Description
This recipe creates large, soft cookies inspired by a bakery-style treat, featuring a spiced apple butter swirl and a crunchy brown sugar crumb topping. It combines a chewy base with warm fall spices, perfect for a cozy dessert.
Ingredients
- 225 g (1 cup) softened unsalted butter
- 150 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 100 g (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) alcohol-free vanilla extract
- 300 g (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) baking soda
- 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) salt
- 120 g (1/2 cup) apple butter
- 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) ground cinnamon (divided)
- 1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground cloves
- For the brown sugar crumbs: 50 g (1/4 cup) light brown sugar; 30 g (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour; 30 g (2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter; 1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prep Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Mix in the room temperature egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
- Prepare Topping and Filling: In one small bowl, combine the apple butter with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; reserve 1 tablespoon of this mixture for garnish later. In a second small bowl, prepare the crumbs by combining brown sugar, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, then cutting in the cold butter until coarse crumbs form.
- Shape and Fill Cookies: Scoop 1/4 cup portions of dough, roll into balls, and place them 3 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Press a deep indentation into the center of each ball and fill with approximately 1 tablespoon of the spiced apple butter.
- Swirl and Top: Gently swirl the apple butter once or twice into the surrounding dough using a skewer or toothpick. Sprinkle the brown sugar crumbs generously over each cookie, pressing lightly to ensure adherence.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers are just set but still soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Garnish and Serve: Drizzle the reserved apple butter over the cooled cookies and dust with a small amount of extra cinnamon before serving.
Notes
To achieve a soft center, avoid overbaking; pull the cookies from the oven when the edges just start to turn golden. The use of cold butter in the crumb topping prevents it from melting too quickly during baking. To make a day ahead, form and chill the unbaked dough balls in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg