Apple Butter Snickerdoodles (with Video)
Two fall favorites – apple butter and homemade snickerdoodle cookies – come together for the ultimate fall cookie recipe: Apple Butter Snickerdoodles!
Best Snickerdoodle Recipe
Okay, so I know that’s a bold claim, but these apple butter snickerdoodle cookies are definitely my favorite snickerdoodle cookies that we’ve ever made!
We’ve experimented so much – with chocolate snickerdoodle cookies, pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies, to eggnog snickerdoodle cookies – seriously, you’ll find just about every variation of the classic snickerdoodle cookie on this website (including our viral snickerdoodle mug cake).
They have all of the buttery, cinnamon-y flavor of a classic snickerdoodle, with the caramelized richness of apple butter and a bit more complexity thanks to apple spice instead of just plain old cinnamon. The apple butter also helps make these cookies extra chewy – which is one of my favorite characteristics of snickerdoodles!
They are so incredibly indulgent and delicious – we quickly made our way through all three dozen cookies that this recipe makes and we were still left craving more.
These apple butter snickerdoodle cookies just melt in your mouth and are the perfect dessert to pair with a glass of milk or your favorite warm fall drinks.
Next time, I’ll be making a double batch and freezing half of the dough. To freeze this snickerdoodle cookie dough, I recommend portioning the dough into 2″ cookie dough balls before freezing. That way, you can just roll in apple pie spice and sugar and bake. Freeze in freezer-safe ziptop bags or your favorite airtight freezer containers. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.)
If you can’t find apple butter locally, we have a recipe to make apple butter in the Instant Pot using just a few ingredients. I usually find it in the baking aisle and sometimes with the jams and preserves. You can also order it online.
I personally do not recommend replacing the apple butter with apple sauce as the consistency and flavor won’t be the same, but you can cook regular applesauce down to make apple butter – just cook on the stovetop until sticky and dark-colored, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Alternatively, if you want to mix things up you can use a pumpkin butter.
Tips for the BEST Apple Butter Snickerdoodles
- Don’t skip refrigerating the dough, this will help develop the flavors and also prevent the cookies from spreading too much and becoming crispy
- While we’re on the “don’t skip” topic – don’t skip cream of tartar! I know, you may not have it on hand but it gives snickerdoodles their classic puffy, thick texture and adds a slight tang to balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients
- Rather than use just plain old cinnamon, use apple pie spice (or pumpkin spice) mixed with white sugar for rolling the cookies in before baking
- Avoid overbaking these cookies. They are done just when they are starting to turn lightly golden.
More Delicious Snickerdoodle Recipes
- Snickerdoodle Crepes
- Snickerdoodle Cookie Pie
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Mug Cake
- Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cobbler from Cookies and Cups
- Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars from Shugary Sweets
Check out our quick recipe video to see how to make these apple butter snickerdoodles for yourself – and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe:
Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Cookie Ingredients
- Butter, softened
- White Sugar
- Eggs
- Apple Butter <– you can also use our recipe for homemade apple butter
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Cornstarch
- Cream of Tartar
- Salt
- Cinnamon <– can use our homemade apple pie spice
- Apple Pie Spice, to taste
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Cookie Scoop
- Cookie Trays
How to Make Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and white sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the apple butter and combine thoroughly.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, cream of tartar, salt and cinnamon.
Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix well, then add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and beat until combined.
Refrigerate the dough for 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350ºF
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the white sugar and cinnamon for rolling.
Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough. Roll each scoop into a ball and then roll the cookie dough through the cinnamon-sugar.
Place each cookie at least 2″ apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes until just lightly golden brown.
Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a minute before moving to a cooling rack.
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Apple Butter Snickerdoodles
A delicious and tender snickerdoodle cookie recipe with amazing depth of flavor thanks to the rich taste of apple butter and a generous apple pie spice and sugar coating.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup apple butter
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon <-- can use apple pie spice
For rolling the cookies:
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3-4 Tablespoons apple pie spice, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and white sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the apple butter and combine thoroughly.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, cream of tartar, salt and cinnamon.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mix well, then add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and beat until combined.
- Refrigerate the dough for 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the white sugar and cinnamon for rolling.
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough. Roll each scoop into a ball and then roll the cookie dough through the cinnamon-sugar.
- Place each cookie at least 2" apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes until just lightly golden brown.
- Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a minute before moving to a cooling rack.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 134Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 118mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
These apple butter snickerdoodle cookies are hands-down my current favorite cookie! Baking them will make your whole home smell like fall and that first bite is sure to put a smile on your face.
For more delicious fall cookie recipes, check out our Dutch Apple Pie Cookies or our Candy Corn Mickey Cookies.
Check out our other delicious Cookie Recipes:
For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here:
Okay I’ve got to make these! I have SO MUCH apple butter from our neighbour’s apple tree. These sound like the perfect recipe to use it up!
I am low-key jealous of your apple butter supply! I hope you love the cookies!
I have a jar of apple butter that has these cookie’s name written all of them. This combines two of my favorite fall flavors…I mean who wouldn’t love apple butter snickerdoodles?
A brilliant use of apple butter….I love the creative take on a classic snickerdoodle. Everyone loved them and I already need to make another batch.
Oh that is always so great to hear! Thank you, Debra.
We made sooooooo much apple butter and are now gathering recipes for what to make with some of it – obviously these cookies are at the very top of the list!!! Cant waiiiiit to try this weekend!! Thank you!!
Thank you, Aline – hope you love them!
This recipe sounds Exactly of what cookie i want to make for my Son I have read thru the ingredients & instructions several times trying to find the exact amount of Cream of Tartar without success Please help me with this as I have never made a snickerdoodle Thank You
Hi Janet, I’m so sorry for the oversight. It’s 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar. Hope you love them!