Iced Apple Cookies From Scratch
These Amish Apple Cookies are perfect for cozy fall afternoons, packed with apples, golden raisins, and all your favorite spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
You won’t need the frosting to love these, but you’ll want it anyway. So add this autumn cookie recipe to your fall baking list now.
Amish Apple Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 ⅓ cups light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 egg
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 2 small apples (peeled and shredded)
- 1 cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup applesauce
Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 dash cream or milk
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Then, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly spray them with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cream sugar and shortening: In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup of shortening and 1 ⅓ cups of packed light brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add egg: Add 1 large egg to the sugar mixture and beat at medium speed until well combined, for about 1 minute.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves until well combined.
- Combine ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture, mixing at low speed until dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well incorporated.
- Add apples, raisins, and applesauce: Gently fold in 1 cup of golden raisins, 2 small shredded apples (about 1 cup), and ¼ cup of applesauce using a spatula. The dough will be very wet, almost like a thick cake batter.
- Scoop and bake the cookies: Using a 1½ tablespoon-sized cookie scoop or two spoons, drop scoops of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and baked through in the center.
- Let it cool: Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the icing: In a medium bowl, beat together 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of softened butter, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1-2 tablespoons of cream or milk (start with 1 tablespoon and add more as needed) until smooth and spreadable but thick.
- Frost the cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, use a knife or offset spatula to frost them with the prepared icing.
Notes
More Tips:
Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Too much flour can make the cookies dense and dry.
Make sure the cookies are completely cool before frosting to prevent the icing from melting and becoming runny.
You can prepare the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Just let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before baking.
These cookies will stick to the pan, so use parchment or generously spray your baking sheets.
Key Ingredients and Tools
You should have a few specific items on hand to make a big difference when making apple cookies. Here are some important ones to consider:
- Raisins: These add a unique sweetness and chewiness. If you don’t have golden raisins, regular raisins or dried cranberries can be used instead.
- Parchment paper: You’ll need this to prevent the cookies from sticking to the baking sheet. You can find it in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
- Shortening: This ingredient helps keep the cookies soft and tender. If you don’t have shortening, use an equal amount of unsalted butter instead.
- Hand mixer or stand mixer: A mixer makes sure the dough is well combined, and the shortening and sugar are properly creamed, resulting in a better texture.
- Ground cloves: This spice adds a warm, autumnal flavor and can be found in the spice section of your grocery store. Use a small amount, as a little goes a long way.
These tools and ingredients are important for your apple cookies to turn out delicious and perfect every time.
Here are some ingredient substitutions you can try for this recipe:
- Golden raisins: Use regular raisins or dried cranberries if you don’t have them.
- Shortening: You can use the same amount of unsalted butter if you’re out of shortening.
- Ground cloves: Replace them with allspice or leave them out if you have none.
- Applesauce: An equal amount of mashed bananas or pumpkin puree is a great alternative.
- Light brown sugar: If you’re out of light brown sugar, use dark brown sugar or mix granulated sugar with molasses.
Remember that using these substitutions may alter the outcome of the recipe, but it’s worth giving it a try!
These Amish Apple Cookies are a delightful addition to your fall baking lineup. With their soft texture and warm spices, they will surely become a family favorite.
Just follow the tips for perfect results every time, and I hope you love sharing these delicious cookies with loved ones.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.
