Name: Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: PT-488856H57M9S
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 4 cups (1L) apple cider (reduced to 1 cup); 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened; 1 ½ cups (300g) packed brown sugar; 4 large eggs, room temp; 2 tsp vanilla extract; ½ tsp apple or maple extract (optional); 4 cups (592g) all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 3 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp cardamom; 1 tsp nutmeg; Zest of 1 orange (optional); ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar (for rolling); 1 cup (130g) powdered sugar (for rolling)

Welcome to the Coziest Corner of the Kitchen!

Hey there, friend! Can you smell that? It’s the unmistakable scent of autumn swirling through my kitchen today—cinnamon, ginger, and the sweet, tangy aroma of apple cider bubbling away on the stove. There’s a chill in the air outside, but in here, it’s all warmth, laughter, and the promise of something seriously delicious coming out of the oven. If your idea of a perfect fall day involves a comfy sweater, a warm drink, and a plate of cookies that taste like a hug, you are absolutely in the right place. Today, we’re not just baking cookies; we’re crafting little edible pieces of autumn magic. We’re making my famous, wildly requested, and utterly irresistible Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies.

These aren’t your average cookies. Oh no. These soft, pillowy gems are packed with the concentrated flavor of reduced apple cider and a symphony of warm spices. They’re rolled in sugar not once, but twice, creating that iconic, crackled, snow-dusted look that just begs you to take a bite. The best part? We’re going big with a double batch because, trust me, one dozen is never enough. They disappear faster than you can say “is that cardamom I taste?” So, tie on your favorite apron (the messy one with stories is always the best), put on some cozy tunes, and let’s bake up a storm together. This is going to be fun!

The Day the Crinkle Cookie Was Born

This recipe has a special place in my heart because it was born from a happy accident and a serious craving. A few years back, my husband Mark and I took a weekend trip to a little orchard upstate. We came home with a half-gallon of the most incredible, fresh-pressed apple cider you’ve ever tasted. We drank it, cooked with it, and still had so much left! I’m the kind of person who can’t stand wasting good food, so I started reducing a big pot of it to make a syrup for pancakes.

As that rich, spiced syrup cooled on the stove, the entire house smelled like a fall festival. I was also in the middle of testing a molasses cookie recipe, and I had a lightbulb moment. What if I swapped the molasses for this reduced cider? The result was… magic. The first batch was good, but the second batch, where I doubled the spices and added a hint of orange zest? That was the one. Mark took one bite, his eyes went wide, and he said, “Okay, these are it. You need to make these forever.” And so, a tradition was born. Now, the smell of apple cider reducing on my stove is my official signal that the cozy season has begun.

Gathering Your Autumn Arsenal

Here’s everything you’ll need to create these spiced wonders. I’ve included all my favorite chef insights and substitutions to make this recipe work for you!

4 cups (1 liter) Apple Cider: This is the star! Don’t use apple juice; you want the robust, spiced flavor of real cider. We reduce it down to about 1 cup to concentrate its flavor into a powerful syrup. Chef’s Tip: Look for local, fresh-pressed cider at farmers’ markets for the most incredible flavor.
1 cup (226g) Unsalted Butter, softened: The base of our cozy cookie. Unsalted lets us control the salt level. Substitution: If you only have salted butter, just reduce the added salt in the recipe to ½ tsp.
1 ½ cups (300g) Packed Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works—dark will give a deeper, almost caramel-like molasses flavor. It adds moisture and that classic chewy texture.
4 Large Eggs: They bind everything together and add structure. Make sure they’re at room temperature to create a smoother, fluffier dough.
2 tsp Vanilla Extract: The classic flavor enhancer. Always use pure vanilla extract for the best taste.
½ tsp Apple or Maple Extract (Optional Twist!): This is my secret weapon for an extra punch of orchard flavor! It’s optional but highly recommended.
4 cups (592g) All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cookie. For a slightly more tender cookie, you can swap one cup with cake flour.
3 tsp Ground Cinnamon & 2 tsp Ground Ginger: The dynamic duo of warmth. Don’t be shy!
1 tsp Ground Cardamom & 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg: Here’s where we get fancy! Cardamom adds a beautiful, complex floral note, and nutmeg brings a familiar, nutty warmth. Chef’s Insight: For the absolute best flavor, grate your own nutmeg. The difference is incredible!
2 tsp Baking Powder: Our leavening agent, responsible for the perfect rise and soft texture.
1 tsp Salt: Crucial for balancing all the sweetness and making the spices pop. Never skip the salt!
Zest of 1 Orange (Optional Twist!): The bright, citrusy notes cut through the richness and make the apple flavor sing. A total game-changer.
½ cup (100g) Granulated Sugar & 1 cup (130g) Powdered Sugar: For the iconic double-roll! The granulated sugar helps the powdered sugar stick and creates that gorgeous crinkled effect.

Let’s Bake! Your Foolproof Cookie Roadmap

Ready to make some magic? Follow these steps, and you’ll have perfect cookies every single time. I’m chatting right alongside you with all my best tips!

Step 1: Reduce the Cider. Pour your 4 cups of apple cider into a medium, wide saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Let it bubble away, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes until it’s reduced down to about 1 cup of deeply amber, syrupy liquid. Chef’s Hack: Use a wooden chopstick to mark the 1-cup level in your measuring cup before you start. Dip it in the reduced cider to see how close you are! This is the most important step for intense flavor, so don’t rush it. Let it cool completely before using.

Step 2: Cream the Butter & Sugar. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter and brown sugar together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. You want it to be light, fluffy, and pale in color. This incorporates air, which helps with the texture.

Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. This prevents the batter from breaking. Now, mix in the vanilla extract, your optional apple/maple extract, and the completely cooled reduced apple cider. It might look a little curdled at this point—that’s okay! The flour will bring it all together.

Step 4: Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and orange zest (if using). Whisking ensures the baking powder and spices are evenly distributed so you don’t get a bitter bite.

Step 5: Bring the Dough Together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the flour disappears. The dough will be very soft and sticky—this is exactly what we want! Chef’s Tip: Avoid overmixing! This develops gluten and can lead to tough cookies.

Step 6: The Essential Chill. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight. Do not skip this! Chilling firms up the butter, allowing the cookies to spread less and hold their shape. It also gives the flavors time to meld and deepen beautifully.

Step 7: Preheat & Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.

Step 8: The Sugar Coating Dance. Place the granulated sugar in one small bowl and the powdered sugar in another. Using a cookie scoop (a #40 scoop, about 1.5 tablespoons, is perfect), portion out the dough and roll it into a ball. Roll it first in the granulated sugar, then generously in the powdered sugar. Chef’s Hack: Really coat it well in the powdered sugar—this is what gives you that beautiful, dramatic crinkle and snowy finish.

Step 9: Bake to Perfection. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the tops are crackled and the edges are set. They might still look a tiny bit soft in the center—that’s perfect! They will continue to set as they cool. Chef’s Insight: For even baking, rotate your baking sheets halfway through the bake time.

Step 10: Cool & (Optional) Drizzle. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you’re going for the extra glaze, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider until you have a drizzle-able consistency. Drizzle it over the cooled cookies for an extra hit of apple goodness.

How to Serve These Autumn Jewels

Presentation is part of the joy! Pile these crinkle cookies high on a rustic wooden board or a beautiful vintage plate. They are an absolute dream served still slightly warm with a cold glass of milk or a hot mug of spiced chai. For the ultimate fall experience, serve them alongside a sharp cheddar cheese—the sweet and savory combination is out of this world! They’re the perfect cookie for a holiday cookie swap, a Thanksgiving dessert table, or just because it’s Tuesday.

Make Them Your Own! Delicious Twists

Feel like playing? Here are a few of my favorite ways to mix things up:

Gluten-Free Swap: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. I recommend one that contains xanthan gum for the best texture.
Vegan Version: Use vegan butter and flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water per egg, set for 5 mins). The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
Spice Explorer: Add a pinch of black pepper for a subtle kick, or swap the cardamom for allspice or cloves.
Stuffed Cookie: Press a small cube of softened caramel or a few white chocolate chips into the center of the dough ball before rolling in sugar.
Maple Kissed: Replace the vanilla and apple extract with 1 teaspoon of maple extract for a Vermont-inspired treat.

Olivia’s Kitchen Notebook

This recipe has evolved so much since that first happy accident! I’ve learned that reducing the cider is non-negotiable—it’s the soul of the cookie. The addition of cardamom and orange zest came after a reader suggested it, and I’m forever grateful. It elevated the cookies from “great” to “I-need-the-whole-batch” status. A funny story: I once, in a pre-coffee haze, forgot to add the reduced cider entirely. I baked them anyway out of curiosity and ended up with very bland, spiced shortbread. We laughed, dubbed them “What-Did-Olivia-Forget-This-Time Cookies,” and crumbled them over yogurt. Even the mistakes can be tasty!

Your Questions, Answered!

Q: My cookies didn’t crinkle much. What happened?
A: The most common culprit is not chilling the dough long enough. A firm, cold dough is essential for that signature crackle. Also, make sure your baking powder is fresh! Old baking powder loses its potency. And don’t skimp on the powdered sugar coating—it provides the resistance needed to crack.

Q: Can I freeze the dough?
A: Absolutely! This dough freezes beautifully. After portioning into balls, freeze them solid on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from the freezer—just add 1-2 minutes to the bake time. No need to thaw!

Q: My powdered sugar coating melted/disappeared in the oven. Why?
A: This is why we do the double roll! The layer of granulated sugar underneath acts as a barrier, preventing the powdered sugar from being absorbed into the dough. If you skip the first roll, the powdered sugar will often melt away. Ensure a good, thick coating of both.

Q: The dough is too sticky to roll after chilling. Help!
A: If it’s too firm, let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. If it’s too sticky, your hands might be warming it up too much. Try dusting your hands lightly with flour or using food-safe gloves to handle the dough quickly.

Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies

Author: OliviaBennett
Total Time: 27 minute

Print Recipe

Description

Soft, spiced, and kissed with apple cider magic, these cookies taste like autumn in every bite. Rolled in sugar twice for that snowy crinkle look, they’re cozy, chewy, and irresistibly fragrant with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Perfect for cookie swaps, Thanksgiving tables, or simply for pairing with a warm mug of cider on a crisp fall afternoon.

Ingredients

Scale

4 cups (1L) apple cider (reduced to 1 cup)
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups (300g) packed brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp apple or maple extract (optional)
4 cups (592g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp nutmeg
Zest of 1 orange (optional)
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar (for rolling)
1 cup (130g) powdered sugar (for rolling)

Instructions

Reduce cider: Simmer 4 cups apple cider until it becomes 1 cup of syrup. Cool completely.
Cream butter & sugar: Beat butter + brown sugar until fluffy (2–3 min).
Add wet: Mix in eggs one at a time, then vanilla, optional extract, and cooled cider.
Whisk dry: In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and zest.
Mix dough: Add dry mix to wet just until combined. Dough will be sticky.
Chill: Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hrs (overnight best).
Preheat: Oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
Roll: Scoop 1.5 tbsp dough, roll into balls. Coat first in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar.
Bake: 10–12 min, until crackled on top and edges set. Cool 5 min before transferring to a rack.

Notes

Gluten-Free: Swap for a 1:1 GF flour blend with xanthan gum.
Vegan: Use plant-based butter + flax eggs.
Caramel Surprise: Stuff each dough ball with a caramel cube before rolling.
Spice Boost: Add a pinch of black pepper or swap cardamom for allspice.

Prep Time: 30 min (plus chilling)
Cook Time: 10–12 min

Nutrition

Calories: 120 cal Per Serving

Nutritional Information*

*This is an approximate estimate calculated using an online nutrition calculator. Values may vary based on specific ingredients used.

There you have it! My heart and soul in cookie form. I truly hope you love making and sharing these Apple Cider Crinkle Cookies as much as I do. Remember, baking is about the joy of creating and the love you stir into every batch. Now, go preheat that oven! And if you make them, I’d love to hear about it. Tag me on social media @OliviasCozyKitchen so I can see your beautiful creations!