Appledoodle Cookies
Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookie Recipes 2020
On the fourth day of Christmas cookie recipes, Nicole brought to her readers the most amazing apple cookie recipe of all time.
Yes, I said it. *THE* most amazing apple cookie recipe of all time.
When these cookies hit your taste buds you will not know how to contain yourself.
Texts I’ve received from friends and family members that I’ve given these cookies to: “The apple pie cookie is freaking amazing…seriously tastes like apple pie a la mode” “Did you sneak some crack cocaine in the white chocolate chips…I have never tasted something so good” and “I can’t control myself…I’m going to eat them all!”
And in case you’re wondering, no, I did NOT add any illegal drugs into these cookies 🤪 The recipe is just *that* good.
I must add that I’ve never been much of a fruit dessert person myself. I always go for the chocolate…for the peanut butter…pretty much anything before fruit 😂 So when I decided to make an apple cookie, it was more about pleasing the customer base I had rather than making a cookie that I really cared to make. The ironic part of this is that I honestly LOVE these cookies now. So here’s to doing things that we aren’t always convinced we we want to do until we come to realize they are *actually* the best things 🙌
I invented the name Appledoodle because these are the perfect match up of a classic apple pie cookie and snickerdoodle. They are sweet, they are cinnamon-y, and they are everything you’ve ever wanted in an apple cookie plus more. They are packed full with white chocolate chips and chunks of Granny Smith apples which perfectly balance one another. I also use one of my favorite “secret weapon” ingredients, instant vanilla pudding mix to give these cookies an added creamy flavor 😋 Rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked to perfection, these beauties are a real show stopper.
For this recipe, I first start by cutting my COLD butter into tablespoon chunks. I beat on low until the butter has softened and then mix in the sugars, dry instant vanilla pudding mix, and cinnamon until well combined. From there I add the eggs and mix well, all on the lowest speed possible and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Once the wet ingredients have been added, I add the dry ingredients (all in one big swoop) and pulse the electric mixer on-off until they have combined with my wet ingredients. Finally, I add the peeled Granny Smith apple chunks (about 1/4-3/4 inch cubes) and a whole bag of white chocolate chips to the mixture.
Sometimes I feel like the apple I am using is too juicy and don’t want it to make my cookies soggy- so if you feel this way, go ahead and pat them as dry as you can by pressing on them with a paper towel. I don’t always do this, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt if you are worried somewhat!
I then measure my cookies into 2.5 oz (small version) or 5 oz (LARGE version) cookie dough mounds and roll them in a cinnamon sugar mixture and place on the cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart (small version) or 3 inches apart (large version) Mounds should be high. You do not need to shape or roll the dough. If you feel like your cookie dough is too soft and not standing well on its own, go ahead and refrigerate the dough for 30 or so minutes.
These cookies will bake for approximately 8 minutes and you will know when they are ready when their tops are slightly browned and the middles are somewhat firm. Now, similar to my other recipes- do NOT remove the cookies from the hot cookie sheets. You MUST allow them to finish baking on the cookie sheets for another 30 minutes or so. The middles will harden up a little more and you will be glad you waited!
Without further ado, here is the recipe for my Appledoodles!
Appledoodle Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 C Unsalted Butter, COLD, cut into tablespoon chunks
- 3/4 C Brown Sugar (light or dark)
- 1/2 C Granulated Sugar
- 1 small package Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (Dry)
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 2 large Eggs
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 C All Purpose Flour
- 1 C Cake Flour
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Add-ins
- 1 bag White Chocolate Chips
- 3/4-1 whole large Granny Smith Apple
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Cut cold butter into tablespoon chunks. Add to electric mixer and beat on low until butter is somewhat softened.
- Add in sugars, cinnamon, and instant vanilla pudding. Cream until well combined.
- Add in one egg at a time, mixing on low until eggs are mixed in well with other wet ingredients.
- Add all purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pulse mixer on/off until the dry ingredients are well combined with wet. You may also set your mixer to low. Scrape sides of bowl and bottom as needed.
- Cut apples into 1/4-3/4 chunks. I like there to be a variety of sizes.
- Fold in apples and white chocolate chips into the dough. *Disclaimer: I love white chocolate. If you do not, you can add more apple chunks.
- At this point, your dough should be well combined but still somewhat stiff. If your dough is runny or too soft, refrigerate for 30 minutes. Soft or runny cookie dough will result in your cookies spreading or flattening.
- Form your dough into 3 oz (small version) or 5 oz (large version) mounds of dough. I do not roll or shape the dough. Stack the dough balls high.
- Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, stir. Take the mounds of cookie dough, one by one, and roll in sugar mixture until all surface of the mounds are covered.
- Place dough mounds on a lined cooking sheet. Place small cookies about 2 inches apart from one another and large cookies at least 3-3 1/2 inches apart. (With big cookies, I typically can only fit 5 of them on one sheet at a time)
- Bake for 8 minutes. Your oven may take longer than this to bake but check at 8 minutes. Your cookies will be lightly browned on top and starting to crack.
- Once you have removed the cookies from the oven, let the cookies sit on the sheet for a good 30 minutes. The cookies will finish baking on the warm sheet and the middles will harden somewhat. Do not try to move your cookies to a cooling rack before the 30 minutes are up!
I hope that you enjoy these delicious cookies! I would love to be tagged in any photos you may take and share over social media!
xoxo
Nicole
