Apple Cider Cookies for Ben

I was not sure that a recipe for cookies that had pieces of apple and apple cider in them existed. I thought only Ben would want a cookie like that, and it probably didn't exist. After looking through all the blogs I could find yesterday, I found a recipe for Apple Cider cookies and was so excited. I changed the recipe because I did not have the Mulling Spices and thought it was not worth spending a lot of money on whole spices when I might never use them again. I think the cookie was just as good if not better with my changes.


Apple Cider Cookies

1 stick of butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup reduced apple cider
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups diced apples (Fiji)
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup flour
2 tsps cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp all spice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar in the raw

You need to start off with reducing the the apple cider down, you want to start with 3 cups of apple cider and reduce it to 1/2 a cup all the flavors will intensify and add so much to this recipe. It took me more than an hour to reduce the apple cider, I think the sauce pot I used was too small. You want to bring it up to a boil and then reduce down to a simmer until the cider has reduced.

With an electric mixer cream the butter and the sugars together. In a small bowl whisk the egg yolk, vanilla and the reduced cider together (you want to make sure that the cider is at room temperature or you will cook the egg.) Mix until smooth.


In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients, flour, spices, grahams, oatmeal and apples, stir. Slowly add the dry mixture into the electric mixer with all the other ingredients. Mix until combined. If the mix looks a little wet add in another 1/4 cup of oatmeal (mine was wet and I didn't and when I cooked them they came out a little runny and spread way bigger than I wanted, next time I will add this 1/4 cup of oatmeal.) Refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, spoon the dough into balls 2 tbsp big roll in the raw sugar then place on cooking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. My cookies stuck to the pan as well because of the sugar, so next time I wouldn't roll the bottom in sugar so they come up easier off the pan. Let cool on a cooling rack. I came out with a few dozen good cookies and a bunch of broken too soft broken apart too fragile cookies.


Ben loved the taste of these cookies, so next time I make these I will defiantly add in more oatmeal and use less sugar in the raw. I'll update this post when I do make them again and let you know how they come out. I was almost ready to give up on these cookies and do an Apple Cider Cookie: Fail but in reality the flavor was there the structure wasn't and that can hopefully be fixed. They will go on the Thanksgiving cookie platters, even some of the broken, ugly ones will end up hiding on the tray. No one has to know, and honestly if they taste good, the will get eaten. :)