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Frosted Apple Butter Sugar Cookies

Frosted apple butter sugar cookies with tender cut-out centers and a creamy apple-butter cinnamon frosting. Bake until the edges are just set, then finish with cinnamon sugar and a caramel drizzle for a swirled, amber-tinted look.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For cut-out sugar cookies
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup apple butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For apple butter frosting
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp apple butter
  • 2.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp milk
Cinnamon sugar and caramel for finishing
  • 1 cinnamon sugar
  • 1 caramel

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the cut-out cookies
  1. Beat the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and apple butter until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  2. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until no dry streaks remain. Stop mixing once the dough comes together.
  3. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. Cover the dough so it doesn’t dry out.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a sheet pan. Keep the oven at 350F while the cookies bake.
  5. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into rounds or apple shapes.
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350F until the edges are just set. The centers should still look slightly soft before cooling.
  7. Cool the cookies completely before frosting. Wait until fully cool so the frosting won’t melt or slide.
Make frosting and finish
  1. Beat the cream cheese, unsalted butter, apple butter, powdered sugar, and cinnamon until smooth. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until spreadable.
  2. Spread frosting over each cooled cookie. Add a dusting of cinnamon sugar on top.
  3. Drizzle caramel over the frosted cookies for finishing. Use a light swirl so the amber frosting remains visible.

Notes

Pro tip: chill the dough until firm so the cut-out shapes hold their edges. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze frosted cookies for up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge overnight). For a dairy-light swap, use dairy-free cream cheese and butter sticks in the frosting.