Apple Butter Snickerdoodles are like a bite of apple cider donut—soft and fluffy inside with a slight crunch outside. Rolled in warm cinnamon sugar, these cookies capture everything we love about fall.
If you don’t have apple butter on hand, no problem—applesauce works fine if you cook it down a bit with a little sugar and cinnamon to thicken and deepen the flavor.
Apple Butter Snickerdoodles are a simple twist on the classic: apple butter adds moisture, body, and gentle apple flavor while extra cinnamon gives each cookie a cozy, seasonal note. The dough bakes into cookies that are tender and slightly chewy with a crisp cinnamon-sugar exterior—perfect for fall and holiday baking.
Table of Contents
- 🥘 Ingredients Needed
- 🍽 Equipment Needed
- 🥣 How to Make It
- 🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
- 🍲 Serving Size
- 🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating
- ✏️ Helpful Tips
- Looking for More Fall Recipes?
- Apple Butter Snickerdoodles Recipe
🥘 Ingredients Needed
For the Cookies
- All-purpose flour
- Cream of tartar (gives snickerdoodles their signature tang)
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Apple butter (or reduced applesauce—see notes)
- Ground cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
For Rolling / Coating
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
Where to Find Apple Butter
Apple butter is often sold near jams, jellies, and applesauce in grocery stores. If you prefer, you can make a small batch of apple butter or simmer applesauce with a little extra sugar and cinnamon until it thickens—this gives the recipe a closer texture and richer flavor than straight applesauce.
Why Apple Butter Works in Cookies
Apple butter adds moisture and concentrated apple flavor, and because it’s thick and slightly syrupy it helps the dough stay tender. It can behave a bit like a fat in the batter, so chilling the dough before baking helps maintain a soft, puffy cookie rather than a thin, flat one.
🍽 Equipment Needed
- Stand mixer, hand mixer, or large mixing bowl and a whisk/spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a non-stick silicone mat
- Plastic wrap or a sealed container for chilling dough
- Optional: cookie scoop or melon baller for uniform cookies
🥣 How to Make It
These snickerdoodles are straightforward and forgiving. Follow these steps for consistent results.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat softened butter with 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy—this usually takes a few minutes with a mixer.
- Prep the dry ingredients: Whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- Mix eggs and flavorings: Add the eggs to the creamed butter one at a time, then mix in 1/2 cup apple butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon until smooth.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients in small batches, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid adding all the flour at once to prevent a flour cloud if using a mixer.
- Chill the dough: Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours. If short on time, chill in the freezer for 30 minutes—do not bake from frozen.
- Prepare the coating: Mix 1/3 cup granulated sugar with 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
- Form and roll: Scoop uniform dough portions (about 1 tablespoon each) and roll them into balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture; for extra crunch, roll twice so more sugar clings to the surface.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place dough balls on a lined baking sheet and bake 12–14 minutes, until edges are set and the tops are lightly browned.
- Cool briefly: Let cookies rest a few minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack. They’re best served warm.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
A snickerdoodle typically includes cream of tartar in the dough, which gives the cookie a slight tang and a softer, chewier texture. Snickerdoodles are also rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking, creating their characteristic sweet-spiced crust.
Yes—use applesauce that’s been simmered with a little sugar and cinnamon until it thickens to better mimic apple butter’s texture and flavor. If using plain applesauce, reduce any additional liquid in the recipe slightly to keep the dough from becoming too loose.
🍲 Serving Size
Using a heaping tablespoon scoop yields about 36 cookies. Adjust the scoop size for larger or smaller cookies; baking time will vary slightly for bigger or smaller portions.
🥫 Storage / Shelf Life / Reheating
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Reheat briefly in an air fryer or oven to restore crisp edges and a warm, tender center—just a few minutes at low heat is usually enough.
✏️ Helpful Tips
- Chill the dough thoroughly. The apple butter adds moisture and fat-like richness; chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and stay thick and pillowy.
- Use a scoop or spoon for uniform cookies so they bake evenly.
- Double-roll in cinnamon sugar for a crisp, sugary outer layer.
- These pair beautifully with milk, hot cider, or a seasonal coffee drink.
- If you make apple butter at home, it will give the most concentrated flavor, but high-quality store-bought apple butter also works well.
These cookies are a cozy fall classic and also make charming holiday treats when you want something a little different from traditional sugar cookies.
Looking for More Fall Recipes?
- Sweet and Salty Candied Bourbon Pecans
- Bourbon Spiced Pumpkin Butter
- Maple Bourbon Apple Butter
- Pasta e Fagioli
- Slow Cooker White Beans and Ham
- Pupkin Spice Pumpkin Dog Treats
Have you tried this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. I’d love to hear how your cookies turned out!
Apple Butter Snickerdoodles
Author: Kari
Yields: About 36 cookies
Prep: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours chilling)
Bake: 12–14 minutes at 350°F (175°C)
Ingredients (summary)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup apple butter (or reduced applesauce)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- For coating: ⅓ cup granulated sugar + 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions (summary)
- Cream butter and 1 ¼ cups sugar until light and fluffy.
- Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, then stir in apple butter, vanilla, and cinnamon.
- Add dry ingredients gradually until combined. Chill dough at least 2 hours.
- Mix coating sugar and cinnamon. Scoop dough into tablespoon-sized balls and roll in coating (double roll for extra crunch).
- Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes until lightly browned at the edges. Cool a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage. Reheat briefly to refresh the crunch.
Nutrition information varies by ingredients and serving size; use as a guide only.