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Apple Butter Snickerdoodles

Apple butter snickerdoodles are soft, crinkled cookies rolled in cinnamon-sugar before baking, with apple butter adding caramelized fruit depth. The dough rests briefly for easier shaping, then bakes at 375°F until the edges are just set.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
chill 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 1 lb unsalted butter softened
  • 1.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup apple butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For rolling
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp apple pie spice

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and dry mix
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment for nonstick baking and easy cleanup.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl until evenly combined and no streaks of spice remain.
Cream the butter mixture
  1. Beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until very light and fluffy, with the mixture appearing pale and aerated.
  2. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in apple butter and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
Combine dough and rest
  1. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until incorporated; the dough should be soft and thick, not dry.
  2. Refrigerate for 30 minutes if very sticky, until the dough firms up enough to scoop cleanly.
Shape and roll
  1. Mix the rolling spices—sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice—in a shallow bowl so the coating is evenly blended.
  2. Scoop dough into 1-1/2 tablespoon balls, then roll generously in cinnamon spice sugar until the surface looks fully coated.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375F until the cookies are crinkled and the edges are just set, while centers still look slightly underdone.
  2. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes so the centers finish setting as they cool and the cookies release more easily.

Notes

Pro tip: If your dough feels sticky, chilling it for the full 30 minutes makes the rolling stage much cleaner and helps preserve the crinkled tops. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use a 1:1 plant-based butter stick (for baking) to keep the cookie texture similar.