On chilly autumn days, there is no better feeling than cozying up with hot apple cider. It’s pretty much the definition of the perfect fall drink.
That’s why we’re obsessed with this recipe that adds apple cider to a beloved dessert. That’s right, apple cider doesn’t just have to be enjoyed as a drink. There are plenty of apple cider recipes that have the tart, spiced flavor of fall in every bite. Including apple cider cheesecake cookies!
What are apple cider cheesecake cookies?
These apple cider-flavored cookies combine two of our favorite desserts: cheesecake and cookies. According to recipe developer Ginny Dyer, the cookies taste exactly like apple cider doughnuts with a cheesecake filling. Yum! Total dream dessert enjoyed preferably while watching Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween or a Nora Ephron rom-com.
How to Make Apple Cider Cheesecake Cookies
This viral recipe was shared by @inbloombakery on TikTok. The original post for “super chewy apple cider spiced cookies stuffed with creamy cheesecake” has 775,000 likes and counting. In other words, the internet can’t get enough!
The recipe echoes another In Bloom Bakery classic, pumpkin cheesecake cookies. And since we’re obsessed with those, too, we definitely aren’t complaining.
@inbloombakery APPLE CIDER CHEESECAKE COOKIES🍎✨ Super chewy apple cider spiced cookies stuffed with creamy cheesecake filling, brushed with butter & sprinkled with spiced sugar. The key to lots of apple cider flavor without adding too much moisture to the cookies is reducing the apple cider A LOT. Like you’re going to almost make a hard candy with it, you can see how hard and sticky it gets, but this will allow the cookies to stay super chewy while adding a strong apple flavor! And we’re stuffing them with cream cheese for good measure, but if you’d rather, you can leave the cheesecake part out ❤️ #applecidercookie #applecider #cheesecakecookies #applecookies #fallbaking #fallcookies ♬ Moonlight Serenade – Glenn Miller
Ingredients
Cheesecake filling:
- 6 ounces cream cheese, cold
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cookies:
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Spiced sugar:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch of allspice
- 1-2 tablespoon salted butter, melted
Directions
Step 1: Simmer the apple cider
Start off by creating an apple cider reduction, which Ginny says is the most important step. In medium saucepan over low to medium heat, simmer 2 cups of apple cider for 25 to 38 minutes. It’s an odd range, but the exact time depends on the heat. You’ll know the reduction is almost done once the consistency noticeably becomes more bubbly. Stir consistently to make sure it’s not overdone. The final result will be 2 tablespoons of a viscous, honey-like texture.
Step 2: Prep the cheesecake filling
Throw cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla in a small bowl and cream with a hand mixer on medium to high speed for 2 minutes. The cheesecake filling should have a pillowy consistency and the sugar should be fully dissolved.
In increments of 2 teaspoons, line up 16 cheesecake filling scoops onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then, pop those cheesecake dollops into your freezer. Ginny advises to wait until they’re frozen and firm so the filling won’t leak out from the cookies as they’re baking.
Step 3: Preheat the oven and prepare baking sheets
Preheat your oven to 350°F. (Fun fact, there’s a scientific reason why most recipes call for preheating the oven to 350°). Then, prep two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
Step 4: Create a flour mixture
Add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a medium bowl and whisk it all together—the right way! Put the mixture aside.
Step 5: Cream butter and sugar
In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until the result is light and fluffy.
Step 6: Add in the rest of the cookie ingredients
Add the egg yolks, vanilla and apple cider reduction to the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes.
Ginny’s Tip: The apple cider reduction will be extra sticky after it’s cool, so get ready to scrape it from a spoon!
Step 7: Combine wet and dry ingredients
Add the dry ingredients. Fully mix the ingredients all together on low speed. Use plastic wrap to cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes. Ginny says this makes the dough easier to work with. Don’t skip chilling the dough!
Step 8: Place the cookie dough on baking sheets
After the cookie dough has chilled, scoop 16 1-1/2 tablespoon portions of dough. Use three fingers to slightly flatten each dough portion. Grab a dollop of the cheesecake filling and place in the center of the flattened dough. Then, wrap the dough around the cheesecake filling until it’s fully concealed by the dough. Repeat for the rest of the cookies.
Take the prepared cookie dough balls and place them evenly on a baking sheet. Then, pop 6 cookies in the oven at a time. They take 11 to 12 minutes to bake, and Ginny recommends 11-1/2 minutes as the ideal baking sweet spot. Let each batch cool for 15 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to fully cool.
Step 9: Create the spiced sugar
Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice to a small bowl and mix together.
Wait for the cookies to fully cool before using a pastry brush—one of the must-have pastry tools for every home baker—to brush melted butter on the top of the cookies. Then sprinkle on the spiced sugar. Your apple cider cheesecake cookies are ready to serve!
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