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Soft Apple Cinnamon Cookies

Soft Apple Cinnamon Cookies with diced apple pieces and a cinnamon-sugar roll, baked until the edges are just set and the centers stay chewy. The dough chills for 1 hour to handle the sticky texture, then the cookies cool on the pan for a tender finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

dry ingredients
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup applesauce
  • 1 cup apples, peeled and finely diced
rolling
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Method
 

Prep the oven and dry mix
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment. Keep one oven rack in the middle position for even browning.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined. Make sure there are no cinnamon or leavening clumps.
Make the dough
  1. Beat unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed so the mixture looks light and uniform.
  2. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and applesauce, then beat just until incorporated. Stop when the batter looks smooth.
  3. Fold in the flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
  4. Fold in diced apples. The dough will be thick and studded with fruit pieces.
  5. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. The dough will be sticky, which is normal—chilling makes it easier to portion.
Shape, roll, and bake
  1. Mix sugar and cinnamon for rolling. Use this mixture to coat the tops of each portion.
  2. Scoop 1-1/2 tablespoon portions of dough and roll the tops in the cinnamon sugar. Keep the dough portions fairly round so they bake evenly.
  3. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them apart. Flatten very lightly only if needed; the dough will spread as it bakes.
  4. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes, until edges are just set. The cookies will look very soft in the center when you take them out.
  5. Cool cookies completely on the pan. This sets the texture so the centers stay chewy rather than cakey.

Notes

Pro tip: For the best scoopability, keep dough chilled until you’re ready to portion, and roll only the tops in cinnamon sugar so the edges stay lightly coated. Store cookies in an airtight container for 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days refrigerated. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat butter (similar amount) for a slightly softer, less rich cookie.