All-purpose flour
  • 2.75 cup all-purpose flour
Cream of tartar
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
Baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp cinnamon for rolling
Nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
Salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Unsalted butter
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
Granulated sugar
  • 1.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar for rolling
Eggs
  • 2 eggs
Apple butter
  • 0.33 cup apple butter
  • 0.5 tsp apple pie spice for rolling (plus cinnamon sugar)
Vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Apple pie spice
  • 0.5 tsp apple pie spice for rolling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment for easy release.
  2. Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
  3. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until very light and fluffy, then mix in the eggs, apple butter, and vanilla extract.
  4. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined; the dough should be soft.
  5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes if the dough is very sticky, so it’s easier to scoop and roll.
Roll & Bake
  1. Mix the rolling spices in a shallow bowl using the sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice.
  2. Scoop the dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon balls and roll generously in the cinnamon-spice sugar so they’re fully coated.
  3. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are crinkled and the edges are just set.
  4. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, so the centers finish firming as they cool.

Notes

For the best crinkle, roll each ball generously and keep the dough cold for easier handling. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days; freeze baked cookies up to 2 months (thaw at room temperature). For a dairy-light swap, use plant-based butter in the same amount and soften before mixing.